Performer Magazine: August/September 2021

THE MUSICIAN ’S RESO URCE

“What I’ve learned…is that sometimes, simplicity is the name of the game.”

BLACK PUMAS

AUG./SEPT. ‘21 FREE

HOW TO

Use an MPC as a Standalone DAW Solution Deal With Latency in Your Recordings

interviews

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Master TikTok Promotion

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

22

COVER STORY

BLACK PUMAS

by Jason Peterson

2 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

5.

Record Review: Drew Beskin 6.

Book Review: PUSH TURN MOVE

SUB-RADIO

by Benjamin Ricci

32

TABLE OF CONTENTS

28

4.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

8.

Top 10 Indie Vinyl Releases

EFTERLKANG

by Danny Turner

DEPARTMENTS

14.

How to Blow Up Your Music on TikTok: Pt. 2

16.

How to Protect Intellectual Property 18.

Shaping Your Tone: Signature Guitar Sounds

36

20.

How to Deal with Latency in the Studio

SUZANNE SANTO

by Vincent Scarpa

contents VOLUME 31, ISSUE 4

40.

GEAR REVIEWS: Akai, IK Multimedia, BOSS, and more…

48.

FLASHBACK PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 3

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

LETTER F

or those of you who read last month’s letter from the editor, you’ll recall a more optimistic outlook on the future of live music.

And just as swiftly as things seemed to be on the uptick, new variants of this damn virus reared their ugly heads and set back many parts of the nation.

Again.

As frustrating as this is for those of us on the sidelines, I can’t imagine the frustration of artists who simply want to get back on stage. We have seen some successes in the live arena -- with festivals, venues and a handful of prominent artists requiring vaccination or negative COVID tests to gain entry to live sets. Not to mention large-scale events not turning into superspreader epicenters (whew!)

But unfortunately, the idealistic hope I held a few weeks ago has been replaced by a sense of neverending limbo as it relates to “back to normal,” whatever that means.

In the meantime, I’ve been busying myself with puttering around the (home) office as of late, my latest endeavors involving the evaluation of several DACs to integrate into my stereo system. After auditioning a few units that all

from the editor

sounded about the same, I came to the realization that I simply preferred R2R digital-to-analog convertors over the standard delta-sigma chips we’ve been getting force-fed for the past 20 years.

Yeah, I know. Resistor-ladder DACs are old technology. Like…really old. This is how they dealt with conversion in the prehistoric days of digital music…back when shiny silver things called CDs were prevalent. Yet, for all the seemingly lousy specs and measurements (not to mention charts, oh so many charts!) that accompany R2R DAC reviews, they just sound… better. I can’t even put it into words. But that won’t stop me from trying. More natural. More musical. Just more…listenable. And at the end of the day, specs be damned. I know what I like, and that’s all that should matter.

For what it’s worth, I’ve got a Schiit Bifrost 2 on loan at the moment, and couldn’t be happier.

Until next time, stay safe and keep sending us your music.

Benjamin Ricci

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?”

4 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

Volume 31, 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 EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Bob Dobalina editorial@performermag.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Benjamin Ricci, Chris Devine, Danny Turner, Jason Peterson, Lesley Daunt, Lindsay O’Connor, Michael St. James, Raine Maida, Scott Wilson, Vincent Scarpa CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Robin Schnieder, Jody Domingue, Søren Lynggard Andersen, Dennis Morton, Cameron McCool ADVERTISING SALES William House Phone: 617-627-9919 bill@performermag.com © 2021 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.

REVIEWS

RECORD REVIEW

Lesley Daunt

A

thens singer/songwriter Drew Beksin’s upcoming third full-length solo album, Problematic for the People, feels like it just fell out of an episode of American Bandstand.

Visualize a gaggle of girls in front of the stage swooning over the lead singer and you get the vibe of this pop masterpiece.

Having been on the scene for over a decade now, both as a solo artist and as frontman for The District Attorneys, Party Dolls, and PURSES, Beskin’s first single off the album, “The Cut of My Jib,” completely imbibes that Motown feel, bringing us back to the day when music was as much entertainment as it was entertaining.

Originally conceived to be his last album, a plan that was thankfully scrapped, Problematic for the People is drenched in lo-fi gems like “More Bad Days than Good.”

“I am happy that I approached Problematic for the People as my last album. I think a lot of decisions and extra care might not have happened if I treated

it like another batch of songs,” says Beskin. Extra care like throwing a synthy ’80s twist on the song “Going Alright for You.” This radio-friendly track is loaded with catchy hooks and happiness. The video for the song is part one of a two-part series and features producer Drew Vandenberg hosting a fictitious late-night show along with some of Beskin’s friends.

“Personal Shopper” and “Double Dipper” ring in a Yacht Rock feel akin to early Beach Boys, full of putthe-top-down-and-drive-along-the-coast open air reverb.

“Swimming in Bed” is a song Beskin had been trying to write for quite some time now. “It started with the ‘do what I do’ line and that basically plagued me for a few months until I sat down and finished the song. I had the title ‘Swimming in Bed’ in my notes for a few years. I always loved that title but had to wait for the right moment and song to come along to use it. I am very proud of this one, particularly the middle/ bridge section. I love cramming as many hooks as

I can get away with in one tune.” And crammed with hooks it is.

The whole record is soaked in that retro-lo-fi sound, yet at the same time is lush in guitar tones and harmonies. From the Weezer-ish “I’m Not Human” to the sparser singer/songwriter vibe of songs like “Genuine Article” and “Cul de Sac,” Beskin once again hits it out of the park when it comes to perceptive and evocative lyrics married with colorful music. I wouldn’t go as far as to say he is the king of the catchy chorus, but he comes damn close.

The album was produced/engineered by Drew Vandenberg (Faye Webster, Deerhunter) at Chase Park Transductions and by Matt Martin (of Wanderwild, COIN) at Gift Horse Studios -both located in Athens and features the talents of Phillip Brantley (Terminally Phil, Palace Doctor & Modern Skirts) on bass, Josh Parsons on guitar, and Jeremy Wheatley (of Sailors & Ships and Crooked Fingers) on drums.

Follow on Instagram @drewbeskin PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 5

REVIEWS

BOOK REVIEW Benjamin Ricci

6 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

REVIEWS

I

f you read our recent review of Patch & Tweak (also published by BJOOKS), you’ll know that we’re absolutely in love with the new series of coffee-table books coming out of this publishing house. The care, attention to detail and (improved) quality of the book’s paper and binding totally justify the asking price.

Like the Moog-rich Patch & Tweak, this volume is jam-packed with stunning photos, examples of synthesizer design as well as analyses and deep-dives into the aesthetics and functionality of today’s electronic instruments.

Each section is full of its own surprises, and the newly revised version adds a few dozen instruments not available when it was first published a few years back, as well as the aforementioned better printing quality and foreword

by Jean-Michel Jarre.

If you’ve ever had even a passing interest in synth design, drum machine architecture, or other similar-themed nerd topics, this is something you should pick up for yourself ASAP (or at the very

least, put it on your holiday wish list).

Clocking in at around d 350 pages, there’s something here for everyone -- PUSH TURN MOVE explores every knob, pitch/mod wheel, keybed, case design, color scheme and display screen imaginable, all in wonderful detail. Plus, there are extended, geeky dives into some of the more esoteric electronic instrument designs out there, like expressive gloves, capacitance touch designs and much more than we can hope to cram into this overview.

Bottom line – we spent weeks poring over its contents, discovering something new with each turn of the page. The graphic design and layout are clear and modern, well-structured and never confusing or overwhelming.

Kuods to the BJOOKS team for upgrading an essential addition to any serious musician’s bookshelf. Highly recommended.

FOR MORE INFO, PLEASE VISIT https://bjooks.com PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 7

TOP VINYL

THE 10 BES ROCK VINY THE PAST

8 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

TOP VINYL

EST INDIE NYL LPs OF T YEAR

PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 9

TOP VINYL

I

t goes without saying that vinyl is back – but apart from the standard lineup of classic rock faves that seem to permeate every budding collection, nothing tells people quite who YOU are like your music collection. So, while we love Rumours, Hotel California and Steve Miller’s Greatest Hits, there’s more to record collecting than r/ vinyljerk’s hitlist.

Even though vinyl is a bit costly for most independent artists, it didn’t stop some of our absolute favorite acts from releasing really badass vinyl editions of their albums in recent years. In fact, there have been tons of albums released by numerous independent artists all around the world during the pandemic – and a few of our handchosen picks are below.

Editor’s note: if your band is looking for vinyl record pressing in LA – check out rates and options from Unified Manufacturing and see if their services fit the bill. We’d LOVE to see your next record on a cool colored slab of vinyl – be sure to send it our way for review and feature

10 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

consideration in an upcoming issue!

Anyway, the surge in vinyl output, especially when it comes to indie and underground artists, hasn’t always been this generous.

Reading a short history of custom vinyl records will make you understand why only signed artists on majors were able to release vinyl back in the day. But we’ve come a long way, baby – and thankfully you can get records from most of your favorite indie acts and smaller labels today both at brick-and-mortar outlets and online platforms like Bandcamp.

That brings us to some recommendations – think of this is just a starter pack to introduce you to some of our top choices for indie rock music of the past year or so – which, along with hip-hop, pop and R&B is what made vinyl sales in the US overtake CD sales in dollars for the first time in decades.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the best indie rock vinyl records of 2020 to see why they’re selling like hot cakes.

EMPTY COUNTRY

by EMPTY COUNTRY The band’s eponymous debut album was Joe D’Agostino’s first release since the disbandment of Cymbals Eat Guitars back in 2017. The album’s sound retained Cymbal Eat Guitars’ tense indie-rock style but this time with the addition of more sparse, nuanced arrangements.

During the first pressing, there were two sets of 250 copies on blue and white vinyl records which have already sold out.

