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EDITION 18 DEC’11 - MAR‘12
er... r newswleottrd : Join ouem ail the
Simply nline.co.za s@museo ‘join’ to new
Editors Note and Index Cover Feature: Hartke Kilo Cover Feature: Hartke Kilo Gear News Gear News Gear Review: Peavey Vypyr 100 Instrument Review: Tanglewood TSB 58 HB Gear Review: KXaudio KX15 Gear Review: Bose L1 Compact Instrument Review: Reverend Flatroc Gear Review: Swart AST master Guitar Amplifier Instrument Review: Warwick Pro Series Bass Guitars Special Feature: Campus of Performing Arts Why Can't We Get No International Recognition by David Chislett Guitar Maintenance with Alan Ratcliffe Play Better Bass with Alistair Andrews Play Better Bass with Alistair Andrews Play Better Guitar with Kurt Slabbert Play Better Guitar with Kurt Slabbert Your Private Universe with Jon Pike
EDITOR’S NOTE
I
t’s time to fill those Xmas stockings with new gear and musical instruments. What else could readers of Muse Tech want as a gift? Sure PC tablets and touch-screen Smartphones are all the rage right now but a brand new piece of music gear tops that any day! Bassists should be happy with this edition. Our cover feature reveals the beast that is the Hartke Kilo bass amplifier which literally had reviewer, Greg B e s t e r, b e a m i n g w i t h appreciation. On pg24 professional Jazz bassist, Alistair Andrews checks out the new Pro Series from Warwick Basses, produced in Korea, and on offer at very competitive prices. These get a resounding thumbs -up;
definitely a product to consider if you’re a budding young bassist looking for a pro bass guitar. Alistair also takes us through various bass guitar strings on pages 32 & 34 – a very informative and important aspect of improving your playing. Greg had a chance to check out the Bose L1 compact rig, another piece of gear that will no doubt be on many a gigging musician’s wish-list. The entire rig is wireless making it easy to assemble, transport and gig with. He also test drove a new Peavey VYPYR guitar amplifier, part of the brand’s new range that combines amp modelling along with amplification. Resident guitar gurus Nic Roos and Alan Ratcliffe also got to play with some nice new toys; Nic was super impressed with Tanglewood’s TSB 58
HD Electric guitar and Alan entertained a boutique amp called the Swart AST Master as well as the competitively priced Reverend Flatroc guitar, a brand that has been gaining in popularity over the past few years and is now available in South Africa. Finally we also got to test a set of KXAudio KX15 loudspeakers and boy do these things ‘gooi!’ Loud, clear and definitely a lot of bang for your buck. So get going with those wishlists. There are these and so many other cool pieces of tech with your name on it! Don’t forget to visit museonline.co.za daily for news and music info. Adios till next year. Dave Mac
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COVER FEATURE By Greg Bester
W
hen it comes to Bass amplifiers, more power is always b e t t e r. There’s nothing worse than a bass amp that delivers flimsy tone lacking punch and impact because it is exactly the low end in a performance that creates a sense of weight and authority that makes people move to the rhythm. Bass amps have evolved somewhat over the years and now we have many different designs, some stemming from the past where valves were king, some relying on microchips to keep their power management efficient, and some taking a hybrid approach using new and old technology together. For this reason bass amplifiers have become as tonally varied and interesting as their guitar counterparts and selecting one relies heavily on the taste of the player. One company that has been producing amplifiers for well over twenty five years to meet the needs of bass players is Hartke. Founded in 1985 by Larry Hartke and Ron Lorman, Harkte was made famous by their development of an aluminium cone speaker that was to typify the Hartke look and sound. The result was a speaker capable of brighter tones with a more pronounced midrange and because of this new technology it was quickly adopted by the likes of Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller, Darryl Jones, Jack Bruce, Will Lee and Garry Tallent. Now, in 2011, Hartke boasts a
long history and a huge product range incorporating old technology with the new, still manufactured solely for bass players. They offer amplifiers and cabinets of all sizes and flavours for every type of player and in the case of high powered bass amplifiers, they are no exceptions. If it’s power you need, look no further than the Hartke Kilo 1000 watt bass amplifier. More boom? You got it.
Construction The Kilo is a monster of a thing. It’s heavy. It’s rugged. It will break your foot if you drop it on it. It takes up three rack spaces and you’re going to need a pretty serious rack to keep it at bay. It has two oversized, ultra sturdy handles on the front panel, which is about a centimetre thick and made of solid die cast metal. To say this amplifier is well made is an understatement and I’m pretty sure that if you drop it from a two storey window it will survive. Just don’t kill anybody, okay?
Features The Hartke Kilo is 1000 watts. Yes, that’s right, 1000 watts of bone crushing bass power. It offers 1000 watts in mono bridged mode at 4 ohms and, surprisingly, can be used in stereo with 500 watts per side all the way down to 2 ohms, a rare feature with bass amps. The amplifier is a hybrid design coupling the solid state power section with a valve preamp, comprising three 12AX7 preamp valves. The front panel has a recessed section for all
inputs, buttons, knobs and the graphic EQ and is neatly laid out and very user friendly. On the far left hand side of the front panel, two ¼” jacks are provided – one for input and one for connecting your tuner. Selecting input sensitivities for active or passive basses is done by the push of a green-backlit button labelled “Active”. Depressing it sets the amp to accept active basses. A valve overdrive channel is provided and this can be toggled by depressing the green-backlit “O.D.” Button. Next is the compression control and the desired amount is dialled in from the off position at “0” to total smash at “10”. Above the compression knob is a button labelled “Mute” and this is pretty self explanatory. Other usual suspect buttons relating to tone like “Deep” and “Brite” are also provided and these, too, are self explanatory, along with the three-band EQ, comprising “Low”, “Mid” and “High” rotary knobs. One tone shaping knob that isn’t so straight forward is the “Shape” control. To toggle the shape circuit on and off a green-backlit button labelled “Shape” is provided and this is linked to a rotary knob below it. The shape circuit “applies a pre-set equalization curve with a slight lift in the low frequencies, a cut in the mids, or a slight lift in the highs, depending on its setting”. Next, we see buttons labelled “EFX” and “GEQ”. These buttons toggle the effects loop, located at the rear of the amplifier and the 15-band graphic
Hartke Kilo
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COVER FEATURE
The Hartke Kilo is a mother of a bass amp that is immensely full featured and offers huge tonal possibility. EQ, situated at the far left of the panel. Both can be enabled or disabled by connecting a two-button footswitch to the rear panel jack labelled “EQ+EFX”. Likewise, a further two-button footswitch can be attached to the jack labelled “MUTE+OVERDRIVE” to toggle those features on and off. Footswitches are not supplied with the amplifier and have to be purchased separately. Finally we come to the master section which controls master volume, L+R balance in stereo operation, and the level of the direct out, which is located at the rear of the amplifier in balanced XLR format. A handy feature is the ability to choose where in the signal chain you want the direct out signal to be fed from. A rotary selector included under the direct out level knob gives the option of sending signal after the input, compressor, EQ, or EFX circuits.
In Use In testing the Kilo a cabinet was not supplied so I had to source one. Or two. I came upon two SWR Goliath
4x10’s and connected the amplifier in mono bridged mode, since I figure most bass players will utilize this configuration. Three basses were auditioned including a Music Man Stingray 5-String, a Fender P-Deluxe USA, and an Ibanez ATK. The Kilo proved to be all it promised and I was surprised at the transparency of its sound. It definitely was loud and pushed a lot of air but what I really liked was how it really let the voice of each of the basses I auditioned come through, even at high levels. I chose each of the basses I did for that reason as they all have a distinctly different tonal quality to them. The tone circuits were helpful to take me wherever I wanted to go but, as always, a straightforward approach with minimal processing is a good place to start and this is the path I took. On the five string I was really interested to hear how this amp handled the low B. It handled and then it handled some more. There were buckets and buckets of massive low end tone and after dialling in a little compression to
keep certain notes from popping up, I had a full, powerful, even tone at all positions on the fret board. Next I turned my attention to the tone circuits and found the three band EQ to be focused and effective. The shape control also added something interesting but, as always, the tone you’re after is always subjective to the material and it would need to be auditioned on a case-by-case basis. The same goes for the brite and deep settings. However, it was still comforting to know that the options were there if so needed.
