THE MUSICIAN ’S RESO URCE
DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION IN CHINA MIC BASICS FOR STREAMING AUDIO IMPROVE SYNC SUCCESS WITH METADATA
How to channel personal turmoil into creative super-fuel.
A MUSICIAN’S GUIDE TO CONTENT MARKETING
RUBBLEBUCKET
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VOLUME 28, ISSUE 4
CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF
cover story
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RUBBLEBUCKET by Benjamin Ricci
DEPARTMENTS 4. LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 5. Insurance Glossary for Musicians 6. Content Marketing 101 9. How to Maximize Sync Licenses with Metadata 10. AI to Open New Opportunities for Musicians 12. How to Gain Access to the Chinese Streaming Market 14. ULTIMATE GUIDE to Portable PA Systems Part II 28. GEAR GUIDE: Mic Basics for Streaming Audio 30. GEAR TEST: Audio-Technica Drums in the Studio 33. TOUR DIARY: Scarlet Canary Takes Elixir Strings on the Road
JOHN WHORISKEY JR. by Derek Burns
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36. GEAR TEST: Blue Microphones enCORE Series 38. GEAR TEST: Cloudlifter CL-4, CL-1 and Zi 40. MEET YOUR MAKER: Warm Audio’s Bryce Young 42. GEAR REVIEWS: Mackie, Yamaha, Washburn, Steinberg and more… Cover
Shervin Lainez
PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 3
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
LETTER
from the editor
Volume 28, Issue 4 PO BOX 348 Somerville, MA 02143 CONTACT Phone: 617-627-9200 Fax: 617-627-9930 PUBLISHER William House Phone: 617-627-9919 bill@performermag.com EDITOR Benjamin Ricci ben@performermag.com DESIGN & ART DIRECTION Cristian Iancu
Howdy, y’all. As you may have already noticed, Performer has begun ramping up the amount of video-based content we produce centered around audio gear, instruments and recording equipment. In an ever-changing digital landscape, the transition away from print by a lot of companies has been drastic, even more so in the past year or two. We’ve been smart in how we produce, distribute and promote content, and will continue that path to bring you relevant content in the format that makes most sense for you (whatever that form happens to be now, and in the future). What does that mean for you? Well, in order for us to stay relevant (both digitally and in print) we need you to tell us what you want. What sorts of topics do you want to read about in both long-form and short-form formats? What sort of video content are you interested in? What sort of video content turns you off? Email ben@performermag.com anytime with feedback and suggestions. We also want YOU to be part of the story. We’ve got a lot of gear coming in each month for review and for special promotions, and we want YOU to test it out for your fellow musicians. So, stay tuned to the site and our socials for more info about how to get involved PLUS opportunities to be a featured artist with some of our brand partners in the industry. Suffice it to say, we’ve got a lot of exciting things coming up that you won’t want to miss! We’ve been able to weather a lot of storms with the help of our readers, along with the long-standing commitment we have to serving YOUR needs. Next year we’ll be celebrating our 30th anniversary (it’s a diamond gift, for those keeping score at home) and we couldn’t have done it without YOU. Mucho thanks, gang. KEEP PRINT ALIVE!
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Bob Dobalina editorial@performermag.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Benjamin Ricci, Chris Devine, Daniel Blume, Derek Burns, Drew Waters, Freddie Tubbs, Michael St. James, Rob Tavaglione, Taishi Fukuyama, Matt Zutell, James Grey CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Shervin Lainez, Tyler Visgilio, Tommy Whalen, Benny B Stoll, Ken Francis, Jess Marie Spence, Zakk Connor ADVERTISING SALES William House Phone: 617-627-9919 bill@performermag.com © 2018 by Performer Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any method whatsoever without the written permission of the publisher. The magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited recordings, manuscripts, artwork or photographs and will not return such materials unless requested and accompanied by a SASE. Annual Subscription Rate is $30 in the U.S.; $45 outside the U.S.
Benjamin Ricci PS – In all honesty, we’re fortunate that we’re still able to put out a regular magazine, manage a daily website, engage with you on social media and produce content for an ever-growing YouTube channel. There’s a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes to keep that up, and I want to thank all the people who make that happen on the daily. But most of all, thanks to me. Good job, lil buddy!
ABOUT US / Performer Magazine, a nationally distributed musician’s trade publication, focuses on independent musicians, those unsigned and on small labels, and their success in a DIY environment. We’re dedicated to promoting lesser-known talent and being the first to introduce you to artists you should know about. MUSIC SUBMISSIONS / We listen to everything that comes into the office. We prefer physical CDs, cassettes and vinyl over downloads. If you do not have a physical copy, send download links to editorial@performermag.com. No attachments, please. Send CDs to: Performer Magazine, Attn: Reviews, PO BOX 348, Somerville, MA 02143 CORRECTIONS / Did we make a heinous blunder, factual error or just spell your name wrong? Contact editorial@ performermag.com and let us know, cuz we’re big enough to say, “Baby, I was wrong.” EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS / In the words of our esteemed forefathers at CREEM: “NOBODY WHO WRITES FOR THIS RAG’S GOT ANYTHING YOU AIN’T GOT, at least in the way of credentials. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be sending us your stuff: reviews, features, photos, recording tips, DIY advice or whatever else you have in mind that might be interesting to our readers: independent and DIY musicians. Who else do ya know who’ll publish you? We really will...ask any of our dozens of satisfied customers. Just bop it along to us to editorial@performermag.com and see what comes back your way. If you have eyes to be in print, this just might be the place. Whaddya got to lose? Whaddya got?”
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Benjamin Ricci
he goal here is to provide a free resource that explains, in common terminology, what certain things mean and how they apply to you. The first few terms are presented below, with the goal of adding more on a regular basis to form a complete base of knowledge for your insurance education (stay up-to-date at performermag.com). Without further ado, here are some basic terms and phrases relating to insurance for live musicians.
MUSIC BUSINESS
Glossary of Common Insurance Terms for Musicians
Actual Cash Value (ACV) If you come across this term or acronym, then something has likely happened to someone’s property, and someone’s liable. Actual cash value is just one method to figure out what an insurer will pay the insured for property or items that have been damaged. Usually this is figured out either by subtracting the deprecation of the property/object from its current replacement cost, or by assessing a reasonable fair market value to the property/object. In real world terms, if you carelessly damage the equipment of a venue, the venue may receive payment for the cost to repair that gear, or its replacement costs minus depreciation (they’re not going to get full new price for used, old stuff, in other words). Admitted Company This is an important one, and we’ll let our friends from K&K Insurance explain: “When choosing an insurance provider, always ask about the financial stability of the carrier; a high rating (A or better) by an independent rating company such as A.M. Best Company is the safest choice. Also, choosing a carrier that is “admitted” (licensed) is preferable because choosing an insurance company that is non-admitted (called surplus lines) may require you to pay extra fees or taxes.” -Lorena Hatfield, Marketing Resources Manager Claim Uh-oh. Something has happened. But this does not necessarily mean you’re getting sued because of actions you took, or even negligence. That’s one clear distinction we want to make, because there seems to be some confusion on the matter. Just because a claim is filed, does not mean you’re personally being sued. With lawyers. And courts. And judges. And sketch artists. I mean, unless you really did something heinous and you can’t come to an agreement during the claims phase… What it means, simply, is that the affected party (let’s keep using the example of the venue that’s had their gear or stage damaged by a band) has just made a request from an insurance provider to be compensated for their loss. They want to be made
whole again, which is fair enough, and this is the first step in the process. It’s the reason you have insurance policies in the first place, so that you can have them deal with any claims that may arise, whether valid or frivolous. That’s what you’ve contracted with them to do (and why you pay them), so work with your insurance provider closely to deal with any claims that may arise. Hopefully you don’t ever have to see a courtroom. Endorsement A lot of folks seem to think this means proof of insurance, or that your insurance provider is “endorsing” you and covering you. No, what it really means is that an addition or amendment (sometimes called a rider) has been added to your policy that adjusts your coverage in some way. Keep in mind this may take precedence over your existing contract, so read and agree to all changes to your policy carefully.
to your actions or negligence, and this can typically mean bodily injury as well as property damage. You did (or failed to do) something; you’re now liable or responsible for it. Limit of Indemnity Since you now know what indemnity means (see above), this one should now make a whole lot more sense. These are also known as liability limits, and as you may have guessed it’s the max amount your insurance provider is going to pay on a claim against you. So, if you do something beyond the scope of comprehension and cause untold millions in damages, you’ve likely gone WELL above your limits to the point where you’re gonna be on the hook for a lot of dough, far more than any insurance will ever pay out. But let’s hope that scenario never plays out, shall we?
Indemnification This is a big word that means something simple: it’s just relating to the compensation provided to the claimant for any losses incurred. Let’s use it in a sentence: when you indemnify another party for their loss, like an insurance company may have to do, you probably don’t like doing it.
Underwriter Sometimes the most misunderstood part of the process, an underwriter is the person who first determines whether you are even insurable (I’m looking at you, fire-jugglers!) and then (and perhaps most importantly), decides and analyzes the risk you pose to come up with your policy’s price, or premium. This is the person who ultimately determines your rates, as well as your coverage.
Liability Insurance Here’s a key one, because this is really what we’re talking about when it comes to live performers. And it differs from car insurance, renter’s insurance, flood insurance and other types of insurance you may already have. Liability insurance specifically provides coverage when loss or damage occurs due
FOR MORE INFO… You’ve heard us repeat it a million times, but to be sure, always check over your policy and ask your provider to answer any questions you may have. The best policy (no pun intended) is consult a professional whenever you’re in doubt. Stay safe out there and look for more tips in the months ahead. PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 5
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ost musicians focus solely on producing good music and promoting it as such. However, marketing is something that they should focus on as well. It gives them a great opportunity to connect with their audience and get more fans than before. Content marketing can be especially beneficial to musicians. It allows them to appear on search engines and improves their fan base. Here are some ideas on how you could promote your music by content marketing and earn some superfans. 1. CREATE ENGAGING VIDEOS Videos are an amazing way to gain some attention. These can range from being educational to simply being entertaining. You
could create ‘how to’ videos and explain some techniques of playing music, song-writing or singing. You could also create vlogs – they are extremely popular at the moment – or you could show videos of your live appearances, behindthe-scenes footage, meeting a fan videos, etc. People love watching videos because they are so easy to consume and give so much information at once. 2. RUN COMPETITIONS Another great content marketing tactic is to host competitions or giveaways. People on Facebook or Twitter love entering these if the reward is valuable enough. “You can create a set of instructions – like and share this page/post to enter this competition, add a number of people to this group, post a picture of you with a certain theme etc. These are all easy and fun tasks and the reward could be some of you merchandise, meeting you, singing with you or something else related to your music,” explains Lois Tomasini,
Content Marketer at EliteAssignmentHelp. 3. POST IMAGES AND INFOGRAPHICS Images are a great way to show off your personality and post updates on your daily life. People love having some insight into what you are up to, how you spend your days, what you do for fun, etc. These pictures can also feature some of your live appearances. You can post photos with your fans, pictures from your album, of you doing something unique and authentic. Infographics are also an amazing way to give your audience some useful and interesting content on how to play an instrument or how to record music on their own. 4. WRITE A BLOG One of the best ways to use content marketing is to run a blog. This blog can essentially be about anything music related – you could talk about your opinion on popular music issues or your tastes in music, your personal music, gear, etc. If you don’t consider
HOW TO GET MO WITH CONTENT IF YOU ARE A M 6 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
MUSIC BUSINESS yourself much of a writer, here are some tools that can help you: - StateOfWriting is a content writing guide that can help you with its tips and pointers on writing with style.
stream or share your songs. This way, your fans could hear you play or sing and enjoy what you created. You can get their honest opinions and feedback this way and see how they feel about your music.