Not to fear! The band recently added a second pressing, which in our opinion are even cooler -- on half clear and half translucent green vinyl. And for those who want their music on-the-go, the album also comes with a high-quality MP3 download option included.

TOP VINYL EVERY BAD

by PORRIDGE RADIO

COLOR THEORY

by SOCCER MOMMY

POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH MUSIC by TIÑA

Porridge Radio is a British indie band that formed back in 2015, and they recently released their second studio album (their first under their new label, Secret Canadian) last March. The new LP, Every Bad, was pressed in two standard editions, one on standard black vinyl and the other transparent blue.

Sophie Allison, more professionally known as Soccer Mommy, released her confrontational and very personal Color Theory last February. You can read our feature interview with her in our February 2020 issue, which was conducted around the album’s release.

The debut record from London-based band Tiña was inspired by the idea of Sigmund Freud’s “Talking Cure” process of therapy.

An additional super-special pressing comes with two records housed in a gorgeous gatefold jacket, featuring the artwork from the standard editions listed above.

The two records in this release are a mixture of purple and blue, mirroring an outof-this-world nebula in space.

The release of the album is especially cool, pressed in 3 different color combos that represent very different themes. Blue -- which represents sadness and depression, yellow -- which denotes physical and emotional anguish, and gray -- which symbolizes darkness and loss.

And for this release, there were a total of 6 different custom vinyl pressings that featured these three-color moods.

What we have pictured here is an example of the limited editions, with its blue, yellow, and gray tri-colored records. Along with the custom LP is a poster and a set of stickers featuring the same color scheme.

The 11 tracks of the album demonstrate the process of self-examination, while touching upon themes of depression, anxiety, sex, fear, failure, isolation, and love along the way. Though it explores deep themes, the lively tracks are easy to digest and may even seem danceable to some listeners.

The vinyl release of PMHM contains one pink vinyl record housed in a pink vinyl jacket printed with matching artwork of a pink-hatted bird. Pink is known for being a calming color and we think that’s what the band was going for with this color scheme – helping to aid in self-reflection and tying together themes of better mental health found in the music.

PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 11

TOP VINYL

NIGHT NETWORK

by THE CRIBS

HANNAH

by LOMELDA

FREE I.H: THIS IS NOT THE ONE YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR

The Cribs, Wakefield’s indie rock legends, returned last November with an exclusive ‘TV Test Card’ tri-colored edition of their 2020 album Night Network.

Hannah is an exceptional new album by indie artist Lomelda, the fifth overall in their catalog. Lomelda blends stories of random ideas and people, as well as of herself.

The group recorded the album at Studio 606, where they realized a more DIY approach to their career was the best approach for the band moving forward.

Moreover, this is the band’s first fully selfproduced album, and they sure are very proud of it.

This album is an album full of confessions and transformations, which makes it relatable and a must-listen in today’s musical landscape.

Due to the members of the band Illuminati Hotties being clamped down by an immovable contract with a collapsing record label, they have been overworked with tour-tight schedules and more.

As seen above, the tri-colored pressing is contained in a black and white printed inner sleeve and a single vinyl jacket. What’s interesting about this type of design is that it will have varying designs, so no two copies will be the same. It’s one of the coolest things that happens during custom vinyl pressings for most multicolored vinyl records – you always end up with completely unique copies so that every fan gets something no one else has.

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If you notice the design of the album, it’s very minimal and full of white space, but we can still see the great artistic effort put into the record’s cover. The baby pink color of the pictured vinyl pressing matches well with the cover, too, as it elicits child-like feelings that play out in the LP’s moods.

This resulted in Sarah Tudzin beginning her songwriting journey about aggression, claustrophobia, and loss, just everything she and her band members have been feeling being under that label.

After writing the songs, the band recorded and finally released the record in July of last year.

The vinyl edition of the album features a mugshot of Tudzin on the front cover and even has it designed on the center label of the vinyl itself. The ripple effect of the white and red colors on the vinyl, with white being in the inner circle, perfectly accentuate Tudzin’s red printed mugshot.

TOP VINYL LIVE DRUGS

by THE WAR ON DRUGS

THE PRETTIEST CURSE

by HINDS

WELCOME TO CONCEPTUAL BEACH

by YOUNG JESUS

The War on Drugs is a band that needs no introduction in indie circles – but this one may have gone overlooked even by some fans.

It’s a compilation of live interpretations of their songs as they toured all over the world backing their first few albums. The “Live Drugs” LP is just the first volume in a very long planned series of compilation albums.

The all-female rock band returned last year with brighter songs bursting with life that sound bigger, bolder, and more complex than their previous ones. Read our interview with the band from early in their career by checking out the December 2015 issue.

Young Jesus’ exclusive colored vinyl is an edition of the band’s album Welcome to Conceptual Beach. The album was released on August 14, 2020 bearing a message of affirmation that change will always start with how we think of ourselves.

Even with a new sound, they’re not completely shedding the old identity of the group, as they still champion female empowerment and write songs about themes of isolation and betrayal.

Along with the musicality upgrade, they also upgraded their custom vinyl pressing orders.

Both the artwork and the vinyl records are very colorful, showcasing how custom pressings are works of art in themselves.

The two vinyl records are both pressed in a dark red translucent color having different center label colors. But the beautiful thing about this album is the inner artwork of the gatefold jacket which showcases The War on Drugs’ devoted fans. What a crowd, huh?

Instead of having only two colors for their vinyl records, they now have chosen three: yellow, orange, and red, as seen example pictured here.

The detailed drawing of a building is separated by different color spectrums. If you don’t look at it too closely, it would seem like two separate drawings and not just one composition colored in two different, complementary ways.

As you can see, most of these vinyl records are nothing short of awesome. We can’t blame fans for scooping them up as both collectible items from their favorite artists, and great ways to listen to their favorite tracks in the best format around.

PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 13

MUSIC BUSINESS

for Music Makers: Part 2 of 2

I

n a previous article we went through some strategies and tips on how to blow up your music on TikTok. Well, if you have music to promote, I am assuming you are a music maker, so here are some tips on how to help your career when you are in between releases or aren’t in an active band.

First, let’s start with some ground rules and myths. You do not need to have a fancy camera setup to do this. In fact, that can work against you. Using your phone with good solid lighting 14 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

(whether a ring light or natural window light) will get you far. Obviously, use some sort of good audio, use headphones and mic if you have it or at least check that your audio signal is good.

Nothing will ruin your music career quicker than bad audio.

Second, I will reiterate my point from the previous article that TikTok is about entertainment, value, and authenticity. For some, that can be thirst traps, for others it’s fun dances, for others it’s about learning. If you are a songwriter, talk about songwriting. If you are a music theory nerd, do that. You don’t have to have

a fancy DAW and keyboard setup either -- if you are a guitarist, just find some good lighting and jam, show off.

Third, make sure you have a website or a music landing page (ToneDen or Hyppeddit are free) in your bio as soon as you can. Never lose a fan who becomes interested in you. #musicproducer #indiemusic #musician #songwriter #fyp - this is your tribe. Follow others and comment on their stuff - this is super important. As you do, you’ll see the hashtag they use specific to the kind of musician you

Don’t upload your own music recordings in the background on your own videos. Only use the supplied TikTok sounds. Using “Ad Sound” in the editor. Your music, even if you wrote it and own it–and especially if you uploaded it to your distributor–will be blocked and the video will be taken down. There are a whole bunch of technical music licensing reasons for this, just don’t do it, you’ll waste your time. Instead, play it live if it is unreleased. Or, better yet, play along to the “sound” of your song chosen from inside of TikTok. This will allow other people to find your songs and hopefully play them on Spotify or Apple or use your sound in their TikTok. Don’t play your own music exclusively.

Seriously, don’t be “that’’ person who is only promoting your own music. No one cares, and you will find that out quickly. You will get people to love you and your music a helluva lot quicker by playing some covers that you love, that inspire you. Better yet, find other independent musicians, and shout them out by covering a cool song of theirs. Maybe they’ll do the same for you.

Do quirky covers. “What if Metallica did Billie Eilish?” Those types of things really hit hard.

Don’t be afraid to be dorky. TikTok loves sexy and dorky. Screw up, laugh about it, and then post that. Trust me, as you post other ones where you nail it, you will gain followers. One of my favorites is when someone does something like “Michael McDonald is just Anita Baker singing slowed down” and they sing it that way.

Do promote your TikTok to your fans. Give them another place to connect to another side of you or your band.

are. Whether you produce (using DAWs or in a studio), or are a player, or a shredder.

Here are some DOs and DON’Ts: Do post consistently. You will see people saying you need to post three videos per day, not true. The algorithm has a trigger based on “frequency” that determines when your video gets shown to the For You Page (FYP) tier 1 group (about 100-500 people) then, if it has some engagement and low skips, tier 2 (about 1000-5000) and then well, you go very big. That frequency trigger is meant to stop someone from

Do read your comments and respond to cool people.

DO NOT feed the trolls. Duh. Listen, there’s always an asshole online who will say you suck, or you’re faking it, or you’re too ugly (or too pretty) to play music. Seriously, they are just trying to get attention, walk on by and brush them off, but do not forget to engage with everyone else, it really does help you build community.

Posts that work: Making the track: Take people behind the scenes of how you write and record. Show your

DAW, show the tracks. Find a problem area and ask for help. “I am having trouble with this vocal mix, any ideas on how to make it sound brighter or pop?” You’ll be amazed how many want to help you.

Plugins: Show what plugins you are using and how to adjust them. Do a super quick edit showing the interface and the settings (this gets people to watch multiple times to try and steal your settings), and then say, “hope this helps, follow me for more tips.”