Conclusion The Hartke Kilo is a mother of a bass amp that is immensely full featured and offers huge tonal possibility. There is no doubt in my mind that anybody interested in a quality, high powered amplifier will be most pleased with their purchase and will have it for a very long time because it is built to last. Go move some air!
Suggested Retail Price: R 13,995.00 incl. VAT Supplier: Audiosure | Tel. No: 011-790.4600 | Website: http://www.audiosure.co.za/
• CNC Fabricated / Birch Plywood cabinet • Celto Acoustique Drivers* • Die Cast Aliminum Woofer Chassis • Genuine Neutrik Speakon NL4MP connectors • Cabinet finish: Touring grade, Sand coarse textured, Waterborne coating • M8 Fly-points • 35mm Top- hats * Celto Acoustique drivers are of the highest quality using the finest materials available. • All magnetic systems are developed using FEA analysis. • The 3 engineers behind Celto Acoustique have more than 15 years of experience in driver design. • Brand philosophy and market are similar to other famous European brands.
BT-152 MKII
R 5,850 .00 Dual 15” 2-way, 1” HF 800W RMS
B-18 MKII
R 5,310 .00 Subwoofer - 800W RMS 35~13000Hz (-6dB)
B-218 MKII
R 8,910 .00 Dual Subwoofer - 1600W RMS 35~13000Hz (-6dB)
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GEAR & INDUSTRY NEWS
For daily gear, instrument and industry news visit museonline.co.za
PROAUDIO LAUNCH INTRODUCES NEW SHOWROOM AND PRODUCTS In a glittering affair, wholesale distributors of several leading audio, DJ and instrument brands, Proaudio, introduced their new offices and showroom to invited guests. The upbeat event was highlighted by an entertaining performance by cover rock band, Supafly (also known as FLIES), fronted by guitarist/vocalist, Gavin Morein. All three members of the band have been in the music business for over two decades now and have proven immensely popular for corporate events and parties. Popular DJ, Lady Lea, also attended, demonstrating to guests her mobile sound rig built into the boot of her sponsored Citroen consisting of two Pioneer CDJ2000 media players and a Pioneer DJM-400 mixer. Proaudio are distributors for the following brands; Behringer, Audix, HK Audio, Hughes & Kettner, Pioneer Dj, Pioneer Lifestyle, KRK, Fane, SKB, Flight Ready and Kirlin. Their new showroom and offices are situated at: 419 Martin Crescent, Greenhills Industrial Estate Sam Green Road Tunney Ext 6 Edenvale/Germiston.
Distributor: Proaudio | 011 822-1430 | www.proaudio.co.za
Legendary Left Hook Rockin' Bluesman Tours UK with Carlsbro Gregg who is among the greatest ever left hook players – he does not restring the guitar, simply playing his right hand Strat upside down – has been a leading US session man since the mid 70’s. He has recorded and toured with the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson, The Gap Band, Spenser Davis and even the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra; most famously as lead guitarist on Jackson’s 1984 Victory Tour. More recently he has been a fixture of the blues circuit and international festivals, earning the accolade of “King of the Rockin’ Blues” from the Monterey Bay Blues Festival. Gregg has been playing clubs across England and Scotland on an eight date tour, from 31 October until 19 November, with regular UK accompanists Marty Prior on bass and Spencer Lee Horton on drums. Gregg is familiar with Carlsbro amps, having previously demonstrated for the company and on arrival in the UK, arranged for delivery of the 50 Top for the tour. However the new 50 Top was something he hadn’t bargained for, exclaiming, “Whatever you guys have done in the development of the 50 Top since I last played one, is outstanding. It's a completely different sound from the previous models I've used. My experience with the rig was an absolute pleasure and everywhere I played, people raved about the sound.” The sound engineer on the first date of the tour, at the famous Monday Blues Club in Oxford, added his praise, saying it was “the best guitar sound I’ve heard in 10 years of running sound at the Monday Blues”. The LH1200 - 50 TOP DC is a classic ‘True Valve Amp’ inspired by the much loved original 50 Top. The new twin channel amp head has switchable channels & two master volumes which are footswitchable. The valve complement of 4x 12AXT’s and 2x EL84’s gives you 50w of incredible power @ 8 or 16Ω’s. The preamp has a host of feature benefits including, Hi and Low sensitivity Jack inputs, 3 band EQ using Silvered Mica Capacitors, ‘Sleep Mode’ automatic muting with no input present.
Distributed by TV Audio | 011 805-9910 | info@tvaudio.co.za | www.tvaudio.co.za
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Wharfedale Pro WPM-1 Series
GEAR & INDUSTRY NEWS
The WPM-1 from Wharfedale Pro is a personal monitoring solution with a number of great features that suit performers and artists who demand perfect monitor mixes and total control. A 5� full range driver is matched to the on-board processing, EQ and amplification to provide clear, natural and intelligible vocal foldback. The WPM-1 can be stand mounted with straight or boom mic stands, alternatively the WPM-1 can be placed on the stage itself for maximum versatility. Front panel controls allow you to fine tune your onstage vocal sound and the integration of your monitor mix. With a WPM-1 you no longer get the monitor mix that your engineer supplies; you hear exactly what you want to hear. The balanced microphone input has a through output so your performance can be seamlessly integrated into the front of house mix. The WPM-1 also includes an instrument/line level input and mix output, facilitating use as a small format personal mixer with 3 inputs. This versatile interfacing allows the WPM-1 to fit into the widest range of on stage situations. The WPM-1 uses the same high tech gas assist injection moulding techniques as used in our famous Titan Series loudspeakers, ensuring road tough reliability and ultra light portability.
Distributor: Audiosure | 011 790-4600 | 021 555-1617 | 031 569-9260 | 051 430-4455 | www.audiosure.co.za
Pearl introduces Masters Premium Legend Series Drums For more than two decades, the Pearl Masters sound has been heard on countless recordings and in the world's top recording studios. The Masters sound is synonymous with legendary drummers like Jeff Porcaro, Dennis Chambers, Ian Paice and many others. The Pearl Masters Premium Series offer the discerning player precision, beauty, innovation and options. The new Legend series is a direct reaction to the constant demands from the drummers of today wanting more tone, more warmth and more flexibility in today's ever changing Recording environment. Both the MMP and the new Legend Series feature upgraded low mass aluminium Opti-Mounts, Masterworks / Reference bass drum spurs, bass drum claws, floor tom legs and leg brackets. Masters Legend Series includes our revolutionary Fat Tone Hoops on all Toms and Floor toms. These are our all new thin Fat Tone Hoops with our exclusive hemmed and welded edge resulting in a hoop that is both lightweight and extremely strong to further promote maximum resonance. Masters Legend snare drums also feature Pearl's premium low-mass swivel tube lugs that assure perfect tension rod to lug alignment along with Pearl's innovative Golden-Ratio air vents for improved low end response on toms and bass drums and improved attack on snare drums. All shells are constructed using Pearl's exclusive SST Superior Shell Technology manufacturing process. The New Legend series drums are ideal for all musical styles for example; R&B, Classic and Heavy Rock, Folk, Jazz, Punk and Country.
Distributed by Tradelius Music Group | 031 502-3080 | www.tradelius.co.za
AKG launches CBL 410 PCC plug and play desktop microphone The AKG CBL 410 PCC is a simple to use, plug and play desktop microphone for use with any PC or Laptop. It improves audio quality incredibly when making a conference via VOIP. The microphone reproduces the voice with a clear and natural sound. With its 3,5 mm stereo jack it is a 100% plug and play device. No drivers are needed. Its ability to be cascaded makes the CBL 410 PCC the perfect tool for modern communication for both single person use in the office and/or multi-person use in a modern meeting room. This microphone provides optimum intelligibility and audio quality for your meetings. The CBL 410 PCC is also an excellent choice for recording applications. Available in black or white.
Distributed by Wild & Marr | 011 974-0633 | 021 787-9378 | 031 564-3877 | www.wildandmarr.co.za
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By Greg Bester
GUITAR AMPLIFIERS
Peavey Vypyr 100
The Vypyr 100 is a combo amplifier that delivers 100 solid-state watts to two “custom voiced”12 inch Peavey Blue Marvel speakers.
