winter - A Sound Strategy, Inc.

No. 44 April 2007
www.iLiveToPlay.net
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Features
16 Rock the Boat
The coolest gig—and hottest promo opportunity—
on the 7 Seas.
20 Winter NAMM 2007
The SAM staff finds the gems in a giant pile of
guitars, amps, mics, speakers, recorders,
mixers, keyboards, accessories and…
28 Buyer’s Guide
What “stompboxes” do and what to
look for when buying one.
30 Now Playing on iRadio
Check out the new look of the iLTP
Web Site - www.iLiveToPlay.net.
Published by
Dayspring Communication Group, LLC
PUBLISHER
Robert A. Lindquist
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Bill Evans
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Dan Walsh
OFFICE MANAGER
Jacque Rhodes
ARTIST LIAISON
Jake Kelly
Director of Sales & Marketing
Robert Lindquist
Art Director, Production
Linda Evans, Evans Design
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS
Priscilla DiLallo
Erin Evans
Tech Stuff
12 Live Sound 101- Gain Structure
Even something golden on the
input will sound crappy in the
speakers if you do not follow
some simple rules. Welcome to
the world of Gain Structure.
24 24/7 Studio - Mixing With A Mouse
Mixing with a mouse sucks. Here is
how you can make it suck less.
32 Gear Reviews
Peavey Kosmos V2 System Enhancer,
TC Electronic C300 Compressor,
Primera Bravo SE Disc Publisher
Columns
9 On the Road
How to make the most of a radio appearance.
10 In the Trenches
To get more press, make the editor’s job easier.
42 My Back Page
Jake’s mom digs the Beatles. Fifty-Cent, not so
much…
Singer&Musician University
HOW TO REACH
SINGER&Musician
For subscriptions, change of address or back issues, contact us at:
Singer&Musician
P.O. Box 10
Naples, NY 14512-0010
Web: www.
ILivetoPlay.net
Departments
CIRCULATION
Elizabeth Edwards
Barbara Lindquist
• Deconstructing “Dirty Little Secret”
by All American Rejects
• Breck Alan - “Ask The Coach”
• Richard Gilewitz - Doing Music Seminars
• Lis Lewis - “Ask Lis”
• Ocea - Stay Well / Play Well
onthecover
Last year’s Rock Boat breakout artists, Wideawake, play the
popular Lido Deck Stage during Rock Boat VII cruise.
See this issue’s cover story on page 16.
This page: Stomp Box Buyer’s Guide on page 28.
Photo illustrations by Erin Evans, Evans Design.
6 Set List
34 Product Spotlight
40 Singer&Musician’s
Mall Classifieds
40 Advertiser’s Index
Letters,
comments,&
editorial suggestions:
revbill@ILivetoPlay.
net
Proud Member of:
• Folk Alliance • NAMM • IAJE
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Subscriptions outside US
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Copyright © 2007. All rights
reserved. Reproduction of copy,
photography, or artwork prohibited
without permission of the publisher.
All advertising material subject to
publisher’s approval.
Contain Yourself
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the mix. Combine this with MG’s other performance-enhanced features and it’s
hard to resist a visit to your local Yamaha Live Sound dealer for closer examination.
©2007 Yamaha Corporation of America www.yamaha.com
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• Digital Multi-Effects (MG82CX/MG124CX)
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setl i s t
All Aboard
By Bill Evans
I
n this day of electronic communication
we all have friends who we have never
met in person. For me, one of those
virtual buddies has been a publicist from
Atlanta by the name of Paula Donner.
I “met” her back when she was working for Capricorn Records
and I was editing GIG. She turned me on to some great music and we
worked together on a bunch of stories (in fact, she’s the person who
introduced us to Angie Aparo who graced the cover of our October ’06
issue). When I got shown the door by the publishers of GIG, she was
one of the first people I called to let know I was a free agent. She did like
wise when Capricorn folded. But we had never actually met in person.