MUSIC BUSINESS

uploading 1 video one day and then trying to game the system by uploading 40 the next. But what that means to you, is that whatever you choose to do - 1 video a day, 3 a day, 6 a week, as long as you are consistent, you will make that frequency trigger happy. The bigger weight for the algorithm is quality interaction.

Gear: Musicians love gear. If you have cool guitars, or an awesome setup, or a homemade pedal board, show it off.

Challenge: “I am going to play x song progressively faster every day, follow along” or “90s boy band but it’s Metal” - you get the idea.

Ask your followers to do the same.

Jam Session: This works for anyone, drummers especially. Pick an intro or a favorite part of a song (maybe a solo or a riff ), you really only have :15 or :60 sec, (tbh you only have 1015 sec to get and keep attention). Again, use “Add Sound” from within TikTok when you are editing your video, do not upload it recorded in your room. Remember you will be using headphones.

Duet: Best tip for last. As you navigate TikTok, you will see people doing music and asking you to Stitch or Duet. Stitch is when you use another video and it is edited either in the beginning or ending of your own, sort of call-and-response. Duet is where the screen is split and you are playing with someone (or many someones). When you do this, please use headphones or the audio from your instrument or voice will feedback and it leads to bad quality audio. You can find Sea Shanties, young people singing an a cappella, drummers playing intros and so forth, jump in and Duet with them as you play along. Add harmonies, add your own instrumentation, rap along to a singer. Obviously, Duet everything John Mayer does. But don’t just stick to the famous ones, it’s often the organic ones that take off better.

Lastly, don’t lose hope. Like any platform, TikTok takes some work. You might go viral; you might sit on 200-300 followers for months.

Keep going and have fun. You’ll meet other cool musicians, you’ll make some new fans, and you’ll get to do music. What’s not to love?

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.

PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 15

MUSIC BUSINESS

Artists finally have the technology to protect their ideas (without hiring a lawyer) How Blockchain and NFTs are the Right Tools to Secure Creative Licenses

P

rotecting your art, music, or words has never been a priority for artists until it’s too late and an idea is stolen.

As creators we are naturally much more enamored of and focused on the creation side than the business side, and rightfully so. This is essentially why we hire managers and sign record deals or publishing agreements. Over the years, I’ve found myself in a few writing disputes that have forced me to engage legal counsel and suffer expenses. No fun. Safe to say that the longer you’re in the music business, the greater the chance you’ll get ripped off. The difference today is that with the rise of platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok — and the ability for everyone with a smartphone to be a creator — we are in an intellectual property crisis.

and visual artists for decades. Most people only became aware of this during the late 1990s and early 2000s, but it’s been happening for a lot longer than that. The advent of MP3s changed the way people listened to music, and the popularity of file-sharing apps like Napster had everyone questioning whether or not we would download a car if given that opportunity (and as 3D printing technology improves, we may find ourselves asking that question again). But before people were sharing pirated music online, they were burning CDs. They were bootlegging tapes even before that.

Misidentified or unclear provenance of music and art has actually been going on for centuries — the classic English folk song “Greensleeves” is often credited to Henry VIII, despite zero evidence that he actually composed it!

Intellectual property management in the arts has been an antiquated proposition for musicians

As the great Bob Dylan said… “The times, they are changin’.”

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It’s been difficult to avoid hearing or reading about the frenzy of digital art sales through NonFungible Tokens lately. NFT artwork has sold at auction for millions of dollars. Electronic artist 3LUA sold the master rights to three of his songs as NFTs with the new owners allowed to name the songs. Even the ancient meme video “Charlie Bit My Finger” has ended its run on YouTube after being viewed nearly a billion times because it has been converted into an NFT and sold for more than $760,000.

All of which is to show that NFTs can be used to protect any kind of digital media, and that they have some very serious potential value for creators. NFTs are backed by blockchain, the same invaluable technology that powers Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Blockchain effectively makes it impossible to copy, share, or otherwise distribute that NFT without

MUSIC BUSINESS creating a permanent record of what happened.

And this is a very good thing for artists.

When you release any original work on traditional digital media, you essentially lose control and ownership of your art. As soon as something appears online, it’s getting copied and passed around, and it’s next to impossible to scrub it from existence after the fact. But with blockchain-backed NFTs, you don’t have to worry about any of that. This is because blockchain creates an immutable ledger: there’s no hiding what happens to it. For creators, this means that there’s finally an answer for tracing ownership of your artwork.

Until now, the only remedy has been through the courts but while this works for signed artists, it does nothing for the enormous and expanding rise of the independent painters,

filmmakers, and musicians who create 10x more than traditional artists and aren’t going to shell out $15,000 to try to recoup $4,000 from someone who probably isn’t even going to pay it.

“right around the corner.” It’s here. And if you ask me, it’s giving creators superpowers that will change not only how we create, but how we distribute, monetize, and build our communities.

The other amazing piece with NFTs is that it forges a direct-to-fan value exchange.

Through NFT marketplaces I am able to sell directly to my fans without any middleman or gatekeepers. I can also control terms for those sales and give fans a chance to participate in ways that were not possible before blockchain. If you’re selling music on Bandcamp or art on Etsy today, making the jump to selling NFTs on a platform like Rarible is really no big deal.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Raine Maida is the Chief Product Officer of S!NG, Inc. The four-time Juno-award-winning artist, fronting the multi-platinum-selling alt rock band OurLadyPeace, has written and produced hits for internationally acclaimed artists including Carrie Underwood, P!nk, and Avril Lavigne. Raine is also the co-founder and director of artist-fronted cannabis company Loop/Pool. He was awarded the Tiffany Mark Award in 2014 and appointed to the Order of Canada in 2016 for his contribution to the arts and work as a humanitarian. Learn more at https://sing.link

Best of all, this is all happening right now. It’s not a theory, or a technology that’s

PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 17

CREATIVE TIPS TRISHES

5 TIPS TO NOT BOR WITH YOUR LOOP One of my best friends loves to remind me how much she hates loopers.

“Except for you, of course,” she amends.

The truth is, I don’t blame her. Looping is inherently self-indulgent. You are, in essence, multiplying and amplifying yourself. And it feels so freaking good and cathartic and fulfilling. You are building something layer by layer, hearing it grow and expand. It is magical. It is meditation.

It is processing.

But to someone watching, this can just be...

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well, boring.

Here’s how you can avoid that.

1. Don’t loop all your elements in at once at the top.

This is okay to do in a couple songs in your set, but if this is how you start every song it’s just too predictable. Think of places throughout the song other than the intro that you can add in new loop elements. I am personally a big fan of adding in loops during a post chorus. An example is in a cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” where I loop in the bass notes between singing lines of the verse

instead of looping in the bass notes before I start singing the verse. You can see (and hear) this, as well as the examples below, on Instagram @ trishesmusic 2. Bring loops in and out in different sections.

Just like you don’t want to loop everything all at once, you don’t want to have the same loops playing throughout the whole song (except potentially a rhythm track). Maybe there is a vocal motif loop that only comes in during the verses, or a bass line loop that comes in at the choruses.

In the chorus of my song “Venom” I wait until

CREATIVE TIPS

ORE PEOPLE P ARRANGEMENT the second half of the chorus to reintroduce my second vocal motif loop.

3. Create two different rhythm tracks One for the larger subdivisions (think kick drum and snare) and one for the smaller subdivisions (think hi-hats). This gives you the ability to have more variation as they can each exist on their own or create more impact in sections that you want to feel bigger, by being played together. In my cover of Sam Smith’s “Love Goes” I take my smaller subdivided rhythm out in the verse and reintroduce it in the chorus.

4. Loop the chorus Vocals and/or chords with your instrument of choice, during chorus 1 so that chorus 2 and beyond you can add harmonies or different octaves of the chord progression. This will make the song feel like it’s building organically. In one of my own examples, I loop the first half of the chorus of TLC’s “No Scrubs” and harmonize over it for the second half, which is pretty much the same concept.

5. Don’t be afraid to take your percussion track out.

Having pickups, or entire sections, without any rhythm track can be super effective. I do this

often in a bridge because not only does it give the bridge a whole new feeling, but it also makes the following chorus feel even bigger when loops do come back in. I do this in the final verse of my cover of Jolene.

About the Author Trishes is a project by Trinidadian native Trish Hosein, created to express Freud’s constructs of self (the primal, conscious and spiritual) through spoken word, live looping and vocal effects. Her undeniably original songwriting, fleshed out by hiphop beats and pop hooks, examines human struggle through an anthropological lens.

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CREATIVE TIPS

Latency is a Creative Problem

T

How to use Power to Cultivate the Best Artistic Performances Scott Wilson

here is nothing sweeter than sitting in a studio and capturing that moment when the instruments, inflections, and the camaraderie of musicians are all on the same vibe at the exact same time. Yet how many times have we hit record and the computer runs out of RAM in the middle of a take, only to miss that magical moment? This isn’t just a glitch. It can cast a shadow on the whole session.

It can trigger a crisis in confidence, not only in the person engineering the session, but in the musicians as well. Everyone loses momentum.

Tech problems are creative problems, because when something goes wrong it impacts your artistry. I’ve experienced this myself over the decades I’ve been in the studio. Throughout my 30-year career as a professional musician and producer/engineer, I have used most of the standard interfaces and many of the most complex, boutique, black labeled, state-of-the-art gizmos. I have hands-on experience with most of the coveted consoles and routers. I even cut tape and still have a 2-inch tape recording rig in my analogue room. (For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s the “real” version of the Tape Emulators you use in your DAW.) As an artist, with my years in country as well as my time spent in the multi-platinum bands Tantric and Saving Abel, I’ve been in the most noted studios in the world and have worked with many of the biggest names in recording.

I recall first hearing about DSP technologies back in the ’90s, how external processors can supply CPU power to your session without crashing your entire world each time you had a lot of files for buffering while a session was being worked or even listened to. As the computer and software world became more advanced, we began to be able to record multi-track sessions and even run plugins on the frontside while tracking. It was then I started hearing the term latency. It became 20 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

CREATIVE TIPS a familiar curse for “feel” players or finesse vocalists pushing to perform at their peak, not to mention the engineer trying to capture the ultimate performance.