D
igital modelling has come a long way over the last few years starting with the now rare Johnson amplifiers, levelling out with the now ubiquitous Line 6 range and their bandwagon cohorts and culminating in the current Kemper profiling amplifier. I suspect the main reason why these amplifiers have seen so much success in
“custom voiced”12 inch Peavey Blue Marvel speakers. There are four channels available for each of the three banks, totalling 12 channels or patches altogether. Each preset patch is fully programmable for full recall. All in all you get 12 amplifier types, 11 editable stomp box effects, and 11 editable rack effects. All amp models, stomp boxes and rack effects can be mixed and matched ‘til your hearts content and stored.
Supplied with the Vypyr 100 for this review was the Sanpera I footswitch comprising four buttons for preset and bank selection, along with control of the onboard looper. Also included on the Sanpera is an expression pedal that can be switched between wah and volume by depressing the pedal similar to how a traditional wah is toggled on and off. However, despite what seems like a pretty straight forward operation, I have one complaint about the Sanpera: the wah/volume toggle is way too sensitive and switches when not expected to, which may cause problems in a live situation. Another oddity is the operation of the USB recording output. Because the device is seen as a soundcard by the PC and only offers one way operation, i.e. recording and no playback, monitoring has to be done via the amplifier’s headphone jack in real time which means you cannot monitor other tracks from a recording simultaneously. I suppose the feature was intended to be used as sort of an idea recorder but it does baffle me why Peavey didn’t supply a playback facility on the ASIO protocol.
Conclusion
recent years is because they pack a huge palette of tonal possibility in a relatively compact package that is readily available at a twist of a knob. Gone are the days of even having to bring an amplifier to a gig; just plug in your Pod and you’re ready to rock and roll. One company that is no stranger to success in the amplifier market is Peavey, now famous for their 5150/6505, JSX, Valve King, and XXX valve amplifiers. Truth be told, there are many professionals all over the world that depend on their products to deliver their tone night after night and that says a lot about what they’re capable of. Peavey too have entered the digital modelling market (albeit late in the game, in my opinion) with the introduction of their Vypyr series amplifiers. Let’s take a look.
Features The Vypyr 100 is a combo amplifier that delivers 100 solid-state watts to two
Also featured with the addition of a Sanpera footswitch is a looper along with wah and volume pedal control. Other features include a chromatic tuner and a “power sponge” for attenuating the output, a USB recording output, and a MP3/CD/Aux input in 1/8” mini jack format.
In Use The first thing I will say about the Vypyr is that the amp models and effects all sound great and are convincing enough to be used in most performance situations. They are all easily edited and stored and the user interface of the amp is pretty intuitive and straight forward. However, I must admit, I was disappointed to find that I wasn’t supplied the valve version (the Vypyr Tube 120) which houses a 120 watt valve power section. Just think, the versatility of a modelled preamp section with the warmth of tube power! But alas, I was not to hear it.
The Vypyr 100 is a great sounding digital modelling amplifier that many people will find useful and convincing enough to be used in most performance situations. Besides a few quirks with the footswitch and USB recording facility, I can see this amp delivering good tone to those in need of it and that’s what counts.
The Vypyr range: Vypyr 100 – Retail R 6,999.00 incl. VAT Vypyr 15 – Retail R 2,299.00 incl. VAT Vypyr 30 – Retail R 3,699.00 incl. VAT Vypyr 75 – Retail R 5,499.00 incl. VAT Vypyr 60 Tube – Retail R 7,699.00 Vypyr 120 Tube – Retail R 9,999.00 Vypyr 120 Tube Head – Retail R 9,299.00 Please visit www.peavey.com for more information on the complete Vypyr range.
Suggested Retail Price: R 6,999.00 incl. VAT Supplier: Tropical Music Contact Tel. No: + 27 11 466 3535 Website: www.tropicalmusic.co.za
PEAVEY VYPYR 15W
PEAVEY VYPYR 30W
PEAVEY VYPYR 75W
PEAVEY VYPYR 100W
·15watts (RMS) ·24amp models & 24 effects ·Direct recording output
·30watts (RMS) ·24amp models & 24 effects ·Direct recording output
·75 watts (RMS) ·24 amp models & 24 effects ·USB recording output
·100 watts (RMS) ·24 amp models & 24 effects ·USB recording output
PEAVEY PVi 1000, 2000, 2500, and 3000 POWER AMP
Offering top power, superior performance and full professional operating features in a roadworthy compact chassis, the PVI series amplifier is perfect for even the most demanding sound reinforcement installation and touring applications.
· PVi 1000 - 360W X2 @ 4ohm · PVi 2000 - 540W X2 @ 4ohm
· PVi 2500 - 690W X2 @ 4ohm · PVi 3000 - 900W X2 @4ohm
PEAVEY 16FX, 24FX AND 32FX MIXERS FX Series mixers feature new, Peavey-exclusive technology to enhance live sound reproduction and project studio recording, including Silencer mic preamps, which allow very high gain with low noise and distortion for crystal-clear signal reproduction. These mixers also include dual DSP engines, USB ports and built-in Mp3 player/recorder
Exclusively distributed by
Whethe r you’re a novic or a p e PEAVEY rofessional has you covered
www.tropicalmusic.co.za |Tel: 011 466 3535 | sales@tropicalmusic.co.za Unit 3 | 27 Silverstone Crescent | Kyalami Business Estate | Kyalami | Gauteng
NEW ..... Look, Feel, Touch and Listen Showroom
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By Nic Roos
INSTRUMENT REVIEW
The Tanglewood TSB 58 HB “...The tone is convincingly thick and sweet but also unexpectedly detailed and lush for a guitar in this price range”
T
anglewood have a growing reputation for building highquality, entry-to -pro level acoustic guitars and are also gaining favour in the mid-priced electric guitar market, producing copies of classic models. It must be said though, they have some stiff competition from other mid-priced manufacturers who are also producing affordable high-quality instruments. On review is the Tanglewood TSB 58 HB, a Les Paul copy, which, for the price, will inevitably draw comparison to Gibson’s affordable Epiphone line.
Anatomy At first glance the most striking thing about this guitar is that it has the most gorgeous book-matched honeyburst maple top I’ve ever seen on any Les Paul of any make. The dark mahogany back is also stunning. In fact, as far as copies go, it looks almost to spec, apart from the less than attractive Tanglewood headstock with its awkward taper and kitsch green mother-of-pearl logo inlay. Apart from minor cosmetic imperfections, where the finish bleeds onto the binding, as well as a skew volume knob, the overall build quality looks very good. Particular attention was paid to the ABS nut and frets, which are immaculate.
Playability The guitar was shipped already set up, so the action and intonation was spot on. The snot-green Kluson-style tuners (which I rather fancy) are a lot stiffer and more accurate than even those found on real Gibsons, and stay in tune after hours of wild bends and vibrato. While Les Pauls are famous for their thick tone and equally thick, tree-trunk sized necks that limit their desirability for some styles of playing, the TBS’s shallow neck and big frets make it incredibly easy to play. This gives everyone from beginners to shredders (who don’t want their instrument slowing them down) access to the Les Paul tone and vibe without the strain, putting the TBS ahead of much of its competition. On the down side, the tone and volume pots are rather shoddy as only about 25 percent of the taper has any effect on the tone or volume.
Sounds Unplugged, I listened Nigel Tufnel-like for the characteristic Les Paul sustain. Not hearing anything, I played a chord. ‘There it is!’ E major – 32 seconds. A whole 10 seconds longer than my Epiphone Les Paul Standard, if that means anything! The TBS is fitted with custom Entwistle HV 58 pickups that are built to original '50s specs with Alnico magnets, enamel-coated wire and scatter-wound coils. Hearing them through both solidstate and tube amps was a pleasant surprise. They are very touch sensitive, have a snappy attack and a bright yet full tone, free of the muddiness often found on other Les Paul copies. The neck pickup in particular was well balanced even with overdrive. As the HV 58s are vintage replicas, modern players may find them slightly lacking in midrange and output, but I like their bright but balanced response that nicely complement a mid boost from an amp. Playing some clean chords, the tone is convincingly thick and sweet but also unexpectedly detailed and lush for a guitar in this price range, due in part to the brightness of the HV 58s. The HV 58s aren’t high output pickups but give a surprising level of harmonic detail that sounds very sweet and musical when overdriven. Single note envelopes decay with bell-like smoothness. While the tone is typically thick for a Les Paul, note definition is retained very well at high gain on chords and fast single-note runs – again, unlike many comparable Les Paul copies.