A year ago, she called with a great opportunity to cover something
called the Rock Boat. All I had to do was get a writer to Galveston, TX
and they would take it from there. We tried, but it was too short notice
to find someone who could take four days away from other activities to
do this—even though it meant a free cruise. I promised Paula then that
we would find a way to do it in January of 2007.
This time we started talking in September and did a couple of
preview things for my day gig magazine, FOH, but it was still touch
and go right up until a couple of weeks out as to whether (between
production of four magazines and all the other craziness of life) we
were going to be able to pull it off. Truth is that I (as a diver) became
determined when I found out that the one port of call for the Rock Boat
would be Grand Turk in the Caribbean—a primo diving location where
I had never had the opportunity to get wet.
So we went and a small part of our experience—emphasis on
small—is to be found in the pages of this issue. But as Paula told me
early on, “Until you go you can’t understand it and once you’ve been
you can’t explain it.” She was right.
The closest I can come is to say it is maybe the perfect meeting of
fans and artists. Take something like Folk Alliance or SxSW and take
all of the business BS out of it and you might have a glimpse of how
cool it is. Turns out it wasn’t much of a vacation. We actually worked
our butts off most of the time. We were checking out shows, shooting
pics, and doing interviews. My wife—and your intrepid art director for
Josh Kelly and Friends in a late-night jam in the Firebird Lounge.
s i nger&musician
April
2007
Load-in is a little
different on a boat.
Singer&Musician—shot nearly 800 pics, which is
quite a feat when your subject matter is in constant
unpredictable motion. But where else can you go
to see hip indie rockers standing around a piano
singing “Don’t Stop Believing” or “Jessie’s Girl”
with their fans at 2 AM?
We loved everything about the Rock Boat—the
bands, the fans, the crew (one of the best I have had
the pleasure to be around) but most of all the very
real feeling of family onboard. As we were coming
to the end of the journey—and it didn’t matter if
we were sitting at a table getting a quick bite to
eat, in an elevator moving between places we were
supposed to be or at a show—the phrase we heard
most often was “See you next year.” And it’s not just
an affectation because the Rock Boat has a return
rate of better than 70%.
And on top of all that I finally got to meet
Paula who, once again turned me on to some great
music. I know Sister Hazel and a couple of others
but a few—like Five Star Iris out of Atlanta—have
the potential to be huge. Some things you can just
count on be it in cyberspace or, finally, in person.
Thanks, Paula. sm
con t r i b ut o r s
I
have been involved
in what we in the
publishing biz call
“niche” magazines for
closing in on 20 years.
It’s a joy and I love what I
do—most days—but wanted
to give you a look at some
of the realities so you can
really appreciate what
the folks who contribute
to Singer&Musican and
iLivetoPlay.net are doing.
The important thing to remember is
that every single person who contributes to
Singer&Musician is involved in making music on
some level. People like Mike Aiken and Richard
Gilewitz are on the road all the time doing
concerts and clinics. Phil Parlapiano is a fixture
on the roots music scene, plays with several wellknown bands and did stints with both Grant Lee
Buffalo and John Prine. They are busy and super
talented and we pay them not nearly enough.
They do this because they love it and we are
fortunate to have them as part of the team. Ditto
all of our other regulars—Lis Lewis, Breck Allan,
Lisa Popiel, Mark Baxter, John Sollenberger and
some new folks who you will be meeting in the
coming months.
Jake Kelly… Let me tell you a story about
Jake. We met in college. He gave me the Rev.
Bill nickname and started the Soul Believers (the
band I still front—in fact I did a three set gig at the
Cannery Casino in North Las Vegas just last night)
with me in ’84. He was supposed to be the best
man at my wedding but I got a call at 1 AM about
a month before the big event. Jake was calling
to tell me that he had auditioned for a country
band (his real passion) and had gotten the gig.
When I told him how great
I thought that was he told
me they were going on the road. And they were
leaving in two days. He missed the wedding and
was on the road for most of the next 20 years.
He was the absolute driving force behind the
scenes of country heartthrob Gary Allan getting
his deal and played with Gary for the next 14
years. He took that boy from the house band at a
little bar in Downey, CA called the Lion D’Or to
tours opening for the likes of Brooks and Dunn,
Dwight Yokum and Rascal Flatts.