Recently, while working on the Tantric record at a well-known studio, I noticed we were simply running through a couple preamps, a halfa-million-dollar console, then going straight into a normal Pro Tools rig, much like the one that I used back then as my portable rig. The latency was noticeable, and tracking became better once some processing adjustments were made.

After all, the engineer doesn’t know if it’s you as a musician that has bad timing, or if it’s the processing power. That makes it near impossible to have a perfect performance; you’re constantly doubting your ability to perform your part of the music piece. If you can take the power and latency question out of the equation, everyone will be able to focus on the artistic side instead.

With the introduction of the HDX DSP powered Pro Tools | Carbon, it has never been easier to capture a performance at the almost zero latency. Getting the perfect take is much easier when the technology processes audio so fast that it renders latency a non-issue. In fact, with Carbon and HDX, latency is so low that the signal is traveling through the interface faster than the time it takes for sound to travel the short

distance from your speakers to your ears. Yes, I said that! With some of the interfaces, along with the power of DSP, it is possible to hit a snare drum and have the sound hit your ears from the headphones faster than the raw ear responds to the human brain. Since you’re no longer doing extra takes due to the computer crashing or latency, you have more time to focus on the things that matter most—like creating a masterpiece.

“It’s all in the timing” applies very much to the monitoring side of life, as well. For most of my career, I had a stand-alone monitoring system such as the PreSonus Central Station, or the Grace Design M905. The thing to remember when sound is coming back to your ears, it’s possible that the processor can cause a later response, another place latency can be exaggerated or even caused. Holy catfish, is everything trying to keep us from making magic in the studio? What about if we have to record with a mobile rig?

Things could get complicated, right? Thanks to the recording powers that be, it is way less complicated than it used to be. The single rack space rig is possible now with a simple laptop and ingredients like the Universal Audio’s Apollo and the aforementioned Pro Tools | Carbon. We can now have lower latency performances tracked and use a smaller portable rig than ever before.

For my home studio as well as my compact fly

rig for live applications, I have grown to prefer the Pro Tools | Carbon due to the self-contained I/O controls and on-demand convenience of everything being located in the Pro Tools DAW software.

There is no need to use tablets or outside programs to manipulate. With the Apollo, the interface was a near Olympic feat of coordination to bounce between Console and the DAW to control the reference monitors and input mix, not to mention headphone sends. The Carbon is able to control three sets of monitors and four headphone sends all inside the DAW sessions and eliminated my training for the un-athletic Studio Olympics. Though my hopes for a gold medal are now gone, I was able to shift my focus back on the gold and platinum records that are rewards of creation.

So, remember whether you’re on a mobile rig or in a fancy studio: power is the first step to getting and capturing those amazing performances in the studio. Solve this problem, and you can keep the wheels or lasers of the mouse on the desk and keep creating the takes that matter.

For more information, please visit https://sunshinestudioslive.com and http://www.eastirisstudios.com PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 21

SPOTLIGHT 22 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

SPOTLIGHT

Black Pumas’ Eric Burton on Keeping it Simple and Being the Man of the People Jason Peterson

Jody Domingue

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SPOTLIGHT

I

n the middle of Black Pumas’ dynamite Austin City Limits performance from early last year, lead singer Eric Burton said, “This is very special for us. We’re a very new band.” While this statement is true - they only formed in 2017 after all - this ‘very new band’ has exploded since its inception. Anyone who watched that ACL show or has listened to any of their music can hear just how special they are.

In 2020 alone, their debut album nabbed multiple Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year. They performed at President Biden’s virtual inauguration event, as well as during the NFL Draft and on all the late-night shows, 24 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

with their singles “Colors” and “Fire” gaining particular attention.

The band’s meteoric rise can be attributed to many things - great songs; tight musicianship; meaningful lyrics; a killer live show - but mostly, it’s the chemistry between Eric Burton and guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada. The two hooked up in Austin, Texas, where Quesada was coming off a long stint in the celebrated Latin funk band Grupo Fantasma and Burton had moved after busking for years around Los Angeles.

Performer spoke with Eric Burton by phone in Austin, where Black Pumas had recently finished a five-night residency at Stubb’s and

were preparing for an extensive tour - while also working on their highly anticipated second album.

[This interview has been edited for length and clarity] Live music has been such a huge part of your life, from singing in the church choir early on, to busking in LA, and then to Black Pumas gigs. What’s it been like this past year, not having that as an outlet?

It was really heavy, and I think that it was so traumatizing for most that you almost forget about the luxury that is - and was - performing live and having that conversation with people in

the same room.

You went from almost zero live performances in a year to a five-night run at Stubb’s in Austin. What went into that decision?

It’s the most shows that we’ve done consecutively so far, at one place, and we just felt like we owed it to our hometown - to our fans, to ourselves - to really exit this quarantine period with a bang.

What was that experience like?

Nothing short of enchanted. It was like watching a movie - I think it was so emotionally

cathartic that you couldn’t help but be placed in the observer’s chair. You know, whether you were an audience member or you were on stage. And so it was just really amazing to watch this beautiful movie. It was crazy. I cried every night, if not onstage [then] in the green room. It was very cool.

In your Song Exploder episode for “Colors,” you talk about how music is a spiritual experience for you, especially with your background singing in church. Did you feel a heightened sense of that during those Stubb’s shows?

Yeah - man, that’s a great question. It felt very spiritual, to the degree that we were just being honest. We had nowhere to go...People felt welcomed into a home, as opposed to a venue to

SPOTLIGHT

“When I started playing guitar...I would intentionally just try to do things that felt hard to do - you know, because it just kind of entertained me...What I’ve learned from Adrian is that sometimes, simplicity is the name of the game.”

be entertained. This felt like church. It felt like going out with your friends and or hanging out at your uncle’s barbecue, to hang out with family you haven’t seen in years. To that degree, it did feel spiritual.

During this past year, have you picked up any new gear that helped you creatively?

Or did you not feel creative during this time?

I feel like there was so much to kind of absorb and observe, and what was going on not knowing when or how we would be back performing and just even jamming with ourselves in the same room. It’s just like, no one really knew what was going to be. But in the interim, I did pick up a Roland JU-O6A Boutique [desktop synth] - I really love that. That little thing does so many PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 25

SPOTLIGHT

cool things. I was gifted an OP-1 that I’m still figuring out. I got an MPC X. So yeah, I’ve got some toys to just keep the juices going and that I’ve used in quarantine to help the elevation of the second record.

I’m not sure if you’ve seen it, but there’s a Guitar Teacher REACTS YouTube video breaking down “Colors,” and he geeks out over the chord progression. Specifically, how your fourth chord is diminished, when most guitarists would probably have gone to a C minor. Is that something that you were conscious of when writing it, or are conscious of it on other songs?

Oh, yeah. Most definitely. Like I’m conscious of it and I’m not. [laughs] “Colors” was one of 26 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

the first songs that I wrote, so I was just kind of learning how to play guitar. Going from note to note, chord to chord, to see what it sounded like to me. And, so, to that degree, I don’t know that I was really thinking about those choices from an academic perspective. I was just trying to like, play something that sounded good to me.

I really enjoyed your guitar tutorial for “Touch the Sky.” That opening riff is so unique and cool, and I don’t see a lot of bands that break down how to play their songs like that. How did it come about?

Yeah, I mean, I had never done that before.

I’m like, ‘Oh, wow, people want to learn about what I’m doing.’ You know, just having people’s attention and the desire to want to play these

One of the newscasters from your recent CBS This Morning piece said something like, ‘you’re an overnight sensation, but it’s a long night.’ Do you have any words for musicians who are in that long night right now?

Most definitely, man. I mean, I believe that none of us really know what’s going to happen tomorrow or the next day. We formulate ideas and you know, to that degree formulate plans. But you just never know what’s going to happen or what’s going to fly, what’s going to succeed. So my advice to people who are in the same position that we were before our success is just do it because you love it.

Just follow love. Like get out of the way. You’re already a genius. Life in its most fundamental form is intellectual, and if we can find a way to get out of our own way, really, then you start to see really cool things happening. Just as you’re having fun, and as you’re in love with what you need to feel and hear in the music that you’re creating.

Going back to your live performances, has there been a song - either one of yours or a cover - that feels like it’s hitting differently in this post-quarantine world?

songs. That’s like really new for me. That was really fun, and I was clearly having fun doing it.

But that lick from “Touch the Sky” came from when I was busking. I actually wrote that lick in an elevator of a subway in LA. I liked how the recording on my phone sounded in that confined space, and so I was just kind of like, going up and down the elevator like a mad person trying to figure out this riff and thankfully, it made the album.

Speaking of cool riffs, Adrian Quesada is obviously a monster on the guitar. He’s also super complimentary on your playing, especially your rhythm guitar work. How has being in a band with him impacted your own guitar playing?

and set up a microphone, and I had an acoustic guitar [connected] wireless[ly] to sing that song in the very back of the venue. So anyone who was standing in the back got front row seats to our encore...and so they would sing with me at the top of their lungs, the chorus. And then once it was done, I raced around the building again for another song with the band and the closure of the performance.

SPOTLIGHT

How has playing with Adrian “Mr. Miyagi” Quesada affected my playing? [laughs] So when I started playing, the intention that I would go to when picking up the guitar every time was to be better than the last time I played. And so I would intentionally just try to do things that felt hard to do - you know, because it just kind of entertained me, and I like competing with myself in that way.

What I’ve learned from Adrian is that sometimes, simplicity is the name of the game.

I love that. Are you able to capture that vibe at some of the bigger venues you guys are playing?