Conclusion Tanglewood have done a great job with the TBS. Its playability and a vintage tone beyond its class add up to a versatile Les Paul copy that goes a long way towards giving other brands a run for their money. If you can live with the headstock and the shoddy (though easily and cheaply replaced) volume and tone pots, the otherwise beautiful TBS HB would make a capable mid-priced musical companion for most rock styles.
Supplied by: Rockit Distribution Tel: 021-511 1800 Suggested Retail Price: R3,995.00
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REVIEW
K
Muse Report
KX Audio KX15
X Audio may not be a brand quite as well known as some its counterparts, but the name George Krampera may certainly ring a bell to many audio fanatics. Krampera is the ‘K’ in KX Audio and is cited as one the true ‘audio pioneers of modern times.’ The Czech native has an illustrious career spanning 5 decades and he made a number of breakthroughs, notably at RCF, including the development of the silicone spider. He also designed the complete ART active speaker series, which was a hugely successful line for the company.
Anatomy The KX15 is part of an all-active range from KX Audio that consists of 6 loudspeakers in total and includes two 2-way variants; the KX12 and KX15, a 3 way full range loudspeaker, the KX30 and 3 sub-woofers; KX1.2, KX1.5 and KX1.8. The KX15’s on review arrived very well packaged, the boxes belying the size of the actual speakers which thankfully are pretty much the same dimensions as most 2-way 15’s and weigh in at a sizable 32 Kg’s each. The professional, 18 mm Plywood construction has a heavy duty coating and is encased with durable rubber top and bottom end caps which should protect the fine finish from nasty chips on the corners. The cabinet has recessed side handles, three recessed M10 suspension points for rigging and a top hat for pole mounting. The front panel is covered with a metal grille offering a somewhat austere look to the cabinet.
Features The speaker components used in the KX range make use of the latest in neodymium magnet technology to reduce weight and maximise power handling and acoustic output and as such are designed with each component being a perfect match. The 15inch driver is equipped with a 2.5-inch voice coil and an epoxyreinforced cone, and uses what KX Audio call ‘inside outside’ technology, which refers to the coil windings being wound on both sides of the former. Frequency response of the LF section is quoted in the specifications as going down to 58Hz at -3dBs and the internal crossover is at 1.0kHz. The HF section taps out at 18kHz (also at 3dB) and horn coverage is 80 x 40 degrees, which is horizontally wide and vertically narrow enough to focus more of the output energy direct at the audience. There are 2 dual colour LED indicators for signal present, limiter, thermal condition and power ON status. The KX15 offers 500 watts of total power, 450 of which is via a high efficiency, current enhancing, switching low frequency amplifier to drive the 15 inch speaker whilst the tweeter receives its power from a ‘High Power Bandwidth 50 W high frequency amplifier.’ An onboard speaker management system completes the package.
to a circle about 30-40 metres wide, where the audience stood. I asked the musicians their thoughts afterwards and they summed up similar sentiments to my own; Loud, clear and powerful were three words synonymous with the overall impression of the pair of KX15’s in use. Using a lot of percussive instruments, woodwinds, synths and vocals, there was nothing these speakers could not seemingly handle.
Conclusion The KX15’s are very well constructed and feel built to handle the rigours of portable rigging on a regular basis. Using them on pole mounts they were extremely sturdy and certainly looked the part onstage. Sound wise we really could not fault them and whilst they were not the only speakers being used for the PA, it was the KX Audios that stole the show and gave the band some much needed volume... as well as detailed, quality sound.
In Use Usually we are confined to testing loudspeakers in a simulated environment but on this occasion an opportunity arose to use them at the Hout Bay Green Faire for a short 40 minute band performance. The speakers were pole mounted on a small stage and were placed either side facing a large open field, possibly twice the size of a rugby pitch. However, the band’s performance only needed to project
Suggested Retail Price: R 19,995.00 each incl. VAT Supplier: Tradelius Music Group Contact Tel. No: 031 502-3080 Website: www.tradelius.co.za
Bose L1 Compact
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LIVE SOUND
By Greg Bester
The Bose L1 Compact is a well designed, high quality, compact amplification system for both public address and personal monitoring.
B
ose has always been a name associated with two descriptors: compact and quality. They are a company who has built their reputation on producing products that, despite their diminutive nature, supply clear and powerful sound that rivals the best component systems many times their size. This has made them pioneers in the home audio market where the now popular satellite/subwoofer combination systems are so ubiquitous. But Bose is evolving. No more are they limited to the home audio market or to producing noise cancelling headphones for weary travellers in need of a quiet journey to the soundtrack of a Mozart concerto. They have now stepped into the world of public address and personal amplification. In fact, they have released a range of products which can accomplish both tasks with equal precision. Of course, I am talking about the L1 amplification systems, which come in three configurations as of this writing:
! L1 Compact ! L1 Model I Single Bass Package ! L1 Model II Single Bass Package with the ToneMatch Audio Engine
The model I was given for review was the L1 Compact so if you would like more information on the other two versions, please visit www.bose.com.
Construction and Components In the L1 Compact, Bose has cleverly constructed a powerful system that can, first and foremost, be lifted with one hand and transported with ease – a refreshing feature. The entire system, including the extensions, weighs a modest 13kG. There are four components in a complete setup, namely the base, which houses the subwoofer, amplifiers, and integrated mixer; the high/mid speaker array, which cleverly slots into the front panel of the base; and two extensions, which can extend the system from virtually ground level to two metres (what Bose calls either the collapsed or extended configurations). What I found great about this system is that all the wiring is self-contained within the components and the connectors for the extensions and the array are housed within the end slots. This means that it’s merely a matter of plug and play without the hassle of cabling. As far as the array goes, there are some neat design features there too. Bose has implemented what they call “Spatial Dispersion Loudspeaker Technology” which consists of six small speakers, each firing at a different angle. This, Bose claims, delivers “nearly 180 degrees of horizontal sound coverage” which causes the sound to remain consistent even at extreme angles to the orientation of the system.
Features Once the L1 is assembled the main features are focused in the integrated mixer. The mixer houses two channels and can accommodate a variety of input sources. Channel one is dedicated as a microphone input and supplies one balanced XLR connector for easy connection. Channel two can accept a
more diverse variety of inputs: a hi-z instrument, one RCA stereo input, and one 1/8” stereo input for iPod, etc. On each channel you will find a two-stage level/clip light, volume potentiometers, and their patented ToneMatch presets for either a dynamic microphone or an acoustic guitar. On the rear panel you will find a ¼” balanced line out and one stereo RCA output.
So How Does It Sound? As you would expect from a Bose product, the sound is clear, balanced, and potent. This system is surprisingly loud for such a small package and the tone is consistent even when driving it into the red. Regarding the 180 degree dispersion, this is no joke or tall claim as I could clearly hear every detail at every angle from the speakers’ orientation. This feature was most impressive and it is clear that they spent a great deal of R&D to achieve it.
Conclusion The Bose L1 Compact is a well designed, high quality, compact amplification system for both public address and personal monitoring. It is well worth the money and is fantastic purchase for anyone looking for great sound without a large footprint. Bose has once again delivered on their philosophy of quality and compact engineering.
Suggested Retail Price: R 17 995.00 INC VAT | Supplier: TID Contact Tel. No: +27 (0)10 5000 111 | Website: www.tidistribution.co.za
Reverend Flatroc “The Flatroc is lively and resonant guitar with plenty sustain.” muse | twenty
INSTRUMENT REVIEW by Alan Ratcliffe
R
everend guitars have been making waves as a brand to watch for a few years now and are well regarded as a manufacturer of relatively inexpensive but very good quality guitars. More than that, they have a rather unique aesthetic appeal and, rather than being simply just another take on the classics, manage to offer guitars which are unusual in design while still managing to retain a familiar look with something of a retro feel.