- Academized is a grammar checker mentioned in Best British Essays.
7. POST OPINIONS AND FAVORITES Another thing that people love is hearing about what their favorite musicians like to listen to, read, what their opinion is on current events, etc. “All of this can be an amazing promotional tool for you and a source of fun for them. However, be careful not to offend anyone in your fan base or get too political,” says William McMahon, a Digital strategist at Study Demic. [Editor’s note – in these crazy times, sometimes you may actually gain support with your political views. But yes, that can be a touchy subject amongst artists and their fans. Tread carefully.]
5. POST GENERAL UPDATES Content marketing includes posting frequent updates on your appearances, music, achievements, personal events and more. You can also create polls to see what your fans like, share information in a form of a countdown when an important event is coming up, share information on how to get tickets, where to see you, etc. You could even have secret shows and post clues on where your fans could find you. 6. STREAM NEW MUSIC An obvious content marketing move is to
8. POST A MIX OF SONGS TO PROMOTE UPCOMING CONTENT Posting a mix of bits from your songs to promote your music and grab some attention is a great idea. You can do this every time you have a few songs coming out and it will promote excitement among your fans and it may even get you some new ones. FINAL THOUGHTS Being a musician and promoting your own content isn’t an easy feat but it could be fun. Dedicate a part of your time to content marketing and your fan base will increase. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Freddie Tubbs is a content writer and editor at Paper Fellows. He regularly contributes articles to Big Assignments blog and works as a part-time content strategist at Oxessays.
MORE FANS NT MARKETING MUSICIAN PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 7
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If it’s not discoverable, it may as well not exist
emember: the next time you get a pitch from a friendly music supervisor, if you can’t find it, you can’t get it synced. Ideally, every engineer, producer, and production library owner will take this to heart.
MUSIC BUSINESS
HOW METADATA MAKES SYNCS RUN SMOOTHER
The best way to solve this problem is to incorporate meaningful metadata, and the easiest way to assure you have the right and complete data is to enter it during the recording, mixing, and mastering stages. Getting detailed data per recording maximizes opportunities. The following scenario may seem very familiar. Music supervisors reach out to a few of their closest composers, usually by genre. They know them and have confidence in their work. Whoever comes back first with something that fits gets the sync/licensing and the substantial fees that come with it. Pitches can be complicated: the supervisor wants something with two female vocals, two banjos, and a drum machine, for example. You can find that track quickly if it was enriched with meaningful metadata. If you’re simply going through memory, folder after folder, hard drive after identical black hard drive, you’re likely too slow. You’re likely to miss out on this revenue. Metadata has an important role to play in production music, as search is so essential to its use and commercial viability. A lot of production music is purposefully derivative by nature. The art of composing this music--one I engaged in myself for several years--is leaning toward copyrighted material without infringing on it, all while still keeping things relatively fresh. The specific derivation of the sound is what makes it appealing for potential sync deals. Naturally, composers involved in this pursuit often write large volumes of work--because they have to. Another high-volume, data-intensive practice can be work for hire, as when, for example, an EDM producer hires a vocalist to sing over tracks. The producer may have full ownership of the tracks, but they still need to memorialize who did what, especially if there are any questions that come up in the sync clearance process. And a fully cleared and data-enriched track has a far better chance of getting that sync license.
Basic addition of data to the track at recording and mastering can save composers and producers work and headaches. If in the mastering process you add the ISNI directly to your metadata, for example, the ownership is set. The PROs know where to send the check. This can be handy if you’re part of a large catalog or library, or if you’re submitting tracks frequently to different sources. When you dedicate your life to writing and recording production music, or to cutting cues day in and day out, you need data. You simply have too much at stake. You have to be able to find your tracks without relying on memory. You don’t want to hope your title gets you close enough, when you could have searchable data at your disposal. It gives your mind more space for creativity. Music supervisors also benefit from rich metadata, as they, too, are often searching high and low for just the right track. When they find material they like, they can keep it in a database and have a prayer they’ll be able to track it down again. This can be essential, especially if they are acquiring a whole library from a composer or other source. NOTE FOR PERFORMER READERS VEVA Sound is excited to release their latest technology built for entirely for Producers and Engineers. The Studio Collect Suite, which
includes a comprehensive platform, will be released this fall. Available now is the free DAW agnostic plugin, SCP. This plugin can be used within the recording session to collect your credits, while you record, and travels with your session. It also exports a valid DDEX RIN file, so your metadata can travel into the industry using the global standard defined by DDEX. Collect while you create! Because if it’s not discoverable, it may as well not exist. ABOUT THE AUTHOR VEVA Sound’s VP, Drew Waters, explains metadata and its importance in discoverability. While working at VEVA Sound, one of the few companies tackling the most fundamental data and preservation issues for the music industry, Waters is actively involved in the development of VEVA’s technologies, like their newly launched Studio Collect Plugin. Waters was the former VP of Studio Operations, Archives and Strategy at Capitol Records/EMI and VP of Archives at Universal Music Group. He holds a Ph.D. from NYU in Music Performance and Composition and has a great perspective on how metadata can help artists. For more, visit http://www.vevasound. com PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 9
MUSIC BUSINESS
W
hen you give musicians new technology, they find new ways to congregate around it and create new music-and new business opportunities. The next technology poised to do this is AI. The rock band as we know it wouldn’t have sprung into being, were it not for the electrifying of guitars and basses. The two MCs and one DJ format gave birth to what we now call hip-hop. The 808 and the mass accessibility of production software sparked EDM, as well as a whole slew of new genres and scenes. Musician-focused cutting-edge tech is what keeps music evolving. AI is about to do something similar to the drum machine, to the DAW, to turntables, to name just a few recent innovations impacting the sound of popular music writ large. Just imagine: looking at history and what musicians
have done with these creative technologies, we’re likely to be on the brink of another moment in musical history parallel to the birth of rock or hip-hop.
challenging to individual humans. Because of their speed and scale, AI processes can uncover complex patterns and come to unexpected conclusions.
Like previous revolutionary tools, AI is not, let us emphasize, not about to replace all songwriters, composers, audio engineers, or any other number of humans creating music. In fact, with the advent of the next worlddominating popular genre or culture comes a net positive economic impact for the industry and creators. AI may create new lucrative opportunities, just as technologies like sampling launched a whole new sub-industry for beat makers and licensors. The tools just need to be made and harnessed by the right creators. At least, this is what history tells us.
In creative industries, the pattern-finding side of AI is important, in that machines are learning to perceive things we grasp intuitively, but not consciously. These patterns can be employed to generate novel iterations of set forms, like a sequence of tones that make a melody (what we have worked to get our AI to do at Amadeus Code). They can also find what deviates in set ways from a pattern, something truly random and perhaps inspiring in its unexpectedness.
A carefully structured collection of algorithms and data, AI can perform specific tasks at lightning speed and digest large amounts of information in ways extremely
The peculiar answers AI programs can generate are sometimes the key to their success in beating humans at their own games. Alpha Go, the DeepMind-powered machine that beat the world champion at the complex game, did one small thing in every game it won:
AI IS THE NEX TO CREATE O ARTISTS & DI 10 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
MUSIC BUSINESS It made a move that the master player thought was ridiculous. It was so out of the blue, so out of the usual context and rhythm and practice of the game, he thought it was a mistake. Instead it won the computer the game. Yet humans do this all the time: How many chess or gymnastics moves new to the ancient field are named for people who suddenly, inexplicably come up with them--and perfect them until they work? This is in fact the often-overlooked wonder of AI: It can come up with things no person would come up with, over and over and over. It can change our perspective through these wild suggestions, these seemingly ridiculous moves. It promises to do this very thing in popular culture, especially in music. Yet it is an intimately human endeavor, even as melodies come to us from the interplay of algorithms and the rich melodic data of the past. We’ve discovered this, as we’ve taken our tools and used them to create finished songs.
We generate melodies. But then we have to take the next steps, and here is where things get interesting. As we’ve created demo songs, we’ve gotten questions from singers: How do you want me to sing this? A human composer will have the answer ready, as she wrote with a motive or purpose. She can describe the topic, the emotion, the story of the song. But there’s nothing behind a computer’s melody. That’s why directing the vocals for demos was an epiphany for us. In the end, we had to ask, what was this song actually about? AI cannot automate this connection. My AI, for example, will not tell you about its struggles. It will not illuminate your inner worlds. It can only expand your memory and give you some ideas that might allow you to express these things in a novel way. That may become your next song or an entire new genre of popular music. It can give you an infinite string of notes; only you can interpret them.
This is the right role for AI, the most inspiring and gently disrupting place for this new technology to push culture in a fresh direction. This could be a very welcome thing in a time when many are complaining about the narrowing of sonic ideas in pop, perhaps due to the data-driven nature of labels’ approaches to artists and tracks. Having computers generate whole tracks, as some AI engineers propose, or write whole albums or programmatically switch a track from one genre to another…these are cool gimmicks. They aren’t going to give musicians that new cutting edge that leads to radical departures from what we hear today. AI can and will do so much more--and will benefit many creators in the process. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Taishi Fukuyama is a music producer, serial entrepreneur, and co-founder of Amadeus Code, a Japan-based startup developing an artificial intelligence-powered songwriting assistant to spark fresh topline melody ideas and boost productivity for musicians and producers.
EXT TECH OPPS FOR DISRUPTORS PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 11
MUSIC BUSINESS
MUSICINFO - YOUR MUSIC CONNECTION IN CHINA
Y
ou know the phrase “We’re BIG in Japan.” It’s always been an inside joke that Western artists can kind of blow up in Japan, but you never really hear the same about China.
I had a fantastic chat with Juri Kobayashi, Marketing Communications for Musicinfo. I didn’t travel to Finland, but judging from my T-Mobile bill for the call, I should have.
There are 1.4 BILLION people in China, and according to a 2017 study from Nielsen, “more than 977 million people in China - 72% of the population - listen to music every week with 57% of affluent fans attending concerts, compared to 51% in the U.S. Further, whereas hip-hop is the dominant genre in the U.S., affluent fans in China prefer Western or English-language music, and are more likely to listen to pop, rock and jazz.”
Tell me a little about yourself, are you a musician, or just music lover? How did you end up in the music business? I am a musician. My main instrument is classical guitar. I grew up taking proper lessons, my father was my first teacher. I went to conservatory, I studied at Polytechnic in Finland and then got into the Music, Mind, and Technology program at university and that is what eventually led me to work for Musicinfo.
Most of those Western artists are major label acts, and it has been next to impossible to get digital distribution as an independent act. Enter Finland-based Musicinfo, a company looking to change that.
Give us the Musicinfo “elevator pitch.” What is the company focused on trying to solve? Until now, Western independent music was nonexistent in China. We’re focused on bringing
That’s odd.
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independent labels and artists to over 750 million listeners in China. I know Musicinfo started as a metadata database; is that still an area the business is focused on? The company had its start in metadata as a search engine pairing data points of music rights and did a lot of work in China, which has led us to be accepted as a partner there, while based in Finland. But, we have now made the full move to distribution and servicing for labels and artists. What should an independent artist know about the Chinese market? For instance, is there a dominant genre, do they like instrumentals, etc.? China is kind of a closed culture, but the youth are very much a part of a huge movement to bring in new flavors, new sounds, and those are often in English. So, there are some stereotypes that hold true, like K-Pop and pop music are the dominant
MUSIC BUSINESS genre. But the good news is that nowadays, 3 out of 5 artists are independent artists in China. Not as much of a major label stranglehold there. How does an independent artist breakthrough in a foreign country? Do they listen to English music? English lyrics are fine, it’s the music that people listen to. English is kind of the dominant world language and many in China - much like Africa and Spanish-speaking countries - use entertainment to learn English and music is a big part of that. How important is it to use your promotion campaigns - (localization content on Tencent, and Weibo etc.)? Is that how most artists are being found? It is. By using the promotion campaigns, listeners can find out who you are and what your music is about in their native language. We do all of the posting and localization. As with anything creative, the story matters. Having a video is one of the best ways to promote yourself. The video is used quite a bit among Chinese listeners. One of our independent artists has seen this firsthand; his video has been viewed 3 million times, and his followers are on multiple streaming services.