I think so, man - like, we love doing that kind of thing. We’ve kind of done that before, where I race around the venue and ended up in the back singing a song, and it seems like people really enjoy that. I’ve been kind of coined ‘man of the people’ for the fact that I love jumping into the audience. I love connecting and shaking hands and taking pictures and getting hugs. So, we definitely will do that kind of thing as we continue for sure.

And now you can actually do it again!

Totally! Yeah, exactly. Like, I’m definitely doing it now that I have the chance.

Follow on Instagram: @blackpumas

Two songs in particular really surprised me for how it hit the audience. [One] was “Oct 33,” for the fact that we kind of changed how we started that song, the dynamic of it. We allowed JaRon [Marshall], who plays keys, to start that song.

And then we brought in the acoustic guitar with the vocals at the same time, during the first verse.

And kind of finished it like how we usually do, and people were digging that song, and that was cool.

The other song is [Tracy Chapman’s] “Fast Car.” “Fast Car” was a cover that we did - it’s very reflective of my journey to getting here, and it’s just been a really nice way to relate to people on a personal level. I feel like people really could feel like I was telling the truth while I was singing those lyrics. So that served as a really cool thing because of how we went into it.

At the encore [at Stubb’s], I would race around the building - sometimes putting on a different outfit - then I’d perform that song on the VIP patio. We kind of moved people aside

BLACK PUMAS BLACK PUMAS LP STANDOUT TRACK: “COLORS”

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SPOTLIGHT

SubRadio Benjamin Ricci

Prove POP is Not a Four-Letter Word

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SPOTLIGHT PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 29

SPOTLIGHT

W

e had the pleasure of working with indie pop-rock act Sub-Radio recently as part of a larger video promotion with Elixir Strings, and the sheer amount of fun the boys projected through the screen was so infectious, we just had to learn more.

So, join us as we chat with the up-and-comers from D.C. as we discuss their creative process, collaborating during quarantine and why they have one of those used car lot inflatable dancing guys in their rehearsal space…

[Editor’s Note: while we had Michael, Kyle, Adam, Matt, and John all on the Zoom, in the intertest of readability, we’ve attributed some quotes to the entire band as opposed to each individual member. For one, it’s really, really hard to transcribe interviews and identify multiple voices talking at once. And secondly…well that’s it. We’ll gladly jump on any opportunity to take the easy way out.]

So, let’s talk about the genesis of the band.

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Whoever wants to jump in, how did you all get started?

We all met in middle school, essentially playing guitar together. At least most of us -and we had the idea to just start a band. We

It sounds like you moved fairly quickly. How did you all approach the creative process as friends at the onset?

The songwriting process has been collaborative from the start and still is. In the early days people

“While we have a ton of amazing venues in this area, they don’t tend to book locals for opening acts. And I think that has handicapped the local scene a little bit.” were really bad at first [laughs], and got a little better, and a little better, and a little better… and in 2016 we decided to officially form SubRadio. We got booked at Firefly Music Festival in 2017 and were like, ‘Hey, maybe we should take this more seriously.’ Then our first tour was in 2019…

It’s like that band from high school that never stopped [laughs].

were bringing fully fleshed songs to the group and we’d figure out how to play them, which is still kind of the case now, although it is a bit different.

We started using Logic to share demos just a few years ago. That sort of transformed the writing process a lot. We’re able to share digital files with each other, demo out and write without being in the same room, which has been very helpful in the last year, in particular [laughs].

Having watched a number of your streams, it’s easy to see some of the more fun and poporiented elements come into your music.

Maybe we can go around and have everyone give an example of two of artists who have influenced your sound.

[Kyle jumps in] We all have an indie-pop background, and it’s mostly been Walk The Moon that’s been influencing what I bring to the band.

And I also have a lot of early 80s influences like glam rock and stadium rock, with flourishes on synths and guitars.

[Adam] I think we’ll all agree that the 1975 is one for all of us. Just to go a little bit in left field, I also listen to a lot of softer and folk-influenced music than what we produce. Phoebe Bridgers has also been one of my favorite artists. Her songs are beautiful and lyrical, and also conversational in a way that is natural and very interesting, so I try to emulate that, as well, when I write.

[The rest of the band all seems to agree on Walk The Moon and 1975 as common threads, as well as Maroon 5 and interestingly, Oasis. They then proceed to make me feel old for being around during the height of Britpop – all in good fun :)]

But the writing process is still very collaborative, it will generally be Matt coming with the bones of an instrumental, maybe a verse and a chorus, and then if we are vibing with it, we’ll sit down in the basement where we do all our streams and figure out what the rest of the song ought to sound like.

Do you have a primary lyricist?

[Adam takes this one]: Vocals and lyrics are just me, and those are typically the last part of the process.

We’ll demo out an instrumental with no melody or vocals. That’ll be the final part we put on it.

Got it. So, you touched upon something that’s been affecting a lot of bands over the past year, specifically trying to work remotely while the world is…well, you know. Is the Logic thing still working for you guys? It’s almost like you were prepared for 2020, how’s that still going out for the band, creatively?

Because of the pandemic, we’ve actually gotten used to this new method, sending demos back and forth and finishing them in the room. When it comes to just having fun, the best way to do it is being in the same room together, and some of our

Sounds like you guys really gel on the stuff that’s influenced you, creatively. What’s cool is that it comes through in your sound but it’s not derivative. And it borrows a lot from that 80’s dance-pop that just makes you want to get up and move. We’ve got to talk about your rehearsal space and the ultimate hype-man, the inflatable wavy guy that you typically find on used car lots.

The place that you see on our Reddit streams and on our TikTok is where it all started, it’s the basement of one of our parent’s houses, and so when you see on all of our streams it says, ‘Live from my mom’s basement,’ that part is real.

goes back to the 70s and 80s. As far as the music that we make, we are sort of the big fish in the pond, it feels like.

Obviously there have been some acts like Bartees Strange, who’s blowing up right now…

We actually interview him for our last issue!

Very cool guy, I couldn’t begin to explain to someone who hasn’t heard him what his genre is.

In a good way [laughs] Anyway…while we have a ton of amazing venues in this area, they don’t tend to book locals for opening acts. And I think that has handicapped the local scene a little bit. Because you can’t just jump on a 9:30 [the club, not the time] bill and get some new fans. It’s a little complicated.

SPOTLIGHT

best songs have come that way. But, yeah, I’m not sure if we have a preference, really. I will say this: the new way gets us songs faster because we have more done by the time we hit the room.

Do you find yourselves wanting to get out of the local scene the, because it’s not as conducive to your success?

We’ve been trying to do that as much as possible.

We played the D.C./Virginia area for years and years and years. For a long time, we were just playing bars and beer festivals and things, because they were some of the only gigs we could get.

But getting on the road and playing other cities… that’s where it’s at. We bought this big tour van and trailer, so we can kind of go anywhere now. We were just in California last week. We do all the long drives—anywhere that we CAN play, we’d love to play there.

Follow on Instagram: @subradioband

But the ‘wacky guys?’ Oh man, those came in a while ago [laughs], then we retired them. Now they’re back for the Reddit streams, specifically.

I don’t know much about the scene in the D.C./Virginia area nowadays. What’s the state of local music down in your neck of the woods, just in case any of our readers might be thinking of touring through there at some point?

It’s always tricky to talk about because the scene is not really where our music is at in this area. The big thriving scenes are not the style of music we play [laughs]. There are massive amounts of hip-hop coming out of here all the time, and there is and has been a very good DIY and punk scene in DC. That

SUB-RADIO STANDOUT TRACK: “KING OF MY HEART”

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SPOTLIGHT

Redefining Their Process Through the Pandemic

Efterklang Danny Turner

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Dennis Morton

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SPOTLIGHT

C

hildhood school friends Casper Clausen, Mads Brauer and Rasmus Stolberg grew up on the tiny Danish island of Als, sharing their love of electronic and classical music. Now known as Efterklang, the collective has become renowned for its thought-provoking, spatial chamber pop, blending elegant acoustic instrumentation with abstract electronics.

Seeking to challenge themselves with each subsequent release, the pandemic forced the trio to redefine their recording methods. The title of their fifth studio album, Windflowers – a genus of breezy flower blossoms spread across the Danish forest floor, symbolises the sense of hope and change that has swept through the band members’ lives over the past 18 months.

Seeking refuge from the constant reminder of Covid’s invisible threat, the band took refuge

at RealFarm - a residential studio on the island of Mon, south of Copenhagen. Armed with up to 80 songs and demo sketches, the trio embarked on a creative journey that brought them closer together even as their lives grew apart, distilling their ideas into what has become their most concise, direct and dare we say, pop-oriented album to date.

Falling back on their experience of playing instruments and producing themselves, Efterklang reconnected with the playfulness and joy of making music together as they had done when first forming 17 years ago. We spoke to songwriter Mads Brauer about the band having to accept its limitations.

It’s mentioned that the new Efterklang album helped the group grow closer together.

How did you achieve that when the pandemic has forced most people apart?

We were working in a residential studio oneand-a-half hours south of Copenhagen where we could be together and isolate for periods of

“It’s always nice to record in a studio that’s isolated because you have fewer distractions from so many external directions.”

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time without any distractions. In cities you’re constantly reminded of all the things you cannot do and people are wearing masks, but in the country you can still go for a walk or take a swim in the ocean, so we weren’t affected in the same way.

It’s always nice to record in a studio that’s isolated because you have fewer distractions from so many external directions.

Did the disruption give you an opportunity to try something different with Windflowers?

It definitely affected the way we recorded and it’s clear that we had to look inside of ourselves rather than outside and get back to a more DIY approach. It was nice not to have to hire musicians, do everything as a band and see the strength in that. At first, we had so many songs that we didn’t really know what the album was. Usually, we work on just 10 or 12, but this time we were trying to finish almost 21 songs.