First look The Flatroc is a somewhat Gretsch inspired guitar - from the Rev-tron pickups (similar to the Gretsch Filtertrons) to the orange finish of the review model. On the other hand, it has Gibson-style body and fingerboard binding, Tune-O-Matic bridge; and stop tailpiece, while the stomach contour, bolt-on maple neck and lever switch owe more to Fender-style guitars. To top it all off, the feel and playability of the neck and the 12" fretboard radius are very modern and easy playing. As with all Reverend guitars, the Flatroc sports a graphite nut and a set of locking tuners. The shape of the korina body is vaguely reminiscent of a Telecaster with more of an angular, offset feel to it.
Fit and finish The finishing is flawless and I could find no area of the construction that looked sloppy or messy. The fretting was perfect with no raised ends or sharp
edges and the setup was near perfect including a properly cut nut height. If I had to find a flaw, I would say that the pickup and pickup surround chroming could be a little better - but to be fair, it only suffers by comparison as everything else is so good.
Playability While the Flatroc was very well set up to begin with, it had a slightly higher action than I usually prefer. However, a quick bridge adjustment and the action came down as low as I expect on a 12" radius fingerboard, and thanks to the immaculate fretting there were no buzzes or fretting out on bends. I got the feel that it had been set up with a low action first and then raised to a more generic middle-ground. The locking tuners and graphite nut work well with the Tune-O-Matic bridge to keep the guitar in tune well, even with a lot of string bending and aggressive playing. The neck is a modern feeling "superstrat", but while slender and easy, not too thin or too narrow to get used to. The controls are well-placed – right at hand when needed, but not so close as to be a problem for a wilder right hand.
Tone The Flatroc is a lively and resonant guitar with plenty sustain. The Rev-tron pickups are definitely in the Filtertron ballpark – dynamic, articulate and chimey, but with a little more power and subsequently more midrange growl than vintage Filtertrons. The bridge pickup is hotter than the neck, but still
balances well to give a good combined sound when both pickups are used together. The lower powered neck pickup is nicely rounded, but retains clarity and articulation at all times. Master volume and tone I've always liked for the simplicity but the "Bass contour" control takes it to a whole new level without adding much complexity. This control allows you to turn down the bass to thin down and clean up the low end of the sound and works to really make the Flatroc an incredibly flexible guitar, allowing you to get articulate tones from any pickup setting and with any level of drive.
Variations While the review model was orange, the Flatroc is also available in both black and cream finishes. The cream model also differs by sporting an unbound maple fingerboard, which will add a little more brightness and attack to the tone.
In conclusion This is one flexible guitar - from clean country finger picking through rockabilly and blues, all the way up to alt and indie rock, the Flatroc can handle them all with élan. It looks distinctive, plays well, is easy to use and relatively inexpensive - what more could you ask for? SA Distributor: Guitartone 021 855 5963 / 082 824 0667 www.guitartone.co.za Suggested Retail Price: R6.300.00 including hard case (incl. V.A.T.)
Swart AST Master Guitar Amplifier
muse | twenty one
INSTRUMENT REVIEW
“If you like an amp with a flexible sound that is simple to operate and sounds like heaven, this is as good as it gets.”
I
recently had the pleasure of trying out the whole range of Swart Amplifiers and, while the entire range was impressive, the AST Master was the model which jumped out at me as having the best feature set, tone and volume for my needs.
Features ! 18 – 22 W (depending on output valves)
! 1 x 12” combo cabinet with Celestion Gold speaker
! Bypassable master volume ! Valve reverb and tremolo ! Runs 6V6, 6L6 or EL-34 power valves This is essentially the AST Head Mk II in a cabinet big enough to house either a 1x12 or 2x10 speaker configuration. The review model had a Celestion Gold speaker. The AST Master has a defeatable master volume and can run EL-34 along with the stock 6V6 and 6L6 family valves.
First impressions The AST Master is an impressively appointed amp. From the two tone tweed finish to the cabinet using threaded inserts and machine screws, the AST Master screams class. It is a large amp for a 1 x 12, measuring in at 61 cm wide x 28 cm deep x 51 cm high,
but weighing in at less than 18 kg. Labels on the panel are clear and easily readable. Looking a little deeper, you can see that the amp is a head adapted into a combo cabinet as the valves are horizontal, facing forwards with an air vent in the cabinet under the handle. This means that the chassis has to be removed to replace valves, which is a bit inconvenient but does let you see the immaculately built circuitry inside, and thanks to the threaded inserts, there is no chance of stripping threads regardless of how often you roll tubes.
In Use The controls are simple on the AST Master: Volume; Tone; Reverb; Tremolo Speed; Tremolo Depth; Master Volume; and a master volume bypass switch. There is a two switch footswitch included with switches to defeat both reverb and tremolo. The simple control arrangement makes it easy to tweak on the fly during performance, although the vintagestyle rear facing controls do take a little adjusting to if you are used to forward facing amp controls.
Volume & Master Volume Volume-wise the AST Master holds its own with any reasonable drummer and perfect level for most gigs. The master volume does makes it a much more usable amp volume wise, but if you can, bypassing the master volume does add a bit more sweetness for those venues where you can crank the amp up.
Tone In a word: gorgeous. While people often cite the Swart family tone as being half Tweed, half Blackface Fender it still
leans much more to the tweed, with the pushed midrange, gritty edge, compression and sag that makes those amps so popular. Where it differs is with a little less mid push, a bit more clean headroom and a sweeter driven tone. It is still very much a blues/classic rock tone, but not quite as in your face and the clean tones are much sweeter and more dynamic. Speaking dynamics, this amp translates everything from clean playing with the volume down to distorted power chords incredibly well, all from playing dynamics and guitar volume tweaking. The reverb tone is very dense, lush and warm with an almost 3D depth and quality, while the trem is very sweet, able to conjure swampy sounds with ease without getting too choppy. One thing which I found remarkable is how well the AST Master responds to different guitars – it sounded just as good on a Strat as it did on a humbucker Telecaster, Filtertron and P90 guitars – even an electric 12string fared well. In fact, it was an absolute pleasure to play an amp that brought out and flattered the character of so many different guitars with little tone or gain tweaking. Changing the power valves from the stock 6V6s brought out some additional voicings from the amp – El34s turned the amp into a classic rock machine, while the extra clean headroom of 6L6s brought me right home to my Twin, but at lower volume and with some added sweetness at breakup.
Conclusion If you like an amp with a flexible sound that is simple to operate and sounds like heaven, this is as good as it gets. SA Distributor: Guitartone 021 855 5963 / 082 824 0667 www.guitartone.co.za Suggested Retail Price: R21,050.00 Incl. V.A.T.
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muse | twenty four
INSTRUMENT REVIEW By Alistair Andrews
W
Warwick Corvette Bubinga Bass Guitar
arwick have introduced a new line of Pro Series Basses made in Korea that are awesome value for money. There is a choice of two Corvettes with either Ash or Bubinga bodies. The other models in the series are: ! Thumb Bolt-On (Ovangkol body and Maple with Ekanga Veneer Stripes) ! Streamer LX (US Cherry body and Maple neck with Ekanga Veneer Stripes) ! Star Bass Pro (AAA Flamed Maple body with laminated back, sides and top and Maple neck with Ekanga Veneer Stripes)
Sound The Corvette’s sound is unmistakably Warwick; crystal clear and punchy and the Bubinga combined with the electronics give this bass an amazingly big sound. Excellent blended sounds are easy to coax from the circuit as you sweep from one pickup to the other. If you use the neck pickup and boost the bass control there is enough bottom-end to make the stage vibrate. If you use the bridge pickup only, you get a Jaco-like [Pastorius] sound that is very, very impressive. The balance of the notes on all the strings and in any position on the neck is quite remarkable which is another Warwick trademark I’ve come to respect from the brand. If you are looking for a brighter sound, the Ash version would be a better option, but by using the treble control I got enough brilliance on the Bubinga to satisfy my needs.
They all have Wenge fingerboards with Tigerstripe Ebony on the fretless models. Whilst the Star Bass is only available in 4 and 5 string versions the others also boast a 6-string variant as well. You have a wide variety of colours and finishes to choose from and I am certain they have covered most tastes. The specifications on most of the models are quite similar and I tried out most of them. I was very impressed with the workmanship, sonic quality, and of course the very competitive pricing. For the purpose of this review I will focus on the Corvette Bubinga.