What are some of the challenges you are finding in China distribution - the laws governing how streaming royalties are counted, mechanicals, currency, etc.? Explicit lyrics, censorship? The royalties are collected quarterly, and then cashed out in your own currency. Users have the option to download a limited number of tracks as part of their subscriptions, so there are no extra profits there. In the Chinese market, the royalties are paid per streams, not by an aggregate pool. The rates are still low, but volume can make up for that. Censorship is still a thing in China. Explicit lyrics can be an issue, so use clean versions.
tracks on most services, so I would also suggest you load the instrumentals of your songs as well for the best chance. Here’s hoping you go “BIG” in China. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael St. James is the founder and creative director of St. James Media, specializing in music licensing, publishing, production and artist development.
What does the future hold for Chinese streamers? There are over 20 streamers in China, but QQ Music is the leader. Last year, we advertised to an audience of 540 million, now it’s 720 million, might be over 800 million by the end of this year. Also, China is a population that has the greatest number of mobile phones per capita. So, check out musicinfo.io and definitely do the social promotion package with video. Prices start at roughly $39 for setup and $12/ year for one album. Keep in mind, you keep 100% of the royalties. One album can include up to 30 PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 13
PORTABLE SOUND
How to Mix Sound for House Concerts & Pro Tips for Live Vocals
W
elcome to the final parts in our series on portable PA systems, co-presented by Yamaha Music USA. In this installment, we’ll take a closer look setting up a portable PA system and mixing tips for house concerts and other nontraditional venues (such as coffeehouses, church halls, smaller events, etc.). Before we begin, let’s define house concerts for those who may be unfamiliar; house concerts are, as the name implies, live performances typically booked at a residential dwelling. Now, if you haven’t been hip to the house concert scene before, there are lots of benefits. House concerts typically pay (both in terms of financial compensation and oftentimes meals/ lodging), they can be promoted easily by the host to a wide network of friends and potential attendees, they offer a great opportunity to sell merchandise to a captive audience, and afford performers the ability to “fill in” offdates on the road during larger tours. The only downside, however, is that they rarely come with their own sound system, which is where
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the portable PA system fits in perfectly. We’ve come to know many artists over the years who continually book (and make a living off ) house concert tours with nothing more than a vehicle, a guitar, and a portable PA system. SO, DO YOU REALLY NEED A PORTABLE PA FOR HOUSE CONCERTS? In short, yes. We’ve had first-hand experience attending such events without the benefit of PA systems, and the results have been less-thanideal. For starters, house concerts typically appeal to acoustic-based singer/songwriters and solo artists, which means that without a full, amplified band, it might be difficult to hear the performance optimally (or the overall sound might be a tad thin) if it’s entirely acoustic with no vocal mics or instrument amplification. You may start out booking house concerts thinking that just an acoustic guitar and your voice will be enough to fill a small space, but when you begin stacking the odds against yourself with rooms that weren’t acoustically designed or treated, outside noise, chatter amongst guests, and you can quickly see why a portable PA system
is a sound investment for anyone thinking about joining the circuit. In addition, it lends an air of professionalism if you are able to provide a quality sonic experience; word of mouth is very important in future bookings and recommendations in the house concert and coffeehouse communities. Flexibility. A portable PA system enables even the most intimate gigs to be more flexible by providing additional inputs for things like guitars (via Hi-Z ¼” jacks), small keyboards or synths, vocals and backing tracks. Don’t just think of what your current solo show might look like: future-proof it. Improved sound. Running all of your music through the PA enables you to fine-tune the mix, even if the instrumentation at smaller gigs is sparse. This can make all the difference in the world. An audience struggling to hear vocals over your acoustic guitar strumming or synth pads will be less likely to recommend you to friends, buy merch, or see you again in a more traditional, larger ticketed venue.
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Backing tracks. Even if you’re hitting the stage (so to speak) as a solo act, there’s no reason you can’t bring some backing tracks with you to round out the accompaniment. Some might frown on this, but we don’t see the big deal. A portable PA will often include line-level stereo inputs for traditional stereo devices (if you’re using old school CDs) and models like our STAGEPAS 400BT have on-board Bluetooth integration, so you can stream backing tracks right from your phone or tablet during the set. Built-in fx. Just because you’ve booked a small, solo gig doesn’t mean the sound has to be dry. We really appreciate the musical, digital reverb options available in the STAGEPAS lineup. Adding a touch of reverb to vocals in a room that offers no natural reverb is an easy way to tastefully “thicken” the sound without a lot of fuss. In fact, the digital reverb functionality included with the STAGEPAS portable PA lineup gives you the ability to change the type of reverb with one simple knob. A pro tip There’s a footswitch input on all the Stagepas models to mute the effect. Perfect for when you want to talk between songs, or make announcements. Subwoofer options for DJs. So far, we’ve been focusing primarily on acoustic solo artists in small settings. But house concerts don’t just have to be singer/songwriter-oriented. Similar rules apply to DJ’s spinning records at house parties, as well. With a portable PA system like STAGEPAS, you get all the inputs you need for your mixer, phono-to-line-level preamps, and subwoofer outputs for extended bass. CONTROLLING FEEDBACK WITH A PORTABLE PA SYSTEM The biggest hurdle when it comes to taming sound at house concerts is eliminating feedback (or more accurately, feedback loops) with your portable PA system. Feedback loops occur when sound is processed through your mixer, into the amplifier and to the PA speakers, then “fed back” and picked up by a microphone positioned in front of these speakers. Even in small rooms, you can take simple steps to avoid this issue. Eyes front, speakers front. This is a simple motto that’s meant to impart one simple piece of wisdom into your brain during setup: keep the speakers well in front of your vocal microphone. Position PA speakers further forward, towards your audience, than your vocal mic, and you cut the risk of creating a feedback loop in the first place. This might be tough in someone’s living room or a cramped coffee house, but make it work the best you can. It’s your first line of defense. Kill the monitors. For small gigs like this, a portable PA system is all you really need.
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That said, we’ve seen performers set up wedge monitors at small gigs, which can also be a contributing factor to feedback in tight spaces. Kill the wedges (they’re likely overkill anyway) and try in-ears instead (or simply no monitoring if the space is truly small enough). Use a directional mic. Simple as it sounds, this can help is improving gain before feedback occurs, in many live situations. Rat tails are gross, get them away from you! An oldie but goodie, imagine the XLR cable coming from your mic as the tail of a rat. If the rat tail is pointed away from you, the mic is picking up your voice and you run a far lower risk of positioning the capsule directly in front of the loudspeakers by accident. Lead singers who frequently move into the crowd and “point the mic” for the audience to sing often get hit with bursts of ear-splitting feedback because they had the “rat tail” pointing back at themselves, while they were right in front of the venue’s sound system, thus enabling a feedback loop to take hold and annoy anyone in a 100-meter radius. Know your space. In a house concert setting, you’ll likely be running your own mixing board (which, due to space issues, will probably be easily accessible). Real pros will learn over time which frequencies and ranges of frequencies are the problem children of the night, and will be able to easily adjust EQ settings on-the-fly to alleviate feedback problems, and get on with the show. Drop that offending frequency a few dB and you’re oftentimes good to go. Many artists carry cheat-sheets with them in their guitar cases, which describe the sound of the feedback, and instruct which frequencies dip with the EQ controls. FEEDBACK SUPPRESSOR FUNCTIONALITY Having said all that, Yamaha has made feedback suppression even easier in the STAGEPAS line, with the aptly titled “Feedback Suppressor” found on the unit’s compact mixer. To engage this function, simply depress one button near the master volume, and even if you’ve formed the perfect storm for feedback to occur, the system’s circuitry manages to somehow keep it in check, ensuring a clean and clear performance without the headaches. Probably our favorite feature of the STAGEPAS portable PA, and one we’ve never turned off in our weeks of testing the unit. USING DIRECT INPUTS WITH ACOUSTIC GUITARS If you’ve taken all the advice above, AND engaged the feedback suppressor (assuming you’re using a STAGEPAS portable PA, that is), you’ve probably eliminated 95% of all possible problems for small house concerts and non-
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traditional venues. The last item to take care of is that acoustic guitar. For intimate settings, we recommend going direct into the mixer (and not un-amplified), for a few reasons. For starters, traveling on the house concert circuit usually means you’re traveling light. So, ditch the DI box and extra cables and make use of the instrument inputs on the STAGEPAS’ mixer. Not only does it mean one less piece of gear to bring along, but fewer cables means a cleaner signal (and fewer tangles during load-out). And from a mix standpoint, you don’t want the acoustic guitar to dominate the room. So even though it might sound counter-intuitive, you can run the guitar through the PA with your vocals, balance out the mix on the board, and that way you’ve ensured the vocals aren’t struggling to compete even though you’ve actually made the guitar louder than it would have been unamplified. Plus, you now have the added benefit of being able to add fx like reverb to the guitar to give a bit more depth to what may have been a very dry sound. PRO TIP: mix the guitar just loud enough so that in the room, your audience is really only hearing the acoustic come through the speakers, and not the guitar’s soundhole. If you’ve ever suffered through awful YouTube guitar videos, you know one of the more annoying things is hearing both the guitar’s strings through the camera mic, as well as the “dirty” sound coming from the amp. Many times in these videos, the amp is quieter (or simply too far away) than the actual guitar itself. Similar rules apply in a live setting; it can be a bit disorienting to be hearing the guitar’s natural sound hitting you a fraction of a second out of time with the guitar coming through the speakers (even with the best low-
latency systems), and it can just sound “off” if the balance isn’t right. Don’t engage in aural confusion with your audience! Lastly, you’ll note that we haven’t mentioned miking the guitar’s sound hole and running that signal to the mixer. For good reason. We are trying to eliminate feedback, after all, and the mic-to-soundhole gambit has been the cause of countless squeals for decades at coffeehouses all across the world. With today’s mixers offering Hi-Z inputs, there’s really no practical reason to lug around extra mics and XLR cables to house concerts or other intimate performances, and sit there fiddling with the setup for any more time than is necessary to get the right mic placement on the guitar so it won’t feed back. Lose the mics, lose the DI boxes and go straight into the mixer. For these types of gigs, it’s a no-brainer. PRO TIPS: LIVE MIXING FOR VOCALS We’ve already addressed choosing the right portable PA system for your needs, setting up a portable PA system for live gigs, and how to control and suppress microphone feedback. In the following paragraphs, we’ll go a little bit deeper as it relates to EQing, mixing and setting up the perfect vocal mix using your portable PA system. Without further ado, here are a few final tips you can implement at your next gig that will ensure great sounding vocals with your portable PA. S-S-SUSSUDIO (KILL THE SIBILANCE) Unless you’re covering Phil Collins, those annoying “s” sounds can be problematic in a live mix, especially if your portable PA system doesn’t have an on-board de-esser (and most won’t). So, if you find that your vocalist is hitting those “s” sounds a bit too harshly, learn which frequencies