The album appears to have a more poporiented sound. Did you discuss its direction prior to recording it?

When everything was shut down, we were in the middle of a tour, so in April and May 2020 I started going into the studio without a goal to escape into music for a few hours and started making sketches, demos and songs. At the same time, Casper was in Lisbon doing the same and when we met again in the summer, we had around 80 musical ideas and began discussing what we

How fully formed were those early demos and sketches?

It varied. Casper’s demos tend to be little songs with minimal instrumentation and vocals, but the track Dragonfly, for example, was pretty close to the way it ended up. My songs might be a synthesizer loop or chord progression with some sounds and a little beat that’s quite open to interpretation. I’d often leave an idea and work on something new the next day, so I was never really attached to anything. I also shared a Dropbox account with Casper who would sometimes add a little vocal line on top of my instrumentation.

You retreated to a studio on the Danish island of Mon. How did you discover that and what did you find there?

Initially, we weren’t looking for a studio per se, we just wanted to get out of the city and go to a cottage, but a friend told us about RealFarm Studio and we fell in love with it as soon as we got there.

It’s a really nice spot in a very beautiful part of the country – an old farm that’s been turned into a studio/summer house with a homey, coastal vibe.

It’s got a nice big control room so you’re not sitting on each other’s necks.

There’s a grand piano and different instruments in the control room, similar to Berlin where we usually record in one big space together. There was a drum room and an organ on the first floor, so we had stations miked up and ready to go. I played some flute parts on the album, as did Casper, and I picked up the guitar for the first time in a long time and just made sounds rather than trying to play it nicely.

We started in June in the beautiful summer and came back in the early fall, late fall and the winter, where it gets quite windy.

Indeed, “Lady of The Rocks” stands out for its wintry atmosphere and seems to employ some quite interesting environmental sounds.

It was actually born out of an improvisation that we created in early January when we were joined by our live drummer Oyunn and Christian Balvig on piano. Initially, we wanted to re-track the song Hold Me Close When You Can but ended up creating this new track. I was processing drums through some effects that made swirly ocean sounds, but the rest was all played in one take and we added flute parts at the end before discovering that it fitted very nicely on the album after the original.

As a rule, does the band tend to rehash lots of previous ideas and turn them into something new?

We definitely bring stuff from the past to the present, but it tends not to cut it because it’s attached to a different period. This time, there was so much music that could go in different directions that we’ll definitely use some of it later.

After we did the masters, I actually went back into the studio and mixed five other songs that were already close to being finished, so they can potentially be released. I remember a time when you had to do a B-side and physical singles, or iTunes wanted an extra song, and we were always struggling to come up with ideas, but we were actually talking about turning Windflowers into a double album. In the end we decided to just distil the tracks down and focus on the very best ones.

Personally, I can’t listen to albums that are too long because I can never find the time.

Do you feel there is a general lack of tolerance from the consumer to listen to the album format?

Personally, I like the album format because it gives you the possibility to paint a broader picture that has a few different vibes, but it’s also great to listen to a good playlist and Efterklang has its own Spotify recommended playlist featuring music we like. It’s a bit all over the place, but right now I’m really into the new John Grant album, Mary Lattimore and Oliver Coates, which is beautiful stuff.

I always found parallels between your music and the British experimental pop band Talk Talk. Have they been influential?

Definitely, we’re all big fans. Laughing Stock and Spirit of Eden are some of the albums I keep going back to when I need a little peace of mind.

There’s also something similar about the method they used to make music, using the studio as a creative compositional tool where you set out to explore something but don’t know how it’s going to come back. We often try to paint pictures while knowing the limits of that aesthetic.

Did the band mix the album collectively?

That’s my territory, but this was the first time since our first album that I finished the mixing myself. Creating these sculptures meant we had to make a lot of decisions along the way compared to recording live band takes and overdubbing where you’re able to keep everything unmixed. When an album’s premixed and you have a strong vision of where it’s heading, it’s more difficult for someone else to come in and take control. But I love mixing and find it fun because you can put a different hat on.

SPOTLIGHT

were attracted to collectively. Having a pool of so much music was a way for us to start exploring things in different ways, so there are definitely songs on this album that are more pop-oriented than Altid Sammen or Piramida.

What can you tell us about Efterklang Developed, which I understand is designed to enable you to collaborate with fans of your music?

On our last tour we had a local fan-based choir come on stage and sing a few songs with us, which sparked the idea of reaching out to local communities and creating something together.

We’ve always had a strong wish to interact with our audience, so we’ve asked people to listen to a new song and react by taking pictures as they’re listening, then we’re going to release a music video with the pictures set to that song. Next time, we’re thinking of doing the same with words, sound or video. We’ve always worked with sampling, so the ultimate dream would be to add lots of audio parts from our audience.

Follow on Instagram: @efterklang

For the track “Abent Sar” you worked with Axel Willner of The Field. Why was he brought on board?

We wanted to create a dramatic change with that song and make something more electronic and upbeat, but it felt like we were trying to do something we weren’t really good at. We discussed adding real drums but thought it was better to give it to a producer and keep an eye on it. We’d been big fans of Axel, so we asked him to have a go and were really enthusiastic after hearing his first attempt, then we ping-ponged it long distance via Skype and added some soundscapes and flute parts at the end.

EFTERKLANG WINDFLOWERS STANDOUT TRACK: “HOLD ME CLOSE WHEN YOU CAN”

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SPOTLIGHT 36 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

SPOTLIGHT

“I’ll Sing Myself Back” Vincent Scarpa

Cameron McCool

An Interview with Suzanne Santo

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SPOTLIGHT

“I realized that I needed to have songs ready for when I got off the road, so I wrote in hotel rooms, on the bus, in back stages, and in parks — anywhere I could.”

S

uzanne Santo couldn’t sleep. She’d tried everything one tries to bring about sleep when it is elusive, when it won’t come, and had no luck. What she could do, however, was write about it, write it out. Thus, came into being “Bad Beast,” the lead single on Santo’s second record, Yard Sale, out this August.

“There’s a bad beast living in me/chaining me up then setting me free/so he can do it over and over again,” Santo sings, and it’s as powerful a manifestation of insomnia as you’re likely to hear. Santo isolates what is so maddening about insomnia, which is that it’s a loss of one’s agency; one is animated, calibrated, played by this other force, which is indeed beastly.

Insomnia is also a state of longing, in the

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most natural sense, a longing for sleep, which is also a longing for disruption of the story. It is intolerable to forever be enmeshed with the plot, to feel oneself being passed through with narrative, to feel oneself being asked to hold, to remember. Sleep is a reprieve from the daily task of meaning-making, of being asked to confront and understand a process that can only ever be incomplete, if not incoherent. All of this Santo captures impeccably in “Bad Beast,” but her interest in longing as a state of being doesn’t stop there. We spoke by phone recently to discuss this new record, which is a triumph in every sense of the word; a piece of auto-cartography that illuminates and showcases Santo’s nearly sadistic brilliance.

I’m curious about how you conceived of Yard Sale, top to bottom. Maybe the title is a good place to start, and we can branch out

Well, most of them were written — were gestating — when I was on tour with Hozier.

I realized that I needed to have songs ready for when I got off the road, so I wrote in hotel rooms, on the bus, in back stages, and in parks — anywhere I could. I bought this little acoustic nylon-stringed guitar in Brussels because I desperately needed something to carry around that I could write on. It was probably double the price of what you could get it for in the States, but I just needed it so badly! I wrote a lot in travel, in transit, in a really cool but incredibly exhausting tour. So, Yard Sale has a lot of different meanings for me. It’s really an unpacking of sorts, unpacking the last couple of years. There’s really something for everybody in it. I grew up going to yard sales with my grandma and my mom and you know, you’d always find these gems and trinkets that were seemingly meant for you. Then there’s also that term where if a lady accidentally dumps her purse out and there’s shit everywhere, everyone yells, “Yard sale!” And that kind of feels like what I did — I dumped all my shit out.

Did you also sort of feel like you were in transit as a person when these songs were coming out? I know you were literally, but I’m wondering if you were figuratively, too.

I mean, I feel like I’m always in transit, just learning and evolving and searching for joy, the good things. I was definitely going through some major life changes then. And I was also going from where I was as a musician and a place I’m really proud of to have achieved to world stages with a top-level artist who sells out every venue he plays. Energetically speaking, it was a tsunami of energy, and I’m still standing, so I did something right, I guess. But yes, a lot of transition.

The press release — which I know you don’t necessarily have complete control over, of course — says this is “an album inspired by the past, written by an artist who’s only interested in the here-and-now.”

I wonder if you can talk a bit about that, if that rings true. Is it a former self that wrote these lyrics? Or is it a present-tense self looking back in retrospect at a previous version of a lived life?

Well, I mean, it’s all one and the same, tapping into previous experiences and programs, if you will, and being able to express them clearly and honestly. I can do that in my here and now, but when I was in it and in that life, my emotions were right at the surface, and my necessity to create from that place was almost unavoidable.

It’s really interesting because I used to be a little precious about writing — Oh, I need to be home alone, I need my doors closed, I need to light a

candle, that kind of stuff — but then the muse, or whatever you want to call it, didn’t give me that luxury. I needed to write anytime, anywhere — on cocktail napkins, in my journal, and so on.

way, in that it isn’t a common sense job — you just do it. That’s where I’m at with that, and for myself I have to believe there’s an alleviating element to this all at some point.

We sometimes limit ourselves with our idea of how things are “supposed to be” and, turns out, I can write a great song just sitting on a park bench. This record has a lot of echoes from my childhood, in ways that were really emotional and informative, and I really recognized that seminal moments in our lives when we’re adolescents and our exposure to energy — whether it be dark or light or the multitude of emotions and energies we can experience — they can really shape your whole life. I’m always fascinated by what makes us tick, and how we relate to one another, intimately or otherwise. I have a lot of gratitude for that self-discovery.