Versatility Whether you are a Slapper, Groover, Walker or Rocker this bass can be EQ’ed by using its own controls tuned to accommodate you. The Corvette also comes in 4, 5 and 6-string models and as a fretless option at no extra charge. The other basses in the Pro Series line also look, sound and feel amazing.
First Impression The balance of the bass is excellent and the Corvette is quite light in comparison to many others that I have played on. As with most Warwick basses some of the controls feature a centre detent. I always find Warwick basses to look really great and the Corvette Bubinga is no exception. Personally I love natural coloured instruments (all my basses are natural) so the Corvette scores high in my books for great aesthetics. Closer inspection reveals the Warwick Just-A-Nut III, an accurate twopiece height-adjustable nut, which is now made from a fiberglass-reinforced synthetic material called Tedur. The bronze frets are great and certainly adds to the bass’s amazing feel. It is very comfortable from fret 1 to fret 24. I was also impressed with the action for a bass straight from the factory. The string spacing on the 4 string that I tested was actually perfect on unpacking.
Verdict
This Corvette on test may be built in Korea but the hallmark German quality of Warwick certainly shines through and suggests an instrument that has been carefully constructed.
The Corvette’s excellent workmanship, great tone and competitive price add to what is a very playable and awesomely balanced bass guitar. I was also pleasantly surprised as to how versatile the instrument is. It has to be said that there aren’t many basses in this price range that offer as the name suggests – a PRO series instrument. The other models are also pretty awesome and it would be difficult for me to choose any one in particular so it’s really down to personal choice and needs. A really good deal at a really good price at the end of the day in my opinion.
Suggested Retail Price: Pro Series Prices range from R 7,000.00 to R 13,000.00 Supplier: Music Power | Tel: (011) 466-9515
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muse | twenty six
SPECIAL FEATURE
Muse Report
Campus of Performing Arts to open in Kwazulu-Natal
C
ampus of Performing Arts (COPA) was founded in 2001 and is a Contemporary Music College with campuses in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town. Their courses are taught by trained facilitators who are also music industry specialists and professional musicians. This gives their students one of the most rounded and intensive practical programmes currently available anywhere in the world.
In 2012 Campus of Performing Arts (Pty) Ltd will be opening a campus in Morningside, Kwazulu Natal. This campus will offer NQF2 National Certificate: Music Industry Practice (Performance), NQF3 National Certificate: Music Industry Practice (Performance) and NQF4 Further Education and Training Certificate: Music Industry: Sound Technology (Production) Module 1 of 2. Further courses will be added as the need arises.
COPA offers full-time and part-time courses in; Bass, Drums, Guitar, Keyboard, Vocals and Sound Technology (including Music Production / Sound Engineering or DJ) and Music Business. Students are not only trained in their chosen instrument, but also in modules such as Music Business and Stage Craft to ensure that they are well prepared for a successful career in the music industry. Each campus boasts state-of-the-art facilities with a recording studio, a technology centre, a performance venue and practice facilities for use by its students. All courses offered by this unique institution are accredited locally and articulate using RPL into qualifications offered internationally. They are registered locally by the Department of Education as an FET college and a Private HET institution. Full accreditation by the CATHSSeta also allows COPA to train previously disadvantaged individuals in learnership (as and when Government SETA Funding permits), with courses found on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Right now COPA is provisionally registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training until 31 December 2014 as a Private Higher Education institution under the Higher Education Act, 1997. Registration Certificate No. 2011/HE07/004. Internationally, COPA has signed a franchise agreement with the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in the UK, which means that COPA also offers a full complement of ACM courses which are internationally accredited using RPL at the FET level. This allows COPA learners to transfer to any of ACM’s international partners to continue or further their studies although conditions do apply for this. To supplement their Local Higher Education programmes COPA has an agreement with the University of Chichester in the UK through RLP for students to obtain recognition internationally.
For more information or to book an interview contact them on 0860 COPA SA or visit their website (www.copasa.co.za).
muse | twenty eight
BAND TIPS
By David Chislett Photo by Jacqui Van Staden
Author of “1,2,1,2: A Step By Step Guide To The SA Music Industry,” Dave Chislett offers Music industry tips for aspiring bands and musicians
Why Can't We Get No International Recognition?
A
fter 30 years of listening to and making South African music I think I know the answer to why we consistently fail to break out into an international market. I have watched bands, played in bands, managed them and gigged with them. And finally the secret dawns. Yes, this is the big one, this is the hint that you need to really make yourself a career as an artist. And man is it simple!
Write. And write some more. And write more songs. Every musician knows that in order to improve you must practice. You put in those hours, play those scales, go for lessons, pick up hints and tips, chat to other players and generally work very hard and put in a lot of hours to get better on your instrument. And yet, when it comes to writing the songs and the music that this technical craft will be expressed through, almost without exception, artists write enough songs to fill a set or an album and stop. What this means is that your songs have the sum total of
song writing experience of the actual number that you play. This flies in the face of logic. It defies reason. And yet, just about all of you do it. Song writing is a skill, just like playing, singing or doing gymnastics. The more you do it, the better you get. Sure some days you will write rubbish, but the more you hone the craft the better your rubbish will get until you are able to write really good stuff with seemingly little effort because you have written and written and you know the craft, the tricks, the short cuts, the theory and you have written the rubbish out along with the good. We buy into so many myths: overnight success, one hit wonder, only being able to write when the muse strikes. Sorry, none of these are true! If you are choosing your album tracks from a pool of 15 or so, it stands to reason that there will be a percentage of not so good and even bad songs. The bigger your pool, the greater the number of good songs. Simple. Percentage wise, maybe the same, but number wise: more. Work it out! The one thing the big major labels overseas have got right traditionally is that they are very focussed on good songs. You WILL choose your album tracks from 80 songs. Not 20. And the
results speak for themselves. SA artists battle not because they are not talented, not gifted not interesting... They battle because the overall standard of their song writing is just not up to scratch. You gotta get over yourselves my friends. This is not magic, not mystical, not a mystery. It’s a job and the more you do it, the better you get. So give up that attachment to each song you write as if it is some precious gem of blood and bones you squeezed from your soul. Set it down and get writing another and another. Maybe that one WAS a real gem, but statistically speaking, chances are it is not. Even the biggest genius delivers their fair share of rubbish. They just never release it. As a consumer, you are sick and tired of buying albums that only really have 2 good tracks on them and the rest are just fillers. As an artist battling for market share in a depressed economy, why would you do exactly the same thing to your audience? Up the ante people, write more, get better and differentiate yourself through excellence. That’s the secret, Simple isn’t it?
Author Blurb David Chislett has been in the SA music industry for 25 years. Bassist, journalist, manager, publicist, film maker, author and consultant, he has gotten his hands dirty. His book 1,2,1,2: A Step By Step Guide To The SA Music Industry is an easy to understand, no holds barred self-help book for anyone wanting to do better in the business. It is available from Exclusive Books, Look & Listen stores and all good independent shops. He also hosts workshops and private consultations to help artists get ahead. www.davidchislett.co.za
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muse | thirty
TUTORIAL
by Alan Ratcliffe
E
very guitar effect junkie knows that stomp boxes multiply when you're not looking (or at least, that's what we tell our partners). You start out with a simple overdrive and maybe a stomp tuner. Then before you know it, you need a power supply unit to feed your plethora of pedals and are making up short patch cables by the dozen. At some point they start becoming inconvenient to connect together every time we want to play – especially when you regularly need to transport and set them up at practices and gigs. The solution to this common problem is a pedal board – a board with all your pedals semi-permanently attached, with all the audio and power connections in place. A pedal board lets you transport everything easily and set up and tear down quickly and is usually a lot neater. Ideally you then simply pop the board on stage or floor, connect it to power, guitar and amp and you are ready to go.
Pedalboard features When you are looking at buying or building a pedalboard, there are a few features to look at and decide on.
Size Size is all important – you have to be able to fit all your pedals on the same board. More importantly – unless you have been using exactly the same setup for decades – you have to leave room for expansion. On the other hand, a huge pedalboard takes up floor space, which can be at a premium on many smaller stages.