to cut and you may be able to nix the issue at the board. And this doesn’t just affect vocalists in a musical setting; there’s nothing worse than a public speaker whose speech is ruined by unwieldy sibilance. Since most sibilance can be traced to the 5-8kHz range, a slight trim using the High EQ knob on your portable PA’s mixing board might be all you need to tame the problem. Which leads us to… CUT FIRST, OR “LESS IS MORE” For vocals especially, when fine-tuning a mix, oftentimes you’ll have the urge to “ride the faders,” thereby increasing either the volume of the vocal channel, aspects of its EQ curve, or both. While that seems like a natural instinct (bigger is better, right?), we recommend that you try identifying and cutting offending or troublesome frequencies first using EQ and volume trims. For live mixing, especially, killing the problem can be the solution you’re really looking for in order to get a better sound, rather than just boosting something without addressing the underlying issue. Now, if the problem is simply that the vocals are too low in the mix, then yes, go ahead and gently increase the volume until it’s as clear as you’d like in the overall sonic balance. One thing that can oftentimes come in handy is a highpass filter for live vocals. Since HPF’s only allow frequencies higher than a certain cutoff point through the filter, you can eliminate boomy bleed from drums, bass or other on-stage instruments coming through the vocal mic when you’re performing in more intimate stage settings. One of the settings we really like on the STAGEPAS lineup is located in the Master control section, and it’s the 1-Knob Master EQ. What’s great about this is that if you aren’t a trained engineer who knows every single instrument and vocalist’s frequency range, it doesn’t matter. You can still get great vocal sounds either for music or speech with the sweep of one dummy-proof knob. For portable PA users, this can be a life-saver, since a lot of bands setting up these units will likely be in charge of their own sound mixes. COMPRESSION As it relates to the studio, we continually hear a lot of albums that have far too much vocal compression applied. One of the problems this creates is a lack of dynamics in what should be one of the most dynamic parts of the track: the vocals. In a live setting, try dialing back the compression settings, if you’re using compression at all on your vocal channel, and instead use the volume fader to control how the vocals sit in the
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PORTABLE SOUND mix. If you must use compression, we recommend trying a ratio no higher than 3:1 for live use, along with shorter release/attack times. A NOTE ON BACKGROUND VOCALS So far, we’ve been talking almost exclusively about lead vocalists in the mix, since they’re typically the focus of the song. But since many groups feature background harmonies, there are some ways to make sure those sound good in a live setting, as well. For starters, EQ’ing background vocalists is a bit different than your lead. You can feel free to experiment here a bit more if feedback suppression is a concern (see our previous article for more on that). More aggressive EQ’ing on background singers is usually OK for the mix, just be sure that volume-wise, the leading tone (harmonically, that is), gets the most volume. For background vocals in unison (not harmonized), try your best to level-match them for best results, at a volume that’s not competing with the main vocal line. We tend to find, although this isn’t always the rule, that imbalanced unison male vocals, especially, are really egregious even if they’re lower in the mix. So, smooth that out at the board, and you shouldn’t have any issues. For harmonized vocals where you can clearly discern the chordal harmony, try to balance the
vocals so that no one voice is louder in the mix. Here’s where a touch of compression at a low ration (even 2:1) can come in handy. Try treating these vocalists as one unit (even if they’re on separate channels), and apply the same volume, EQ and fx levels to each for cohesiveness. A NOTE ON VOCAL FX While the studio is a great place to experiment with all sorts of crazy fx to nail your sound, in a live setting those don’t always translate as well. There are, however, many applications where tasteful reverb or echo can be useful on an emotional vocal performance. The STAGEPAS 400BT that we’ve been using has as great, sweepable reverb setting that is on/off switchable, and allows for variable control between hall/plate/ room and echo fx. The DSP inside these Yamaha units is very musical, so you won’t experience any digital anomalies like stepping or other such issues when you change the rate of the effect onthe-fly (that would be really terrible in the middle of a live performance). For most situations, the old adage of “less is more” still rings true. Just as with compression, the key in most instances is to add a tasteful amount of reverb that adds a lushness to the vocal signal without overpowering the actual
performance, drenching it in muddied layers of echo. The STAGEPAS series all offer a footswitch input to mute effects between songs for a more professional performance, as well. The other issue you may run into with applying too long an echo/reverb time to your vocal mix is reflections caused by the space you’re performing in. If you’re setting up a portable PA system in less-than-ideal spaces, then walls, ceilings and floors can bounce sound around and compete with the reverb/echo effects you’ve added to your signals. This leads to a confused audio sensation with your audience, which from a sonic standpoint, can be nauseating. For spaces with their own natural reverb, like high-ceiling churches, make use of the natural reverb and trim the on-board fx for a more focused vocal sound. CLOSING THOUGHTS We hope these final tips got you thinking about the best mix possible using your portable PA system. Head to https://usa.yamaha.com/products/ proaudio/index.html to learn more and to find the portable PA products and accessories that will fit YOUR band’s needs. Be sure to visit performermag. com for the first parts of the series, and for more live tips from our friends at Yamaha. PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 19
SPOTLIGHT 20 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT
Benny B Stoll
Derek Burns
JOHN WHORISKEY, JR. On making it in a DIY world and becoming an inadvertent YouTuber
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SPOTLIGHT
“When I write, if I don’t have a hundred thousand percent emotion about something, it feels like it’s forced…” 22 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
J
ohn Whoriskey, Jr., or “Johnny” of Bright EYED Music, is back, three years later and still double fisting artistic vision with DIY representation. Following time teleporting back and forth from LA to NY to his home state of MA, this time around Johnny lends insight into pushing outreach in an increasingly saturated, social-media/streaming dominated industry. Among other perspectives, Whoriskey Jr. shares his secret ingredient to staying true to himself while reaching a wider audience, stresses a need to approach DIY recording and representation from all sides at once, and keeping the fun in the grind.
His latest EP release, Nothing Lasts Forever, was released in a single format over the course of several weeks by way of a new Bright EYED video series called Ice Cream Sundays, which drops regularly on YouTube. Performer had the pleasure of linking back up with the singer/ songwriter to discuss new tracks, an evolving sound and identity from rapper to singer. Your new record differs from the last EP in terms of sound, but also has a clear link in content. What decisions went into the shift? I just think that I wanted to be more known as a singer than as a rapper. And I try to steer people
away from saying, ‘Oh, this is rap music,’ because -- yeah, I can rap, and the flows have a kinda urban sound to it, but…I just want to sing more. Especially with this project being sadder and more serious, I wanted it to be more melodic and be able to try to push my range a bit more. Could you detail the recording approach? [I’d] moved to LA, had a really strong feeling I wanted to just get in the studio and make music, and I thought like, just doing that and really focusing on it, getting out there and making the music, was gonna be a fucking homerun. You know? It’s really helped me find my footing as an artist. Now, it wasn’t my hit EP, but it was one that really helped me get to know that I can do this, that I can make the music I want to make. Now I’m like, ‘just keep going.’ But [in] L.A., I was only focused on music. I didn’t have a day job, had some money saved up. I moved out there, lived with a friend. The room I stayed in didn’t really have a door. But it was awesome, I loved it there. I had so many friends, so much support there. There was so much music being made there, written there. It really inspired me to work hard. So, I was in the studio a bunch, and cut a [lot] of vocals and really got the core of my project and then I had to move back to NY. So, I moved back and auditioned for this show -- and they liked me,
SPOTLIGHT
but they ended up chopping the show. So that was a letdown. I had another A&R I was talking to -thought that was going to pan out. That totally fell apart. Went to the studio, worked in two studios in NY: this place called The Brewery, where I basically did the mixing and mastering for “Right Now” -- that’s in East Bushwick -- and there’s the main studio I work out of called Shifted Recordings. Those guys are just starting out, and I was just trying to get in there with them early, and, you know, a lot of them are from Boston. My engineer is from Medford, so we hit it off. So, I worked there to get a bunch of different sessions. The lyrical content is [on the new release] is earnest -- uprooting and re-uprooting; heartache and break; a distinctive catch me if you can mentality -- and pays homage to previous tracks but is more specific. Tell us how you feel about that appraisal. I mean yeah, I got my heart run over. By a Hummer, H2. But it wasn’t a “fuck my exgirlfriend” project. It wasn’t that at all. Just talking about the ways you’re hurting and making sense of it? Sounds like R&B. Exactly. And for the relationship stuff, I’m at fault too. I’m not here to talk shit about people from my past to bury them, I’m just here to tell you how I feel… How does that writing style and your navigation of DIY promotion mash up? I think that it’s hard to look around and see all these musicians, artists, who have made it so young, and [not] feel like I’ve been going at it for a while now. Especially doing it on my own. As a male pop/R&B artist, it’s statistically one of the hardest acts to break. If you get told ‘no’ day after day after day, you’re going to feel like shit about it at some point. I know what it takes, I just wish it didn’t take so long. You keep hitting base hits until you get that homerun. Best thing about the music business is that it’s so much more accessible than back in the day. Anyone can make music straight out the bedroom and make it. That’s also the worst thing about it. I don’t wanna sit here and make it out like the industry is against me; it’s against everybody … [but] in the long run, it’s made me a better independent artist. Ok you want me to get these Spotify streams up, how do I do that? You can’t just hit up the guy who curates New Music Friday. There are a lot of companies that will present your song to the different playlist curators. Instagram has been the platform that’s most helpful for me -- where I feel like I get the most feedback -- [but] I don’t even have my Instagram notifications push anymore. I don’t wanna see that. I’m refreshing enough as it is … I’ve become a fucking foodie. [Laughs] I’m a YouTuber. Inadvertently.
And with that, let’s plug Ice Cream Sundays! My parents had an ice cream place when I was growing up, called Country Whip. I worked there in high school, and I had this idea a few years ago. It was around the same time as “Good Fridays.” I was infatuated with this idea of releasing something every week and having it be serial. One of the things I was reading said that the best way to give yourself potential is by doing something more than the release. Ice Cream Sundays was that I would release a new song every single week, instead of releasing the whole project at once, and I’ll have visual content from all the Ice Cream places, and the songs, and anything else I’m releasing. I planned the release so it would be the week after, and we dropped a documentary about the making of the project. Now I can just drop whatever I want and just do an Ice Cream Sunday. The thing is ongoing until I feel like not doing it anymore, you know?
Follow on Twitter: @listentojohnny_
Where is Bright EYED Music headed next? I want to make hit-sounding sounds and just keep hitting them with it. I wanna make so many good songs, they just can’t ignore it. With so many flavors, familiar and strange, who could? Find Johnny’s new record, Nothing Is Forever, streaming on Spotify and Apple Music, and don’t hesitate to tap over to YouTube for regular Ice Cream Sunday updates -- a look inside Johnny’s creative process, and so much of that frozen deliciousness -- cone, cup, straw, soft serve, or the hard stuff.
JOHN WHORISKEY, JR. NOTHING IS FOREVER STANDOUT TRACK: “HIGHLIGHT REAL”
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SPOTLIGHT 24 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT
RUBBLEBUCKET
Turning Breakups & Personal Struggles into Creative Mojo Benjamin Ricci Shervin Lainez
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SPOTLIGHT
‘‘The studio has become one of the most joyful parts of being in a band and being a performer.’’ 26 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
I
n the days leading up to the release of their latest album, we sat down with the creative force behind Brooklyn’s Rubblebucket, vocalist/sax player Kalmia Traver and her musical (and formerly romantic) partner Alex Toth (trumpet/vocals). You’d think that after all the pair has been through, there’d be an uncomfortable “Fleetwood Mac post-Rumours” type of vibe in the air. But if they hadn’t announced their (romantic) breakup, you’d never suspect the two had gone through anything vaguely upsetting in the recent past. We know that’s not the case, though. Since we last spoke with the band in 2012, Kalmia has battled ovarian cancer, Alex got sober and the two broke off their three-year-long relationship.