You say, “I’ve gotten good at knowing what I need to keep holding onto and what I don’t,” which strikes me as a really enlightened place — does it feel that way now? Maybe that’s the voice in “Save for Love,” who believes it’s love — precisely — that will provide shelter for the singer, that will “hold it all together.” Maybe that’s the voice in “Since I’ve Had Your Love,” for whom love has brought into the detail the entirety of the world. Does that sound accurate?

I’d really love to talk about “Bad Beast,” a song I just can’t get enough of, and about insomnia. How did that song come to be?

I would plead out loud, “Please let me sleep, please, please!” I’d just ask for it, from whoever.

I’m not a masochist or anything and I don’t want to suffer but I do recognize that there’s some creative side of the brain that is activated when I’m not sleeping. That said, I felt like a slave to it; it dictated everything. I’d wake up and just start crying, and it’d be the second week of just not sleeping. It’s gotten a little better, lately — not 100% right now, it’s an intense time — but I think that my quality of life is incredibly altered by it.

But it also made me realize how tough I am, that I got through my days and even tours and shows and not have slept for weeks. And that’s sort of what “Bad Beast” is about. I was at the end of my rope, and just so, so indescribably exhausted, and it just came out in like two sittings.

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from there? How and where did these songs come into being?

Definitely, it does. The real bedrock of that sentiment is the love I have for myself, and anyone who really has that in their grasp can maintain so much more in their lives, is what I’ve learned. The minute that starts to waver or is questioned is when things are out of balance.

I think that when you have that for yourself, first and foremost, and then you’re able to give it to other people accordingly, and receive it accordingly, it’s some really powerful stuff. The love I was able to generate for myself during this pandemic is something I never really had before, and it’s changed my life in a really beautiful way.

Follow on Instagram: @soozanto

It strikes me that writing of and through states of longing are really where you hit pay dirt as a songwriter, both on Ruby Red and on this new record. I think about a song like “Common Sense,” which is just imbued with longing and a simultaneous knowledge that what the singer is longing for is probably illusory or forever out of reach. What is it about longing that has been generative for you as an artist?

You know, I’m such an optimist, so I don’t like to believe in any kind of finality of failure.

“Common Sense” is a recognition of the ramifications of some sacrifices we make for the things that we love, whether it be a calling, or family, or a career; it’s about the balance or imbalance of those choices. But it didn’t ever stop me from playing music, knowing that my life was going to be hard in so many different ways — intimately, financially, physically, all that.

“Where’s my common sense?” is cheeky in that

SUZANNE SANTO YARD SALE STANDOUT TRACK: “MERCY”

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GEAR REVIEWS

W

hen we recently reviewed the new MPC One from Akai, we instantly fell in love. Here’s a snippet, in case you missed it:

“If you want a piece of gear that can serve as the centerpiece of your beat-making production hub, this could be your gateway drug, no questions.

And if you need a few more perks, like phono inputs or a battery for true mobile production, check out the MPC Live II. But we think the MPC One hits the sweet spot for those getting into programmed drums, sampling, and backing tracks. We even think it might be a killer DAW replacement for solo artists – which we’ll cover more in-depth in a future column.”

And that brings us up to speed. If you’re a singer/songwriter and have never even heard of the MPC, let alone touched a sampler or drum pads before, no worries. This isn’t your grandfather’s MPC. Today’s units (we’ll focus on the MPC One as it’s the most budget-friendly) all have touch interfaces and tactile controls that’ll come to you intuitively if you’ve ever used a smartphone or tablet before.

So why are we recommending a product that’s almost been exclusively used for hip-hop production and DJ booths the past 30 years?

Well, because what producers and DJs have come to learn since 1987 is that the MPC workflow is like none other, and that, while it’s traditionally been a sampler and drum machine mainstay, that workflow can actually be adapted by pop and rock songwriters looking for a way to break free of their current trappings.

Need some inspiration to get over that case of writer’s block? Let’s explore.

A DAW REPLACEMENT FOR DEMOS AND SONG IDEAS Akai won’t come out and say it, but we will. The MPC is and can be a standalone DAW machine (not maschine, get it?), flat out. And one of the reasons we champion its use by singers, songwriters and those just wanting to quickly demo track is because you can start laying your tracks down right away, and leave the distractions

of your PC and Mac behind. No more email dings, social media updates, someone going live on Instagram, it’s all gone. Unplug from the world and let your creativity flow.

It may take a few minutes to get used to, but once you’ve got the workflow down, you’ll realize what MPC-heads call sequences are just tracks, and that with the touch of a finger, you can start layering vocal samples, horn hits, programming drumbeats using the industry-standard pad inputs, and even start throwing in some samples or synth chords playable at the touch of a pad, in real-time, any time.

We’ve built entire songs using the standalone MPC One, and it was a breath of fresh air. The terminology is simple once you know the jargon: programs are just a sound source like drums or sample-based keys, and sequences are the basic building blocks of your songs, which can contain samples, synths, recorded instruments, drum programs, MIDI programs, key programs, etc.

EXPLORE SAMPLING AND LAYERING FOR CREATIVE INSPIRATION As songwriters, it’s often hard to come up with something new that hasn’t been done. And while many focus on lyrics as their primary source of inspiration, don’t neglect the sonics.

With an MPC you can easily sample ANYTHING and map it across the pads to play across chromatic or scale-based pitch patterns. So yes, while traditional sample takes drum breaks, horn stabs and the like, you can sample the sound of your kitchen faucet, map it across the pads, and add some interesting textures to an otherwise bog-standard sounding track. Try it.

With the MPC, you can also layer until your heart’s content, just like the DAW you might be used to. While hip-hop producers typically utilize this to create short 2 or 4 beat patterns or bars to rap over as the basis of their tracks, you can get as creative as you want and there’s nothing to say you can’t create sequences that contain verse, chorus and bridge ideas, then try linking them together as full songs.

Use the MPC’s capabilities as creative fuel and try new things. You might just find “playing”

the sound of an electric pencil sharpener is just the thing your backing track needs to sound unique (ask us how we know).

LEARN HOW FINGER DRUMS CAN SPICE UP YOUR TRACKS One of the main attractions to any MPC, from vintage to entry-level to fully-loaded, is the drum pads and iconic grid layout. There’s a reason that finger drummers on YouTube and TikTok make jaws drop with these things. They feel great, offer velocity sensitivity for dynamics and with even the built-in drum programs can have you creating unique rhythm tracks that would be impossible on acoustic drums (not to mention, most folks don’t have a drum set hanging around).

You can load your own custom drum kits from the samples built right in or explore the Akai website for more unique sounding kits to download. Again, the real magic is all created in a standalone piece of hardware; you can leave the PC behind to start creating once you’ve found samples if you want to explore add-on packs (you don’t need to, just an option).

Either way, just start playing away. Learn where the snare and hi-hats are typically located, where the bass drum sits and come up with a basic beat. Now add to it, now play it harder and softer. After a few minutes, you won’t want to put it down. Today’s samples sound amazing and can fool even the most experienced listeners into thinking that well-programmed drums were played live. I still can’t tell if the Strokes really have a drummer or if they’ve been punking us for 20 years.

Color coding certainly makes things easy on the beginner, so start to learn how the colors change underneath the grid and what sounds are associated with each pad. It’s not as intimidating as it looks, and you might surprise yourself with the amazing new rhythm tracks you’ve added to your demos.

ADD NEW SOUNDS TO YOUR EXISTING TONE PALETTE One of our favorite recommendations is something that doesn’t get nearly enough

4 Reasons Singer/S Should Consider an 40 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

GEAR REVIEWS

/Songwriters n MPC. Yes, an MPC. Benjamin Ricci

PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 41

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GEAR REVIEWS attention. Yes, there are key programs built into the MPC that will enable you to perform cool sampled instruments using the pads (we love the Rhodes electric pianos and organs, especially).

And yes, it’s awesome that you can lay out the pads to play in scale mode or chord mode to enable easy melodic playing, chord changes and other harmonies.

But the hidden gem? The real juice? You can sample your favorite hardware synthesizers automatically and map them chromatically across the grid. Take your favorite synthesizers with you wherever you go and start playing,

without the big bulky keyboards! Got a friend with a Jupiter 8? Yeah, you’re never gonna afford it. Now you don’t have to. Add lush synths to your song by using the auto-sampler and get ANY outboard synth ONboard in seconds.

I’d love to own an original Minimoog for basslines and leads. Now I can dial in patches I love using a friend’s Moog, autosample them, adjust the scale (let’s say I only want to play pentatonic notes) and rip away anytime, anywhere. It works incredibly well (we were dubious) and opens up your sound library to the entire sonic pallet the world has to offer.

While this hasn’t been an in-depth exploration of all the MPC has to offer (we’ve barely scratched the surface), we hope it’s maybe sparked something inside you to explore further, even if it’s just the curiosity to try out new bits of hardware to assist in your writing process. Hardware that may not have been on your radar before, but which offers up some unique and inspiring solutions to the monotony of doings things the way you (and your peers) have always done them.

For more information, please visit https://www.akaipro.com/mpc-one PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 43

GEAR REVIEWS

IK MULTIMEDIA UNO Synth Pro (Keys Edition)

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few years back, we hailed the UNO Synth as one of the best options for those dipping their toes in the synth waters.

That little desktop monosynth had a killer filter, had an easy-to-operate interface with sequencer and arpeggiator and sounded MASSIVE. All that bundled in a tiny footprint that would only set you back about $199.