Effect Pedal Boards
you to run your cables underneath and even mount a power supply under the board (freeing up valuable surface space).
Case A carry case or bag for your board is important to protect your board and the pedals on it when you are travelling. For travelling to and from practice a simple padded bag will do, but when you are gigging, a hard case becomes essential. While hard cases can double the cost of your board, consider the total value of all your pedals and imagine an amplifier rack falling on top of it – which should put things into perspective.
Slatted surface A surface made of slats makes it easier to route patch and power cables by running them underneath the board, making for a much neater pedalboard layout. The board must be raised or angled to provide clearance for cables.
Angled surface
Power supplies
When you have multiple rows of pedals, the ones in the front row can obscure or make it difficult to activate the pedals in the second or even third row behind them. Boards with an angled pedal surface, raise the rear pedals rows up higher than the front, making it easier to reach them. Angled boards usually allow
Some commercial boards come with built-in power supplies for your pedals. This has the advantage of being convenient and usually makes for a neater pedalboard. However, they usually only supply one voltage and don’t allow for upgrading the supply when you add in
some power hungry or unusual voltage pedals, so usually they are not recommended for any but the smallest boards.
Inputs and outputs A few commercial boards have built in sockets for plugging in to your guitar and amp. Not an essential feature for most players. It is important that they be in convenient positions with amp output at the back of the board and guitar input at the front or side. Rear inputs are problematic as they often mean the guitar cable will drag across the surface of the board as you move, which causes all kinds of chaos.
Attaching pedals The single best way to attach pedals is with adhesive Velcro strips, and most commercial pedalboards come with Velcro included. The hook side of the Velcro is stuck to the bottom of the pedal while the loop side is fixed to the board and pedals are attached simply by pressing them down. Most importantly, this allows you to remove and move your pedals as your board changes (or you need to reconfigure the layout for a specific gig).
muse | thirty two
TUTORIAL
by Alistair Andrews
PLAY BETTER BASS
THE RIGHT STRINGS FOR YOUR STYLE
T
he type of strings we use on our instruments play an enormous role in how it both sounds and feels.We should never under estimate the role strings play in the overall tone we get out of our basses. Understanding the various aspects of bass strings will help us know which ones to use for our playing style.
Construction of Bass Strings Every bass string is comprised of two strings – the Core string and the Winding string. The Core string is a thick wire from one end of the string to the other. Around the core string another smaller string is tightly wound in a spiral all the way up the length of the core string. If you look closely at a bass string you will see little grooves all the way up the string. That is the tiny winding string. The winding string adds brilliance to the string’s tone. If you have an old set of strings, try unwinding one to see how it looks. The technique used to wind that wrapping, as well as the actual material used, creates the essence of any string.
Roundwound
Wooten, Marcus Miller, Larry Graham, etc. Other players to take full advantage of their bright, full sound are Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, John Entwistle of the Who, Geddy Lee of Rush, Chris Squire of Yes, Billy Sheehan, Stu Hamm and countless others. My favourite bassist Jaco Pastorius had a legendarily expressive sound, which was the result of Roundwound strings singing directly against the wood of his fretless bass. Flatwound strings have a ribbon-like winding wound along the core string. Flats have a mellow sound to them. They feel smooth and have very little finger noise since they have fewer grooves up and down the string. Flats also have a longer playing life, since there are fewer cracks where dirt and oil can build up. A lot of fretless players prefer them. I don’t. You may find Flatwound strings to be a little too mellow for rock, R&B and funk. But you might like them for jazz and reggae where you may need a more mellow sound. Halfwound or Groundwound strings are a nice compromise between round and flat. Halfwounds are essentially Roundwounds that are partially ground-down and smoothed out, to providing a middle ground between brightness vs. deadness in sound, and metallic roughness vs. smoothness in feel. Tapewound strings are more common on acoustic bass guitars or basses that use a piezo pickup system, and are often used when a player is looking for something closer to an upright bass sound. Paul McCartney used them on his Hofner Bass. Do not get confused between Nylon Tapewound, which is an actual winding type, and Taperwound or tapered, (like the strings inside a piano) which is something that could technically apply to any winding or material type. A string that is "taperwound" gets either progressively, or suddenly smaller as the string gets to the bridge. The idea is that more, or all, of the core wire is making direct contact with the "saddles" at the bridge. The effect of this tapering is a longer sustain and a brighter sound.
Flatwound
Groundwound
Winding There are two main types of windings, Roundwound and Flatwound and some that fall in-between them. Roundwound strings involve a metal wrapping, generally made of stainless steel or nickel, around the core that is not ground down or smoothed out. You can actually feel the rough, metallic ridges in these strings when you touch them. They represent a more modern sound and are capable of producing a wide range of tones that are distinctive to many styles of music. They are probably the most commonly used types of strings today. Roundwound strings are used in almost all styles of bass playing, and are essential for slapping, popping and tapping where you want a nice bright tone. They produce a very wide range of frequencies and carry much more of the high end- where words like brightness, clarity, even metallic or "clanging" come in. They also have a longer sustain than more "old school" bass sounds, which more often came from Flatwound strings. These high-end frequencies are strongly emphasized in the clear, percussive effect of slapping and popping in players like Victor
Material Nickel and Stainless Steel are the most popular for Roundwound and Flatwound strings. Some Flatwounds also may use Ribbon or Nylon. Different materials have different sound and “feel” characteristics. Nickel sounds more mellow than the brighter sounding Stainless Steel. It feels a little softer on the hands and has less of the metallic high end treble in the sound than steel strings. This also equates to less finger noise coming through and a smoother, mellower sound than steel while still falling on the bright/clear end of the spectrum. Stainless Steel Roundwound strings fall furthest on the bright, "metallic" end of the sound spectrum. Observing the comments of numerous players, the consensus seems to be that stainless steel are the clearest, brightest strings out there. They often increase the perceived volume output in sound from the bass, but also tend to be rougher on the fingers and instrument. The aggressive, cutting, sound in hard rock and metal is generally the sound of stainless steel Roundwound strings played aggressively with a pick.
... Continued on pg 34
muse | thirty four
... Continued from pg 32
TUTORIAL
by Alistair Andrews
THE RIGHT STRINGS FOR YOUR STYLE String Tension
Coated strings have a super thin advanced coating on the wrap wire. This make the string last longer. I use coated Rotosound, Nexus Bass strings for the richness in mid-tones on all my basses. Double Ball End strings have balls on both ends and fits on Steinberger-type, or other “headless” basses.
Tension, or how stiff or loose the string feels, is determined by a variety of factors. Gauge - Thicker strings have more mass and therefore more tension, but it is only one of the factors in the overall feel- two different brands the same size can and will have different tensions, and even one brand with the smaller gauge could feel more tense after the other components come into play. Scale Length - Longer scale = more tension. The same brand of strings will feel more or less tense if the scale length is longer or shorter. String Height or Action - Higher string height or "action" will make strings feel tenser. Adjusting the truss rod and changing the height of the saddles on the bridge can adjust this. Core - A string with a "hex" core will have more tension than one with a "round" core. The core is the wire in which the wrapping (nickel, steel) etc. wraps around. "Hex" or "Round" refer to the shape of that wire and thus how the contact with the string is made.
String Gauge The diameter is measured in inches. A very standard middle ground is .105 for the E string and .45 for the G-string. Names such as "light," "extra-heavy" etc. are assigned by the makers and are not industry standard markings. In general, the thicker the string, the fatter and more low end in the tone, but this also will increase tension and require more endurance to play. If you like to tune your E string down to D, definitely go for a thicker string. Lighter gauge strings are very popular in players who use a lot of slapping/popping. My preference is .125 (B) .105(E) .85 (A) .65(D) .45(G) .25(C) on 6-string Bass
Scale Length Scale refers to the distance between the bridge (where the strings rest at the bottom of the bass) and the nut (where the fingerboard meets the headstock). Most basses are 34", though 35" is not uncommon for 5 or 6 string basses. Long Scale (MOST COMMON) - 34" Super / Extra Long Scale - 36" Medium Scale - 32" Short Scale - 30"
Alistair Andrews endorses ROTOSOUND bass strings www.rotosound.com
Finding the right strings could a long process of trial and error. There are just too many variables to consider – playing technique, pickups, bridge, body wood, etc. The same set of strings can sound different on various basses and under different fingers. You just have to experiment in order to find what you like. It took me years to find my “dream” strings.