What resulted from all of this personal turmoil is Sun Machine, a decidedly non-breakup sounding LP that elevates the band’s previous work while seemingly solidifying the duo’s remarkable working and creative partnership. Through it all, they’ve made the best album of their career, and we wanted to learn more… So, catch us up on the past six years since we last checked in on Rubblebucket… Kalmia: Well, where to begin? [laughs] Five years ago, I got diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It was really scary, but I think that I identified this feeling that I really wanted to go through it with our band because those were the people who I’d formed this community with. And it felt like an opportunity for growth, so we were pretty public with everything that was going on about the treatments and everything else.
on the other side, I found I was more wanting to pour myself into health, and being healthy enough to be present in everything. My day job became being healthy and being alive, and the creative work was almost a byproduct of [that].
Were there any physical challenges to touring so soon after surgery and treatment? Kalmia: It really permeates every aspect of my life, it was such a transformative thing. At that time, in the early stages, there were many physical challenges. The way I describe chemo best is that your body’s battery charger is down to 10%. Your energy is so low…in a sense those chemicals are killing you. You can feel the painful aches in your bones and it’s pretty intense.
What does the songwriting process look like for the band now, in the wake of all this? Kalmia: It’s a little bit of everything. For Alex and myself, we always loved to hand stuff back and forth to each other, a little seed of an idea, or a melody or even a whole song and throw it to the other person to see what they could add. A lot of music on this album was done in that way. But then at a certain point, we started to split up and write whole songs separately, but still contributed to each other’s music – especially in the recording where we’d add little synth parts or arrangement ideas here and there.
Alex: We researched the arc of the treatment, and I remember that she’d done a couple cycles before we started touring and we specifically planned when the run would start based upon the cycles and how she’d be feeling after and before. Kalmia: We had a few show opportunities, and if was a couple days before a treatment, that was fine. Your body kind of springs back after a few weeks… Was there ever a point where you couldn’t perform? Kalmia: Oh, for sure. But like Alex said, we tried to plan it out and were kind of playing it by ear with what the doctors said about how it was going to go, since I was a strong person -- healthy and young. Alex: The doctor came up and was basically saying not to let it get you down, and to keep going with your life. And I think that helped us to say, ‘Yeah, of course we should tour.’ Has your personal experiences informed the creative process at all since then? Alex: Oh, it changed everything. After that moment [her diagnosis], we walked around and realized it was this life-changing thing. That same week, Communion Records said they wanted to sign us and asked if we wanted to play this festival with Mumford and Sons, and ever since then it’s been this gradual transformation process for the both of us. And that includes our approach to songwriting – getting healthier and waking up to stuff. It sent me into sobriety and to a meditation retreat and I started doing this a song-a-day process. Before that I wouldn’t finish songs, and I’d wake up with a beer in my hands. My whole process changed after that. In this weird way, it was this purifying thing. Kalmia: Before that, I was devoting my whole life to Rubblebucket, throwing my entire body and will and every last drop into it. And through that,
Alex: On this record, it encompasses the full spectrum of what Kal and I have explored up until this point. Pretty much all the songs, we both get our hands on them for arrangement and production details. But even with that, certain things might come to the table fully fleshed out and other things might be a case where the full song is written but we’re figuring out how do we want to turn this into a Rubblebucket song? Kal’s first day of chemo was my first day of sobriety and that was when I started the song-aday process. And that was from 2013 to present, the first three weeks I went nuts. It was almost a way to process all the emotions, and since then I’ve continued the process. What it involves is giving yourself a time constraint and writing two verses of lyrics and a chorus, and melody and form and committing to that. Not adding any production – no drums, no bass. Not worrying about compression on the vocals, or reverb…just get the guts of the song out in the most basic way possible.
making music. It’s just a little playland if you can get yourself into it. What does the studio process look like now? Kalmia: The studio has become one of the most joyful parts of being in a band and being a performer. The studio becomes the playland, where you have all these toys and it’s almost like creating a sculpture or painting of sound.
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We actually went on the road pretty soon after. I got diagnosed in June of 2013 and spent that summer doing surgery and chemo. But we were on tour by October and went through the whole fall. Which was crazy, because I had no hair…
We’ve recorded all over the place, including our bedrooms and own home studios. And I’ve learned a lot of how to capture the moment by doing that. Having the ability to record in my own bedroom with nice gear has allowed me to really understand what that means. Alex: One thing I’ll say to any band is to learn how to use Pro Tools. It’s an empowering thing for all musicians. It makes going into the studio less scary now, when you know how to take the session home and edit it by yourself without having to rely on another person. Some things are so hard to put into words, like ‘Hey, can you make the magical component of that a bit more radiant, somehow?’ [laughs] Some things are so tactile and if you’re doing it yourself, directly, you’ll bump into the right thing on your own much quicker than trying to translate that into words for someone else.
Follow on Twitter: @Rubblebucket
Because what happened to me, was that I’d get inside the computer and start to think about hihat patterns, and by then you’ve lost the song before you’ve finished. It was always a way for me to avoid finishing the song; maybe I was scared to finish it or something… It forced me to say, ‘Commit, commit, commit.’ It forces you past this layer of self-judgement and really helped me break through. The majority of our last record came from the song-a-day [bounces], actually. Kalmia: It almost releases you to a more pure state of your playful self, past the self-editing part…I do drawings and visual art a lot. And now I have this outlook where I’m trusting my own brushstrokes. Whatever my hand wants to do, I trust that it’ll be cool, and it really has helped my open up with writing songs and
RUBBLEBUCKET SUN MACHINE STANDOUT TRACK: “FRUITY”
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STREAMING AUDIO
MICROPHON FOR STREAM
W
elcome to the first in a multi-part series that will focus on microphone basics and capturing sound both for streaming platforms as well as podcasting, co-presented by Performer Magazine and Audio-Technica. In this installment, we’ll take a closer look at popular streaming platforms, the best types of microphones for web audio, wireless options for field recording as well as some accessories that could make your streaming audio endeavors easier to handle. In upcoming installments, we’ll go into more detail about podcasting microphone choices, mixing options, as well as tips for getting the best sound possible for your web-based a/v projects. STREAMING PLATFORMS AND SOFTWARE To clarify, when we talk about streaming, we’re really talking about web-based platforms and apps that transmit audio, video or both over the internet. As an artist, it behooves you to learn about all the available promotional platforms available for your band, and what each brings to the table. Not just standard streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, which merely allow users to listen to your albums, but also platforms that enable you, as a content creator, to transmit your original content (outside of studio recordings) directly to your fans. The possibilities are endless, but there are a few key areas where streaming content can be a great tool in your promotional arsenal: 1. Live-streaming or broadcasting rehearsal, recording or writing sessions. One of the most engaging artists to offer behind-the-scenes content and insights into his creative headspace is Deadmau5, who’s frequently used the Twitch platform to deliver hours-long studio sessions and synth explorations. If you’re not currently on Twitch for your band, you should be. More and more, this platform is developing a strong content base for music-based broadcasting, and the ability to hook fans with exclusive, livestreamed or on-demand video content is an opportunity not to pass up.
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2. Product reviews and video demonstrations. We’re seeing a lot of great artists get into the world of product reviews, walkthroughs and gear demos on their social media platforms. Currently, the best platforms are the ones you’d expect, like Facebook Live and YouTube. YouTube has the upper hand for longevity, as the Googleowned property is much better setup for search capabilities and keyword mining, as opposed to Facebook and the Facebook-owned Instagram platforms which offer up more ephemeral viewing experiences. Typically, video search options and browsing capabilities are weak (or non-existent) on FB and IG, so it’s in the artist’s best interest to create topical, relevant content that “strikes while the iron is hot,” so to speak, as most FB and IG users won’t ever be able to find that content again. Here’s an opportunity to be smart about using sponsored posts and targeted audiences to your benefit as part of your overall marketing strategy. USB MICROPHONES For simple streaming, like gear walkthroughs, talking head pieces, voice-over and interviews, you can’t go wrong with an easyto-use USB microphone. We’ll get into more complex setups in future installments, but let’s work on the assumption that you’re a singular person talking to the camera. In this instance, a USB microphone like the Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ is a great option, because it can capture vocals as well as acoustic instruments (let’s say you’re doing a special acoustic Facebook Live session for your followers), and doesn’t require additional hardware like an audio interface, mixer, or additional XLR cables, nor does it really require a full-blown DAW to operate. USB mics offer true plug-and-play capabilities, and the AT2020USB+ in particular features a cardioid pickup pattern that provides solid off-axis rejection. It’s also got a high-quality, on-board analog-to-digital (AD) converter that will enable you to directly capture great audio no matter what software you’re using on your computer. We also recommend USB mics for these types of scenarios because they oftentimes (like the AT2020USB+) offer built-in
headphone monitoring, again negating the need for an external headphone amp or audio interface monitoring. LAVALIER MICROPHONES USB mics are a great option if you’re doing live video streams in a controlled environment, like a studio. But if you’re doing any sort of field or on-the-go recording, and you’re going to be the on-camera talent, you may want to investigate lavalier (or lav) options. These tiny mics can be clipped to clothing or made inconspicuous, so they don’t interfere with the visuals of your stream, while still capturing high-quality audio. We’ve gotten to the point where the big old dynamic lavs of old have been replaced with super-miniature condenser lavaliers that feature capsules no bigger than a tiny gumball. What’s great about lavs is that they can often discern voices and add emphasis to speech while filtering out unwanted background noise. For live situations in the field, this can be a lifesaver (especially for interview situations or for journalistic reporting). These types of lavs might need to be positioned closer to the source (i.e. your mouth) but are still small enough to go unnoticed by your viewers. For musicians, in particular, if you’re doing say a tour diary vlog, lavs can make your audience feel like you’re speaking directly to them in an authentic way -- as opposed to handheld mics that might make the video seem more artificial and staged. An inconspicuous mic situation lends an air of authenticity that could be a great added benefit no matter what type of video content you’re producing for your band. As far as lavs go, for video production we recommend sticking to omni-directional mics. That way if you more from the source slightly, or re-position the mic accidentally, you’re not throwing things out of whack and off-axis, causing phase, volume and other related pickup issues. For truly mobile applications, there’s the smartphone compatible Audio-Technica ATR3350iS or, even better, the AT898 or AT899, which both offer cost-effective, subminiature
Co-Presented by Audio-Technica
omnidirectional lavalier mic options. WIRELESS OPTIONS The lavs mics above are typically going to be wired options, which might be fine for a lot of users, but wireless may be the way to go for your particular video needs. In this scenario, you’re likely a power user and are more comfortable with using additional hardware in your video production setups. Typically, a wireless system will function together as a cohesive operation, and usually consists of a wireless microphone that transmits the audio signal to a wireless receiver. Audio-Technica has great options for videographers, including
their System 10 Camera Mount portable wireless systems, which we’ve field-tested in the past. Using one of these systems, your band can conduct behind-the-scenes interviews, capture backstage tour footage and film studio sessions without the need to be tethered by audio cables running all over the place. The lav version of a wireless system may just require the wearer to have a bodypack, that will transmit the signal to the receiver, as opposed to a mic transmitter. Many of these receivers can be mounted right to your video camera, making things even easier in the real-world. In any case, the flexibility and ease of use of a
STREAMING AUDIO
NE BASICS MING AUDIO
wireless system for content creation may be just the solution you’re looking for when upgrading from a simpler video production solution. CLOSING THOUGHTS We hope this installment at least gets you familiar with some of the options available to artists, and gets you thinking about your own content creation needs. Stay tuned for upcoming parts of the series in future issues and online at performermag.com. Until then, be sure to check out the entire range of Audio-Technica products and follow Audio-Technica on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 29
GEAR TEST Daniel Blume
Testing Audio-Technica Drum Mics in the Studio Editor’s Note – this spring we put a call out to drummers around the world to test out a package of Audio-Technica drum mics. We chose Daniel Blume, who shot an incredible series of play-though videos for us, which you can watch on our YouTube channel and Facebook channel. The mic package we sent him consisted of the following: * 3 ATM450 Condenser Mics (overheads and Hi Hat) * 1 ATM230PK 3-pack of Dynamic Mics (Toms) * 1 ATM250 Dynamic Mic (Kick) * 1 ATM650 Dynamic Mic (Snare) Here’s Daniel’s final review… First, I would like to thank Audio-Technica and Performer Magazine for giving me the chance to record with these amazing drum mics. I was able to get my drum tracks to the next level and record with much more clarity. The ATM650 gave me a really honest snare drum sound. I tried different tunings and also different snare drums. Steel, birch and maple, and I got an excellent recording from all different types. The ATM250 captured the low end on my kick drum nicely without sacrificing attack, so it’s a perfect choice to record with a lot of presence. 30 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
For the toms I used the ATM230 and these mics have great presence and a really nice “snap.” Overall, these are excellent mics to record all toms in different tuning ranges, from the higher 10-inch rack tom to the big 16-inch floor tom. Finally, for the cymbals and hi-hat I used the ATM450 and I found that they do a great job recording higher frequencies, capturing a brilliant and crisp cymbal sound, as opposed to microphones I used in the past that would give me a muddy and unclear tone. So that’s it! The Audio-Technica mics are of professional
recording quality and very well built so they will be my go-to recording mics from now on, no question. I will definitely keep them on my setup and use them to record all my studio sessions. I couldn’t be happier with the results and the tones I’m getting. Special thanks to Brian Strean (my friend who got me this chance in the first place) and Benjamin Ricci from Performer Magazine. You guys rock! For more info, head to www.audio-technica.com and http://www.blumedrums.com
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ELIXIR TOUR DIARY
TOUR DIARY: Taking Elixir OPTIWEB Coated Strings on the Road with Scarlet Canary
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carlet Canary usually plays DR strings and our bass player (Marcos) and I have been playing them for years. They’re aggressive and perfectly matched for drop tuning. I haven’t really been interested in trying out new strings after switching to DR, so when Performer Magazine worked with us to demo the new Elixir OPTIWEB strings for 30 days, we were skeptical. I’ve played Elixir strings on my acoustic setups for years because the POLYWEB coating reduces finger squeak to being almost nonexistent, which
Allen Maddox (guitar) is huge on acoustic. Especially if you’re like me and mostly play electric it can be easy to forget to lift your fingers a bit more with the higher action most acoustic guitars have. But the thought of that thicker coating didn’t appeal to me on an electric guitar. Until now. The OPTIWEB coating is a lot thinner than its NANOWEB and POLYWEB cousins in the product line and while you do feel the coating a bit, after playing for about thirty seconds I forgot it was there. If you do have finger squeak problems on an electric, this string will solve that problem for you as well. PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 33
ELIXIR TOUR DIARY 34 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
The brighter tone does come with a bit of a tradeoff- as Marcos and I found we had to drive our amps to match the same aggressive tone that our previous strings had that seemed to come more naturally.