Now, the folks at IK Multimedia have unleashed the PRO edition in two flavors, a desktop module (nothing personal IK, but we’re on module overload with the slew of releases from Behringer lately) and of course, the 37key version. We chose this not only because of module burn-out, but also because it’s just more fun to interact with an instrument without having to control it externally. That said, we did of course have fun riffing on the UNO Pro using our PreSonus Atom controller over MIDI. Anyway, what makes this ‘Pro’? Well, the keys, of course, don’t hurt. And they feel pretty fine. Not amazing, but not cheap. And thankfully, they’re not teeny-weeny mini keys.

Add to that an additional oscillator (you’re now up to three) and a new multi-mode filter, and that kind of would have been enough.

Adding an extra oscillator means you can now beef up the sound even more (bass lines are AWESOME on this thing with a little detuning) and it also means that IK has enabled you to

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perform paraphonically now. While we would have LOVED a true polyphonic synth at this price point, we’ll take what we can get. And playing paraphonically reminds us to dig into our old bag of Arp Odyssey tricks every now and again.

The sequencer and arpeggiator are still rock solid, and the build quality is nice, as well. Again, I don’t know why but we were expecting it to feel a bit cheaper. But it doesn’t, not in person.

The menu and tactile controls will be familiar to anyone who’s fiddled with the Uno Synth or Uno Drum before, but even newcomers will be thankful that the learning curve is incredibly short. Most functions have a dedicated button and/or corresponding knob, and dialing in your parameters to, say, alter the modulation, is as simple as anything you’ve likely encountered before. The mod matrix is actually deceptively complex (that means it’s easy to use but can accommodate even the wildest modulations you can dream up), and the added effects are a nice touch (especially the overdrive, which is well implemented).

If you’re looking for something unique that won’t break the band, and Behringer’s clone army isn’t your thing, the new Pro version of the UNO synth is well worth a look. It’s priced right, it sounds great, it’s simple when you just want to rip, and complex when you want more involved soundscape possibilities. Highly recommended.

Benjamin Ricci

PROS

Easy to use, affordable, sounds huge, tons of sonic versatility.

CONS

needs full polyphony STREET PRICE

$649

GEAR REVIEWS

A

s musicians, the most important piece of gear is our ears, and yet we seem to skip over this aspect quite a bit. Minuendo’s lossless earplugs bring some interesting concepts in hearing protection.

These aren’t just the squishy, jam-it-in-theear type deal, in fact they look more like a set of earbuds for IEM’s. Each earpiece has a slider that allows adjustable noise reduction from -7dB to -25dB. These are passive, but also sport magnets on the outside, and clasp together, so you don’t lose one. A lanyard is also included and can hang around in a necklace type fashion for easy access.

For better storage a small and rigid zippered pouch is also included.

The big thing on keeping outside noise out is getting a good seal around the skin. This is true in IEMs, but we haven’t seen an earplug offer up this type of protection. Included in the kit is an amazing selection of silicone and foam earpieces that attach for a perfect fit, as well as a carrying case.

Putting them to use, they certainly do offer up

MINUENDO Lossless Earplugs adjustable noise level responses. We tried these out against a nearby construction site, as well as a live music venue, and they do the trick nicely.

The ability to dial back the noise filtering, and not have to pull out an earpiece to talk to someone when the noise isn’t an issue, was a welcome function, and depending upon where you are in a venue, you might not want or need maximum filtering, but still want some protection.

The overall sound quality is quite nice, and doesn’t feel muffled, but there is a bit of top end that seems to be missing, but nothing that takes away from the experience. They are certainly well above any squishy foam version, and above the standard set of upgraded versions that usually reside on a keychain.

The big kicker is the big price. At $169 they are not cheap, and the adjustability factor aside, that’s a big difference from a set of rubber units or the simple foam ones. We’ve lost a lot of ear plugs at concerts and practice, and it’s no big deal, but losing one of these can be a big hit on the wallet.

Chris Devine

PROS

comfortable, adjustable, compact CONS

a tad pricey STREET PRICE

$169

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GEAR REVIEWS

BOSS CUBE Street II Battery Powered Combo Amp

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locking in at 10 watts, the two 6.5” speakers are nicely paired, and as far as overall volume goes, this is perfect for street/subway performance or a small room situation. At high volume levels, there’s plenty of clarity and headroom, however if it’s running off of eight AA batteries, it might affect the longevity of the battery life. However, there is an ECO mode that drops the battery draw for longer performance time, at a reduced volume.

A power supply is included as well, allowing the use of standard AC power. The angled design of the enclosure is enough to project sound to an audience, as well as act as a monitor if placed behind or in front of the performer, without the sound filtering through a vocal mic, and creating unwanted feedback.

The guitar side is pretty packed, with various amp variants -- three for an acoustic guitar, and four options for electric guitar, as well as an option to connect a microphone/transducer. A three band EQ, volume, reverb, as well as a combo chorus/delay functionality is available for tonal shaping and processing. The clean tones are quite nice, especially with single coils. It won’t outdeluxe your Fender black panel, but the distorted and overdrive sounds are passible across the board.

For acoustic players there are three modes, basically with three preset EQ curves for either normal, wide, or bright sounds. These make sense to allow a player to quickly tune the amp to their instrument. There is an Acoustic Sim mode, allowing guitar players to plug in an electric guitar and get acoustic sounds. This was the only guitar sound that was ‘meh.’ We tried single coils, humbuckers, and it’s just not cutting it. The clean amp sound had far more dynamics and fullness.

Using a real acoustic brought better results; plugging in our PRS SE acoustic, it sounded great, and we preferred the wide setting option to add 46 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 PERFORMER MAGAZINE

some extra bottom end.

On the Microphone/instrument side of things, signal input is done via a combo jack, and has a selector for either a mic or instrument level. With a 3-band EQ, volume and reverb there’s plenty of control over overall sound and ambience.

Singers will appreciate the harmony feature, allowing the user to add in unison, as well as additional voices from 3rds, 4ths, 5ths & 6ths.

The source key can be set manually or adjusted incrementally. It won’t land you in Beach Boys territory, but can help expand a singer’s range. It stops short of being un-natural and synthetic, it’s more of an enhancement. The Harmony function can also be controlled by an external footswitch.

Looping has been perfected by Boss, and there’s one included in the unit. Press the record button, and it’s ready to go. When it hears the first bit of audio, it starts recording, allowing for hands (and feet) free operation.

Boss also has an app for managing the amp via a smartphone, covering features not on the amp’s panel such as noise suppression on both inputs.

The reverb options open up a lot more on the mic/ XLR side, with access to Plate, Room & Hall types, and the harmony section covers chorus, phaser, flanger, tremolo and touch wah, and allows more options on the harmony selections.

Overall, it’s quite a potent, yet lightweight allin-one sound system that is easy to use, and has useful extras such as the harmony and looping functions built in. The big issue is to get the most out of those extra features requires a few extra purchases, as the Bluetooth adapter is $50, not to mention a pair of footswitches for full looping and harmony control.

Chris Devine

PROS

All in one, good guitar sounds, looper, harmony functions, excellent app management.

CONS

players might need additional footswitches to fully utilize looping and harmony functions.

Acoustic sim for electric is meh.

STREET PRICE

$349

GEAR REVIEWS

OMNICHARGE Omni 20+ and Omni Ultimate Power Banks

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f you’re a creator on-the-go, power is always a concern. With all of our devices running off of rechargeable batteries, making sure you don’t run out of juice when you need it is a big deal. Portable battery solutions are a must, and Omni charge has two offerings: the Omni 20+ and The Omni Ultimate.

PROS

Plenty of power options on both units, rugged design(s).

CONS

None STREET PRICE

Omni Ultimate: $399 Omni 20+: $199

Starting off with the Omni 20+, it’s a slim unit, covered in a rubberized material, and has two USB-A connections on the front panel, along with a small but easy to read menu display, function controls and power button. On the left side is a standard three prong power outlet, while the other side has a 2.1MM DC power connection that works as a charging connection or power output, and a USB-C connection, that also works to charge the unit itself or provide power to a USB-C device. For added convenience, it can also do wireless charging for a smartphone, by placing the phone on the unit.

It’s not a dummy brick like unit, with the menu allowing the user to adjust the DC connection to power 5V-25V, as well as controlling the input and output voltages of the other connections.

This makes having to bring multiple wall wart adapters a thing of the past. Set it to 9V and it can run a guitar pedal (more if you have a daisy chain cable), and there’s no cross talk or grounding issues, as the battery is an isolated power source.

Plugging the unit in, it took 3 hours to fully charge but while it’s charging, it also acts as a pass through and can allow other items to be charged at the same time. A single charge can give a laptop roughly a single full charge, 1-2 full

charges to a tablet or a drone, 5 charges to a DSLR camera battery or a smartphone, and 10 charges to a GoPro. Nice.

If you need more power, and options on the Omni Ultimate have any creator covered. It has a similar functionality menu as the 20+ and has a DC input as well as a three-prong power outlet on the left side, while the right has two USB-A and a USB-C Connection and a DC output for the included power supply to charge the unit.

The rear mounted battery is also detachable, meaning if you happen to have a spare, they can be swapped out, and recharged.

Again, the menu can be accessed and adjust the various outputs as needed for the devices connected, making this a very adjustable unit, and eliminates the need to bring multiple power supplies and dedicated chargers.

OK, but why get a power bank? If you’re on the go, certainly you remembered to charge everything before you left, right? And there are always plugs at airports or on a train you can access, right? We all know those statements only ring true in a perfect world. With either of these units, you can easily charge other items, while they’re not in use, such as on the way to the gig.

For camera professionals who often travel to assignments, and can’t find a plug that’s not being used, this can solve a lot of those amateurish oversights.

It’s a professional solution for a lot of issues that could potentially stop you in your tracks.

Chris Devine PERFORMER MAGAZINE AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 47

FLASHBACK

Ed. note -- now that Prophet-5 and Prophet-10’s are back in production after four decades, it’s fun to go back in time and see how the original instruments were marketed in print advertisting.

Today’s ads could use more wizards...

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