Till next time, LET THERE BE BASS!!!
THE THE WORLD’S WORLD’S FINEST FINEST MUSIC MUSIC STRINGS STRINGS MADE MADE IN IN THE THE UK UK SINCE SINCE 1958 1958
muse | thirty six
TUTORIAL
by Kurt Slabbert
PLAY BETTER
Guitarist Close-Up: Michael Bester
I
n this latest installment of the Play Better Guitar series we’ve decided to look into the lives of a couple of seasoned professional guitarists to see how they got to where they are as working musicians today. In this article we spend some time with Michael Bester who plays for Mango Groove and Loyiso Bala, as well as performing at various freelance engagements and studio sessions. It is inspiring to listen to the stories of those who have carved out
a career in the world of music; we can all learn from the professionals... Tell us about your earliest memories of music; where you grew up and where it all started... I grew up in Pretoria and had music lessons as a youngster, mainly piano lessons, but I gave up on it when I was about 10. Then I picked up the guitar when I was about 17 and never looked back! Where did your passion for guitar come from and how did you start?
My dad bought an acoustic guitar and I started messing around with it. My friend taught me how to play one or two Nirvana songs, which blew my mind and I started working out all their songs by ear. Then that same guy got an electric guitar and from the first moment that I played on that, and felt that sound coming out of an amp turned up nice and loud, I was hooked! I got quite serious about practicing and writing songs pretty much straight away, and have worked hard since then, but I guess it all goes back to that moment!
GUITAR Is it important to study music? That is a tricky question! I certainly benefited from formal music studies, but I don’t think it’s for everyone and I think that you have to be pretty clear on what you want to get out of it if you decide to study music formally. Nobody can teach you how to be musical, or be creative, but I have always wanted to have command of the theoretical side of music, it’s just how I’m wired, so doing a music degree was important to me. What have you studied? I have a BMus in jazz studies from UCT. I also enjoy teaching so I did a teaching qualification (PGCE) through UNISA a few years ago. Other than that I did a jazz guitar summer course at NYU in New York, focusing on modern jazz improvisation, and I’ve also done a sound engineering course, which has come in handy. Tell us a bit about the gear you use. I have lots of different gear for different situations. For session work, and most pop/rock/urban gigs I use my Fender Stratocaster mainly. It’s a stock US Standard Stratocaster, nothing fancy, but I love how versatile it is! For jazz gigs I use either my 1960 Epiphone Broadway, which is a big fat arch top, or my newish Tokai 335 copy, which is also a very versatile guitar. I have a 1995 Gibson Les Paul and a newish Fender Telecaster, both of which mostly come out of their cases for recording sessions. And in terms of acoustic work, I have a Martin Jumbo 10 series, which I’ve had for a few years and just sounds amazing live or in studio, and a cheapish Yamaha classical guitar with a pickup for any nylon work. In terms of amps I have been playing a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe for years now and I’m really happy with that for almost any application and then I’ve recently acquired a MESABOOGIE Transatlantic TA-30 combo.
For small gigs I use a Laney Cub 12. Although you studied jazz you’ve avoided being pigeon-holed as a jazz musician. How do you think you achieved this? The only answer I can really give you is that I genuinely love so many different styles of music and have worked quite hard to be able to play many styles with the right tones and feel, so I guess I was never going to be a true specialist. Even when I was a student at UCT, and was pretty obsessed with jazz, I knew that I wasn’t content playing any one style all the time. The challenge that has
always appealed to me the most in music is being able to play any style authentically. I have my strengths and weaknesses like any other player, but I guess I have enough of a blend of rock, pop, blues and jazz in my taste and my playing to be able to hold down gigs in any of those worlds. What do you think are some of the most important skills to have as a working guitarist? Broad knowledge of styles, good time (rhythm), good tone, good reliable gear and you either have to have incredible ears and memory, or be able to read well, preferably both!
muse | thirty seven
TUTORIAL
great way to get to know the fret board. Basically you set your metronome very slowly, pick any note and play it, in time, in every available position on your sixth string, then the same on the 5th, 4th etc. all the way up to the 1st string and back. Also, say the name aloud every time you play a note, and don’t skip a beat! Then, move on to the next key, moving through the circle of fourths, which will ensure that you know all keys equally well after a while! E.g.
2) Transcribing different solos in different styles, and by different instruments, off the CD, NOT using tabs! 3) Transposing music at sight, even if it’s VERY slow, will improve your fret board knowledge and aural skills like nothing else! 4) Singing a phrase, playing it on your instrument and then playing it in every conceivable position and with every fingering you can think of Your thoughts on reading and aural training? Reading is critical if you want to be a session player. Good aural skills are critical everywhere! You can’t join a conversation if you can’t hear or understand what anybody’s saying!
Are there any technical exercises you can share with us that you feel has been important in your growth as a musician? I think the most important things I have practiced have been related to fret board knowledge and aural skills.
Wise words indeed by one of South A f r i c a’ s l e a d i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l musicians; Michael Bester.
Examples would be: 1) A Joe Satriani exercise from an old edition of Guitar Player, outlining a
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muse | forty
YOUR PRIVATE UNIVERSE by Jonathan Pike
T
he number of ways that you could record a drum kit are almost infinite and with the demands of modern music often requiring a less than conventional drum sound, recording engineers are once again turning to unconventional recording techniques. Over the years, some legendary techniques have been developed that can go a long way to help create a unique and interesting sound. In this article we are going to have a look at some of the simple ways of recording that can help your track to have a greater impact on the global market. In 1970 Led Zeppelin’s recording engineer, Andy Johns, pioneered a famously reverberant drum sound. He achieved this by recording the drum kit for the song, “When the Levee breaks” in a three story high stairwell at Headly Grange, England. The drum kit was placed at the bottom of the stairwell and two Beyerdynamic M160 ribbon microphones placed at the top, giving the distinctive resonant but slightly muffled sound. This is a great example of out-of-the-box thinking that can result in powerful and unique sounds. Producer/Engineer Martin Hannet known for his eccentricities, as dramatized in the movie “24 Hour Party People”, also placed a drum kit in an unconventional space. He had Stephen Morris, the drummer from Joy Division, set up his drum kit on the roof outside a first floor fire escape at Chicago Recording Studios in Rochdale, England. He is also rumoured to have had Morris take apart his drum kit and reassemble it to include some parts of a toilet, during a different recording session. You could consider placing drum kits in other spaces, like a long corridor or a concrete basement, both of which would drastically change the tone and perceived “size” of your drums. Aside from placing the kit in unusual recording spaces there are many other ways of controlling your drum sound. I have had great success by placing a microphone, like a Shure SM58 (try different mics for a variety of tones), at a distance of two or three metres away from the drum kit and processing the signal with fairly heavy compression. Depending on where you place the mic around the kit you can control how loud each element will be in the balance. How heavily you compress the signal can control how “dirty” you want the sound to be. A large amount gain reduction will give a “gritty” sound, while playing with
Techniques forio the home stud
Unconventional
Recording Techniques:
DRUMS
your attack and release settings can give movement and a “pumping” sound to the drums. You can use this signal alone for a heavily processed sound, or you could blend it with other close mics for a more subtle effect. Another idea that has been used by some engineers is to record each part of the drum kit with a close mic, and then to play either a balance of all the mics, or each mic individually, through a speaker. The technique is then to place either a snare, tom or kick drum in front of the speaker so the sound resonates through the drum and is captured by a mic on the other side. Again, there are many ways you can manipulate this set-up to your specific needs. One such way is to tune the drum differently to either conform or contrast with the key of the song. Another is that your choice of mic, drum
and placement of all the elements of the recording chain will change the resulting sound. Other engineers have tried techniques like placing a microphone inside a wooden box before placing it in front of the drum kit, possibly with a hole in front of the microphone’s diaphragm. This choice, of whether to put a hole in the box or not, can drastically change the sound. This technique can add some extra resonance and tone to the drums. The trick when recording drums is to experiment and make sure that the resultant sound serves the needs of the song and enhances the sound for the better. These are just a few ways that you can enhance your drum recordings to create what may one day become the stuff of legends.