ELIXIR TOUR DIARY
Immediately after setting up the guitar I noticed how much brighter and clearer the Elixir strings were than previous brands I had used. In fact, I had to dial down a lot of treble from my amp mix and increase the bass to get the same aggressive tone I was used to. The brighter and clearer quality of the strings really allows chord augmentations and suspensions to shine through the mix, which is often lost in drop tunings.
“In terms of brightness and clarity the Elixir OPTIWEB Coated strings are superb and unmatched…” In terms of how the strings last, I have to admit they didn’t go ‘dead’ after THIRTY SHOWS(!) and we dragged them through Florida’s humidity and Arizona’s 100+ degree temperatures. The coating never felt like it was coming off and the strings remained mostly untarnished for the duration of the tour and held their tone. We did break a few more strings though on this tour than we ever have [in the past]. [Editor’s note – yeah, but in fairness we challenged you guys to rock an entire tour for 30+ days with NO STRING CHANGES! Pretty nuts that there was virtually no corrosion and they didn’t sound dead after all those gigs and climate changes.] When I got home from the tour I used their standard gauge six string set and it fit a lot nicer. In terms of brightness and clarity the Elixir OPTIWEB Coated strings are superb and unmatched on the current guitar string market. For dropped tunings, it would be nice to see Elixir offer even more choices in thicker gauges in the future – especially for more aggressive bands like us. Just a small suggestion. At the end of the day, they’re a great sounding string, they last forever between string changes and are very forgiving on fretboard noise. I would encourage any player to try the OPTIWEB Coated strings and I’m sure you’ll fall in love, too! For more info, visit www.scarletcanaryband. com and www.elixirstrings.com PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 35
GEAR TEST
Testing Blue Microphones enCORE Series LIVE!
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GEAR TEST
Jake from Me Like Bees
Editor’s Note – this spring we put a call out to bands to test out a package of enCORE Series mics from our friends at Blue Microphones. We chose Me Like Bees, who shot a series of behind-the-scenes videos for our YouTube and Facebook channels. The mic package we sent them consisted of the following: enCORE 100 enCORE 100i (instrument mic) enCORE 200 enCORE 300 Here’s the band’s final thoughts… When you’re in a band, you’re confident of a few things: your ability to play music, your ability to perform said music, and your love for doing those things. What you’re NEVER confident in, however, is winning a contest. When our PR guy sent us a link about the Performer Magazine / Blue Microphone contest, I filled it out, closed the browser tab, and thought nothing of it. A couple of weeks later, I received an email notifying us that we won… which was amazing! The only other thing we’d won as a band was the Ernie Ball National Battle of the Bands, so now we’ve gotten two contest wins under our belt and we’re feeling great. Because one other thing I forgot to mention about being in a band: you’re never confident in the gear that the venue will have. Which is why winning the microphone contest was so great, because now we have our own set of microphones we take with us and we’re fully confident in their ability to get our sound across. A really terrible feeling is performing really well, and the sound being god-awful because of the mic setup at the venues. We’ve loved performing and playing with the microphones from Blue so far. Lewis (our drummer / percussionist) mics his bell kit with the 100i and it’s really projecting the sound wonderfully. As the bassist in the band, being 100% in sync with what Lewis is doing is important, and Blue enCORE mics were using have elevated what Lewis and I are able to do together. And of course, working with Performer throughout this process has been great. Ben has done well, what is so hard to find in this industry… COMMUNICATE. From calling me the day we won, to shipping the mics quickly, to checking in to see how we’re liking them, it’s been a breeze and such a great experience. Hopefully this isn’t our last time working with them and if you’re reading this, catch us on tour to hear us with our new Blue Microphone enCORE Series mics LIVE! For more info, head to www.bluedesigns.com/ products/encore and www.melikebees.com
PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 37
GEAR TEST
GEAR TEST: CLOU CLOUDLIFTERS E Editor’s Note – this spring we put a call out to artists and studio owners to test out a variety of Cloudlifter products from Cloud Microphones. For the studio, we chose Coast Records down in Charleston, SC, who installed the Cloudlifter CL-4 in their studio to elevate the sound of their dynamic and ribbon mics. Here’s studio owner Matt Zutell’s final thoughts… After using the Cloudlifter CL-4 mic activator on my sessions for the past month, it’s clear the Cloudlifter has made a huge improvement in the quality of sound coming out of my microphones. The Cloudlifter CL-4 uses active circuitry to inject 25 decibels of pristine, transparent gain into your microphones. I’ve been primarily running my Cascade Fathead ribbon mics through it, which I often use as a stereo pair of drum overheads, or on an acoustic guitar. The 25 decibels of clean, noiseless gain it gives these microphones allows me to not have to crank my preamps, which keeps away undesirable noise and hiss. I’m now able to get that intimate, “right up on the mic” sound from soft acoustic performances while still having the signal sound clean and pure. Overall, the Cloudlifter has been a great addition to the Coast Records studio, and I look forward to using it on my sessions in the future. I want to thank Cloud Microphones and Performer Magazine for the opportunity to incorporate it into my rig. For more, head to www.coast-records. com We also sent the Cloudlifter CL-1 and Zi on the road with LA-based duo War Twins. Here’s what they thought after a few weeks on tour… James here from War Twins. We just made our new record, American Kids, with the incredible Sylvia Massy, a groundbreaking producer whose signature approach can be heard on albums by Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tool, and Johnny Cash.
photos by Jess Marie Spence 38 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Sylvia specializes in out-of-the-box techniques, and when we finished the record we
knew we wanted to bring that elevated sound on the road with us. A few months ago, we had the pleasure of receiving some great gear thanks to Performer Magazine and Cloud Microphones, just in time for our US tour. Getting the right sound on stage was very important to us, and it was made easier with the help of the Cloudlifter Mic Activator and Cloudlifter Zi. These devices allowed us to power our dynamic mics to optimize their gain while reducing feedback, ultimately providing more clarity for the vocals to shine on top of the mix. Paired up with our Trash Talk Audio Payphone mics, the Cloudlifters brought out some of the unique vocal effects we used during recording. They’re built strong and are reliable in the studio and for handling the rough conditions of touring the country. I was blown away by how the Cloudlifter Zi was able to enhance recordings of lined-in instruments like bass and electric guitars. (I ran a $60 student model bass guitar through the Zi, and it made it sound like a real Fender Precision Bass). We’re very excited to incorporate them in our home studio back in Los Angeles. Big thank you’s to Performer Magazine, Cloud Microphones, and Trash Talk Audio. If you’d like to hear more, check out our new title track single “American Kids” on Spotify. For more info, head to wartwins.com, facebook.com/wartwins and instagram. com/wartwinsband.
photos by Zakk Connor
GEAR TEST
OUDLIFTERS, S EVERYWHERE!
MEET YOUR MAKER
How Long Have You Been in Business? Since 2011 (7 years) What sets Warm Audio apart from other manufacturers? We really love gear! We’re pretty much obsessed. I started the company not because I had a desire to make a bunch of money but because I just go bonkers over cool gear and wanted so badly to be involved with others who also love this type of gear. We also really enjoy changing the industry and what people thought was possible. We think it’s really cool to make stuff that’s just amazing sounding and sell it at a price almost unbelievable. We like getting the whole industry excited and jazzed; it’s a load of fun. Admittedly, we don’t always profit a whole lot on every product release but that’s really not the point in our minds, we just want to create something that’s better than all other options at that price. We want to create tools that are considered “special” and “exciting” by most everyone that gets their hands on one. What are some cool features of your products? When people ask this question I usually go into telling them about one or more of our products in detail. I share what components are inside the products and that usually gets them pretty excited. We really try to focus heavily on what’s inside our products and how they sound, because in our opinion this is any product’s greatest feature. For example, I would describe our WA-47 Tube Condenser Microphone like: Hey check this thing out, it’s a 47-style microphone replica with: - A large brass body just like the original (milled out of a solid piece of brass) - A triple layer head-basket just like the original (for proper acoustics) - A true k47 style capsule sourced from Australia - An AMI Tab Funken-werk (German Lamination) transformer - A JJ Slovak 5751 tube - A 15 foot Gotham 7-pin mic cable sourced from Switzerland - And a French Solen output capacitor - And it’s only $899!
The components that go into our products speak for themselves. Many recording artists may not know what all of these components do, but they can usually tell that some serious thought went into our designs. When they plug one of our products in and hear it for the first time they are often beside themselves (truly). We pride ourselves in “exceeding our customer’s expectations” and giving them more, in terms of sonic quality, than they ever expected to get when they bought it. What lessons have you learned? The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that running a company isn’t as easy as I had hoped. I started the company with a desire to give more musician’ access to boutique tools and wasn’t really set out to grow a big company. As we’ve grown a reputation in the industry the demand has forced us to have to grow to meet it. It’s been a super exciting, wild ride but inevitably there is more and more business work that has to be done each day. I enjoy hard work and learned lessons early on in life about the importance of it, but there are days that I just want to play around in the studio! And there’s definitely less time to do that now that we are a global company. What are your most popular models? WA-47 Tube Condenser Microphone (popular for 2018) WA-47jr FET Condenser Microphone (popular for 2018) WA-87 Condenser Microphone (most popular) WA-412 Four Channel Mic Pre (most popular) WA-2A Opto Compressor (most popular) EQP-WA Tube Equalizer (most popular) WA76 Discrete Compressor (most popular) What’s the one thing you want people to think of when they think of Warm Audio? Top notch sonic quality, as good as it gets. For the best price in the business. For more, head to warmaudio.com and follow on Social Media: -facebook.com/warmaudio -instagram.com/warmaudio -youtube.com/c/WarmAudioOfficial -twitter.com/WarmAudio
MEET YOUR M Bryce Young of
40 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
MEET YOUR MAKER
MAKER with of Warm Audio
PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 41
GEAR REVIEWS
PROS
really useful drive tones, excellent EQ section CONS
none
EARTHQUAKER DEVICES Westwood Pedal
T
he new Westwood pedal is best classified as a lower- to mid-gain pedal. Like the sound of a nice overdriven amp in a pedal format? Look no further. Pairing it with a variety of amps offered up great drive tones across the spectrum. It really interacted with a nice clean amp, with heavier drive settings. Players that like pushing an already overdriven amp? Lower the gain, and tailor the level; this works great as a boost, especially with the EQ dialing the tone in, regardless of the guitar. Single coils do benefit from more of a bass boost, rather than a treble cut, and humbuckers seemed to favor a slight bass cut, and a slight treble boost. Overall it interacted with the volume knob on the guitars nicely
Mod Duo Pedal
PROS
CONS
simple editing Only two platform, switches great might take sounding, some getting small, open used to. source.
STREET PRICE
$699
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-- rolling it back, while at higher gain settings, things cleaned up very nicely and responded with extra body, while still maintaining some top end chime and sparkle that felt very organic. Pairing this with other pedals was a dream as well, and using it in front of a very simple boost really brought a bigness, but in this case, a simple boost works best. Let the Westwood do the Drive and EQ, and let any boost pedal afterwards just bring up the level. It’s like a tonal spice that works well on its own, but if it’s added in to an existing recipe (or pedalboard) it’ll still be noticed for what it brings to the table.
V
irtual pedalboard and amp rigs are nothing new. Creating unusual and sometimes crazy combinations is easy, however getting them to sound good can have its issues. The Mod Duo allows a player to not only make great virtual pedalboard and amp rigs, but ones that sound realistic. Getting it to work means connecting the Mod Duo to a computer via USB. Their editor is amazingly enough browser-based (they suggest using Google Chrome). Go to the specified website while the unit is connected, and a menu and virtual pedal board comes up, along with a section for selecting virtual pedals and devices. Each one that’s modeled is essentially a plug-in and there are the usual effect types here: distortions, delay, compressors, limiters, filters, synths, modulations, reverb, amp & cab sims, panning and harmonizers. As its browser-based, pretty much any computer is your editor, no downloading any special apps or logins. Meaning if your laptop dies on the road, and you need to edit something, ANY computer can do the trick. Nice. One thing to note: while the pedal’s physical signal flow goes from right to left, physically, the signal flow in the browser goes from left to right. It’s odd to think that way, and the virtual devices
STREET PRICE
$179
The term Transparent gets thrown around with pedals in the mid and lower gain ranges, and that basically means when it’s kicked in, you’re not fighting the overall tone circuit, signal-wise. The Westwood fits into that category, but with the EQ, it really goes a step further. There are some famous very expensive pedals out there that coined that phrase, and the Westwood does have that characteristic. BUT, the active EQ takes it way further and makes it a much more flexible pedal. Any player who likes a medium drive like sound, regardless of guitar and musical style, would find happiness with one of these on their board. Chris Devine
are modeled the same way. Simply start laying out some pedals, then click and hold the virtual pedal’s connection and drag and drop it to the input of the next pedal. Done. Repeat as necessary until you make your dream pedalboard. The Overdrives and distortions act like the real thing; they don’t get fuzzy, fizzy or tinny. This is great when pairing a boost with a drive, as stacking pedals brings in that “more” that’s desired in this configuration, without any noise issues. The amp sims are very flexible, but somehow don’t feel like you’re wading through a ton of parameters to get things to sound good. Considering the logistics of routing a crazy signal path of pedals, cables and amps (ever mind power supplies and physical pedalboard) it can really open up options that were unimaginable. Want to run a pair of stereo choruses into two separate delays and then to two different amps, then one into a harmonizer? Yeah, it can do that and more. It’s not just meant as a guitar tool, there are bass, vocal and MIDI/synth effects for this as well. For vocalists and bassists who usually don’t fall into the “pedal geek” category, this is a great and simple way to add a reverb for vocals, or that bass filter or overdrive, without having to deal with crazy menus and parameters. Chris Devine
GEAR REVIEWS PROS
Reverbs GALORE! Supermega easy to dial in. CONS
Having to remember/ reference secondary functions. STREET PRICE
$150
T
hose “big box” reverb pedals have a lot going for them, pretty much every option under the sun, while the downside is a manual that reads like a textbook, and some options that really aren’t practical for most players. Electro-Harmonix has somehow jammed in all those usable reverbs into a tiny box, with no huge manuals, all at a $150 price tag. Like the name says there are 11 reverb styles crammed in this tiny form factor. Name a style of reverb from a classic Fender amp to reverse and Infinite versions, it’s in there. Even better, they’re all usable in a musical sense. Any player who likes spring reverb, it’s covered. Want to get into those cool ambient areas, yep, no worries or problems there. There are also a ton of cool combination reverb effects, with Modulation, Tremolo, Octave shifts, Reverse, Swells, and Infinite reverb options added in to go beyond the standard reverb box.
ELECTRO-HARMONIX Oceans 11 Reverb Pedal The Hall and Plate modes deliver those rich reverb sounds that usually come from high-end studio reverbs and work nicely. Players who have an amp with no reverb, the spring reverb is superb. Either in an effects loop, or in front of the amp, it really brings in a clear and concise delivery. The Tremolo version is amazingly musically haunting, with a great overall depth, while the Shim goes into creating almost orchestral string-like soundscapes. The Poly mode gets really funky with its pitch shifting, going in the pre delay. The Modulation version lives in that gorgeous ’80s lushness.
With all those added extras on top of the reverbs, there’s some adjustability to those functions, too. Pressing the MODE button switches the controls from their listed functions to their secondary adjustments. The down side is remembering what function does what in that particular reverb’s secondary mode. While I appreciate companies coming up with graphics on the box to differentiate themselves from other competing companies, this is a case where putting a listing of the secondary modes would be way more useful than the artwork on the box. A very minor gripe.
Suffice it to say, it’s not just a one-trick-pony. Any player could find spots in their music for at least three or more of these modes, regardless of the style of music. There is an internal switch that allows the player to have the reverb trail off after the pedal is disengaged or cut off completely. A very nice touch.
The bottom line is this: for most players the set and forget mindset of this offers up more than enough, without going into option paralysis. But for those who are mode adventurous, you will be greatly rewarded with some very simple shift functions that will blow the doors wide open on your new sonic textures. Highly recommended. Chris Devine PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 43
GEAR REVIEWS
MACKIE Big Knob Studio+ Monitor Controller/Audio Interface
F
lexibility is key in any recording situation; the ability to swap hardware without having to go through and repatch cables and devices keeps the gremlins at bay and maintains good workflow. Mackie’s Big Knob Studio+ acts like a complete studio monitor command station without eating into desk space or budget. Plus, it’s an audio interface all-in-one! With two combo XLR inputs running into Mackie’s ONYX preamp circuit, as well as four line ins, standard connections are well covered. Phantom power is also available for studio condenser mics that need it. Connect it to a computer, and it has no issues interfacing to any recording software. Very simple.
and footswitch reside here, too. Communication between the control room and a live room is always problematic and setting up a talkback mic can eat into a track (or input) that could be used for tracking. The internal talkback mic works great, just a press of a button saves the time of having to get up, go to the recording room, talk to the artist and then walk back, and get back into recording mode. This feature alone can keep artists in the zone, without disruption. Save time. Save money.
Sound-wise the ONYX preamps are surprisingly nice and plugging instruments in directly gives a tight articulate response, and vocal mics work equally well with no hiss, distortion or overt coloring. The individual personality of mics come through incredibly well at this price point.
While the big honkin’ master knob in the center is the focus physically, the smaller controls around it really brings the A Game, making selection of monitor ins and outs literally a button push away -- no having to reach around or undo panels to move cables around. The ability to run a work-in-progress through a variety of speakers is great, especially when in the mixing/mastering stages of a project. Toggling across different monitors is super-easy and seeing where certain things sit in mixes across different speaker types is well worth the price of admission.
Connectivity is the name of the game on the rear panel with the ability to plug in three sets of monitors, as well as headphone amp outs. For more control room friendly situations, there are a pair of headphone outs on the front panel. 2-track stereo outs, as well as talkback mic input
Finding separate solutions to give any of these features, like a separate monitor switcher, an interface, talk back mic, etc. would drain a wallet, as well as clutter a workspace. Adding or adapting that mess for various sessions would be a nightmare, to say the least. For a studio that does
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a lot of work in the overdub/singer songwriter/ hip-hop type recording sessions where just a few inputs would do, this is great, and should have no issues. When it gets to the mixing and mastering end of things and dialing in mixes across various speakers, this is indispensable. It’s one of those, “I wish I had this years ago” items that can make future sessions a breeze. Chris Devine
PROS
Hyper flexible, options galore, great price. CONS
None. STREET PRICE
$299
W
hen the term “tonewood” gets thrown around, the price of an instrument usually increases, especially with basses. Thankfully, Yamaha’s got the ability to bring a bass to market with high-end materials and construction techniques for under $600. The body of the TRBX604 (man, we wish more companies would just adopt simple model names) is quite ergonomic, and very comfortable played either seated or standing, with very great overall balance. The alder body has a gorgeous flame maple top, and the carving technique shows off the trend of exposing the layers in a very cool way where the contours meet. The bolt on neck is a 5-piece lamination of maple, with two pieces of mahogany running down the length, and is capped off with a rosewood fingerboard. Offset markers sit between the E and A strings, in a very modern way. The headstock is very classy, with a matching flame maple veneer, and only Yamaha’s tuning fork logo denoting the brand. It’s slick and very understated. The bridge is a high-mass style, but isn’t encumbered in a huge casting, and finished off in a black chrome finish, as are the sealed-back tuning keys. Out of the box, it played very well, with excellent action. The frets are very well dressed and polished, there are 24 of them, and the body’s cutaway and neck joint allow easy access to the upper registers. The neck’s feel is super comfortable with a great shape that’s right down the middle, not too think or too clunky. It’s the Goldilocks zone: just right. Digging in and wrapping your hand down in 3rd position, pumping a G and then sliding into some bass lines that need to have the thumb down the centerline of the neck, there’s no odd shifting around to find comfort or definite anchoring. On the electronics side, the pickups have pole pieces galore! Four per string in fact, and they’re connected to a really great sounding preamp. It can be used in active or passive mode, with the active 3-band EQ giving the player the ability to cut or boost the treble, mids and bass. The pickup blend control works very nicely and provides smooth transitions between the treble and neck pickup. As mentioned, it can also be used in passive mode, but the only EQ option in that setting turns the treble knob into an overall master tone. In both active and passive modes, it’s got tons of great tonal combination.
but not in a bad way; think old R&B smoothness. The active mode seems more modern, even with the EQ set flat, and the pickups balanced in the middle. The really cool thing is when the EQ is maxed out at either end of the spectrum, it’s still usable. The 9v battery compartment is located on the rear, and the electronics control plate has a LED to indicate when it’s time for a new battery. More of this in the industry, please!
GEAR REVIEWS
YAMAHA TRBX604 Bass
Overall it doesn’t feel like it’s held back by anything. It’s a wide open palette; set the EQ, and its slap and pop time, roll it back and go into passive mode for a vintage roundness and warmth. Players who like to sit back in the mix, especially live, can find their sweet spot without getting consumed by the bass drum, or stepping into the range of the guitars and keys. Plugging it in direct, and again, no issues, and the EQ doesn’t bring in any noise, hiss or wooofyness, even at max settings. Forget the unique construction, the flexible electronics package -- just pick it up, hit that low E and everything feels simple and easy, no fighting with it to get to the sounds you’re looking for, or having to find the right feel. Yamaha made it easy to sound and play great, and the modern look is more than just icing on the cake. No muss, no fuss, just great bass. Chris Devine
PROS
Well made, great playing, great sounding, great price, great value. Did we mention “great”? CONS
None. STREET PRICE
$599
In passive mode the output is a little darker, PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 45
GEAR REVIEWS
WASHBURN Revival Series Acoustic Guitar (Model RSG200SWVSK)
W
ashburn’s been making acoustics since the 1880s, and with that long history comes experience making some great sounding instruments. For the 21st Century, they’re still delivering the goods with a nod to their past. So, digging into their past this RSG200SWVSK (Oh, how I wish they would just use simple model names) draws inspiration from their 1939 Solo Deluxe Super Auditorium 5246 (even back then they used numbers instead of names). The top is a Torrefied Sitka Spruce. Torrefied means it’s been heat treated, and this process dries out the wood from its natural oils, sap, resins and moisture. Ever wonder why an old acoustic sounds good? Well, those same resins and oils have been dried out over years. Washburn starts their construction with this heat treated wood to get the same effect, not only on the top, but the internal bracing as well. The back and sides are solid rosewood. Along with a nice creamy binding on the top, back and rear center line, it’s finished off in a high luster gloss finish. The rosette is nicely done with an ivoroid ring. Overall, a very beautiful-looking instrument. The 25.5” scale neck is mahogany with a rosewood reinforcement, as well as a rosewood fingerboard with small dot inlays. A bone nut sits at the end, and the headstock has Washburn’s classic narrow-crown profile. While it’s certainly old timey, looks-wise, there’s some modern stuff going on in the electronics, featuring Fishman’s Sonitone Preamp. It’s super low profile, with the volume and tone controls tucked away inside the sound
46 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
hole. Another modern touch is Graph Tech Ratio tuning machines, with each tuning peg having its own optimized gear ratio meant for that particular string. With all that blend of modern and classic, it sounds really, really nice (note the two “reallys”). The C-shaped neck a bit narrow, but very comfortable with its satin finish. With the vintage-sized frets it really connects with the notes. It’s got a great big rich and boomy bottom end that’s super prevalent with open chords. Full barre chords also maintain their tightness, which is nice on an acoustic. Again, the neck profile really helps in getting a good grip on the instrument. Single notes are very sweet, and when combined with droning open strings, it really has a lot of top end “zip” to it. Being a noncutaway guitar, getting to those upper frets is going to be a challenge, so no Yngwie-style solos on this one, OK? It’s one of those great singer/ songwriter guitars with a fantastic sound that really fills things out. The Graph Tech Ratio tuners make getting to alternate and open tunings a breeze, as well. We tested our review model during long sets through a pretty conventional PA system, and we’re happy to report there was no ear fatigue or high-end audio leftovers to hurt the listener. The Fishman preamp system brings in plenty of attack, while still maintaining fullness. It’s a simple system, too, with no odd phasing or notch filtering EQ’s. The only downside is the battery for the unit. It’s secured in a nylon web pouch, but it’s not easy to get to without loosening or removing some
strings. Not putting an easy access compartment may be staying true to Washburn’s history, but if you find yourself with a dead battery before a set (oh yeah, that NEVER happens) it’s gonna get interesting. Overall, though, a minor quibble with an otherwise fantastic instrument. Kudos to Washburn for exceeding our expectations. Chris Devine
PROS
Big and rich sounding acoustically, very comfortable neck. CONS
Preamp battery isn’t easily accessible. STREET PRICE
$899
GEAR REVIEWS
STATUS AUDIO CB-1 Headphones Premium headphones are all the rage these days, whether we’re talking reference-grade ultraexpensive pro models, or the trendy bass-boosted fashion-accessory types; pricey headphones are modern status symbols. But I prefer to steer your attention in the race towards the bottom, not the bottom-end but the bottom line, as affordable headphones deserve more discussion. After all, any self-respecting studio needs at least five or six pairs and headphones do simply wear out with use … so why spend too much? Newcomer Status Audio is all about the priceto-performance ratio in their marketing where they declare their new CB-1 closed-back headphones to be the best under $100 and every bit as good as Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50X’s, the de-facto industry standard amongst musicians, producers, many consumers and engineers (like myself ). With a 30-day money back guarantee, a low $79 price and a one year warranty, I was intrigued enough to buy a pair of CB-1’s to get started on the review. Feature-wise there was a lot comparable to M50X’s … just slightly larger 50 mm drivers, a closedback design, multiple cables (a long 3m straight one and a shorter coiled one, both terminated with a keyed twist-lock at the ear cup and an 1/8” miniplug, as well as a 1/4” screw-on adaptor), a double fold-down design for portability, a low 32-ohm impedance (which encourages efficiency and loud output even with under-powered devices) … but no frills (modest packaging and no storage bag). My initial reaction to using the CB-1’s was
terrible, as they seemed uncomfortable and sonically imbalanced … but it was just a matter of newness, as they needed a good breaking in. The large ear pads really do surround the ear, not onthe-ear like M50X’s, but there was a bit of pressure on my glasses and behind the ears. After about two weeks of use they softened up, got comfy and still provided good isolation. These pads do lift the drivers away from your ears, so it’s kind of like listening to small head-mounted speakers. Typical of headphones with this design, the driver’s enclosures are a bit low-midrange resonant and loudly ping when tapped. At first the audio quality seemed imbalanced and “tight” too, but it likewise softened up with repeated loud use. The end result was a reasonably well-balanced tone that falls somewhere between hyped-up consumer models and flat, color-less studio reference phones. The top-end is definitely on the smooth side, not overly bright or harsh, which is desirable for studio work more so than casual musical listening, as it means less fatigue and allows louder levels longer. The bottom-end is quite nice in its amount, not Sony-thin or Beatsfat, about as much bottom as M50X’s but with a different character to it. The CB-1’s have a round, pillowy, congealed bottom-end whereas the M50X’s are tighter and punchier. I prefer the punch, but it’s a matter of taste. Bottom and top-end are important, but it’s more about the mids for professional use anyway. Here there CB-1’s are definitely not flat, but they’re not severely scooped-out like consumer
models. Certain nasal frequencies seemed a little too accentuated, other areas a little hollow, BUT … this un-even midrange response varied with the playback device/amplifier driving the CB-1’s! Closer inspection revealed the CB-1’s to be rather finicky about their loading on an amplifier; they didn’t like my Samson or Behringer headphone amps, were OK with my SPL monitor controller, but sounded their best driven by my top-shelf Apogee Symphony II Thunderbolt converters. With the Apogee the CB-1’s opened up dynamically, maintained a genteel top-end, a pleasantly abundant bottom-end and a healthy amount of mid content that was more accurate. Stereo separation and imaging could be a little wider and more distinct and they’re not quite “reference flat” enough for mixing or mastering but are quite sufficient to inform musicians of their performances during overdubs. And in fact, what these CB-1’s are now routinely doing in my studio is being worn by guitar and keyboard players. The healthy mids give their parts audibility at lower levels with the polite topend reducing drum and sibilance fatigue. Even if I can’t mix with them, and even if they don’t really keep up with the impressive sonics of M50x’s, these CB-1’s are still ideal choices for an affordable fleet of studio cans, for hygiene or cost concerned musicians and for anyone tired of the punishing high-low frequency hype and fatigue of disposable consumer models. -Rob Tavaglione owns and operates Catalyst Recording (est. 1992), Charlotte NC’s oldest recording studio. PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 47
GEAR REVIEWS
STEINBERG UR-RT2 USB Audio Interface
E
ven before Dave Grohl put Rupert Neve back in the spotlight in the Sound City documentary, his name had been THE word in recording. Steinberg has now partnered with Rupert Neve to bring his classic preamp sound into a package that fits into a home studio, at a decent price.
latency. The included DSPMIXFX software handles this nicely, and it’s available for both computer and iOS devices. While Cubase AI is included, it should work with no issues with any DAW software; in fact, we used it primarily with PreSonus’ latest version of Studio One with no problems.
The specs are pretty standard for a 2-input DAW interface: two combo XLR inputs, with individual gain controls. A hi-z switch optimizes the input signal for instruments, which makes DI’ing a guitar or bass a snap. With a headphone input and volume control as well as a main output control on the front, you’re good-to-go.
OK, all that aside, do the Neve Preamps live up to their reputation? Yes. They’re musical in the best sense of the term. Start your tracks with these, and it brings all that extra fullness, dynamics and articulation at the push of a button. Yes, you could hunt through tons of processing, to try (try is the keyword here) to get to the same point, but why make your life harder? Plugging in instruments that would normally use a DAW’s plug-ins with this at the source, can really liven up the feel, presence and response of what would be a lifeless plug-in, especially with guitars and basses. Using a variety of microphones also brought in that lil extra on vocals; put simply, the preamps really kicked the tracks up a notch. The only question would be why would you not use them? Seriously, they should just be engaged by default.
What’s also on the front is a pair of backlit buttons to engage the Neve-designed transformers into the preamp. Without going into a big diatribe on Neve’s theory of circuit design, the transformers are the heart of what makes his preamps sound great. The rear panel handles monitor and line outs, and the usual MIDI connections. 48V phantom power is also available for your condenser mics. It has a standard power connection as well as a USB 2.0 jack. It’s designed to not only connect to Windows or Mac computers, but also to iOS Devices, with a conversion plug (not included). Included is a plethora of software, including Cubase AI, Rev-x Reverb and Sweet Spot Morphing Channel Strip. Throw in the Yamaha Guitar Amp Classics plug-in suite and it is a one-stop-shop for doing pretty much anything. What really makes an interface powerful is taking the load off of the DAW, and having the interface deal with monitoring, specifically
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Overall, it’s not that much more expensive than the usual two-channel interface, and the extra cost is well worth it, considering the wonderful Neve Preamps being included. The idea of buying cheaper interface, and then paying some kind of external “bouteek” preamp unit, just doesn’t make sense when this is an option right out of the box. An inexpensive home/remote studio rig with big sounding musical preamps? Who wouldn’t want that? Totally recommended. Chris Devine
PROS
Great sounding preamps, reasonable price. CONS
None. STREET PRICE
$349
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