You have met Jake before but now you need
to meet him in a brand new role. Jake has come
off the road. He is still playing and recording—
he has three solos albums available—the only
difference is that his family gets to see him a
bit more these days. As part of that transition,
Jake has taken on the role of Artist Liaison/Head
Evangelist for Singer&Musician and iLivetoPlay.
net. Jake is uniquely qualified for this job having
worked both sides of the music biz fence—
working for a major label artist on big tours plus
recording and releasing his own material at the
same time.
You’re sure to see him around at the trade
show/music conference circuit. Talk to him—he
only bites if you ask him to—and let him know
what the iLiveToPlay Network can do for you.
That’s what this is all about. - Bill Evans
Now here’s a new guy…
Steve LaCerra
Live Sound 101
Gain Structure
Steve La Cerra is a freelance music
producer, engineer and composer
based in the NYC area. He is currently
the front of house engineer and tour
manager for Blue Öyster Cult, and has
worked live or in the studio with Firehouse, Joe Jackson, Kristine Sa, Patty
Smyth and Scandal, Kast One, Dagger,
and Danny Rodriguez. He recently
completed co-producing the debut CD
from Ernest Buckley, to be released
later this year. Steve is the Sound Reinforcement Editor for Mix Magazine
and as well as a columnist for Front
Of House. Steve has released two
solo CD’s for North America Music:
One Step At At Time and Flight, and is
working on a third to be released next
year. His music is being used in the
“New Jersey Fishing Show,” currently
aired on CN8.
Phil Parlapiano
Phil Parlapiano is a multi-instrumentalist composer who has worked with
Grammy award winners John Prine, Rod Stewart, Tracy Chapman, Lucinda
Williams and many others. The idea of Deconstructing a Hit is not just to
show you how to play someone else’s song. The hope is that, by “deconstructing” the work of other writers, you will find ways to advance and vary
your own writing. For more info, visit Phil’s website:
www.parlapiano.com.
Lisa Popeil
Lisa Popeil, MFA in Voice, singing expert, one of the top voice
coaches in Los Angeles, a vocal researcher, the creator of The Total
Singer available on both VHS and DVD, and the Voiceworks Method.
Visit www.popeil.com.
s i nger&musician
April
2007
on t he ro a d
The Road To Radio
- Part 2
L
By Mike Aiken
ast time, I talked about
the merits and value
of setting up radio
interviews. Let’s assume
you’ve booked the interview.
Now what? How do you
prepare to make the most out
of your time at the station?
I remember my first radio interview vividly
for all the mistakes I made. I was very nervous—
in awe of the legendary DJ—and didn’t know
what to expect. Twenty minutes on the air
seemed like it would be a long time. Naively,
I thought the DJ would make me sound good,
asking me the right questions and leading me
along. I patiently waited for the DJ to bring up
the facts that I wanted to get across. He never
did. Instead he talked about his old car, other
bands he liked and what a great DJ he was.
After twenty minutes I was thanked for a great
interview and escorted out of the studio. I left
dazed. I never mentioned my Web site, the gig
I was about to play or my story. I played two
songs—poorly. Was it the DJs fault? No. I was
unprepared and it wasn’t going to happen again.
Here’s how I go about it now.
Write out what you want
to say ahead of time!!
Write large and legibly
so if you’re flustered or
rushed you can see your
notes easily.
What to bring?
Everything you need!
I’ve put together a radio kit including:
• A power strip so you only need one plug.
• Headphones and extension cables so you
can hear yourself on the air (for monitors).
• Small headphone amp i.e. 1 in/4 out with
separate volume. Many stations will only
have one headphone jack for the DJ. You
can get an amp like this for $60-80 and
use it in your home studio too.
• Necessary cords, tuners, DIs etc. Expect not
to have a direct input for your guitar.
• Water, tea etc. If you don’t expect much,
anything you find will be a treat.
• Swag for the DJ – of course your latest CD,
maybe a shirt, stickers, baked goods,
something that says you appreciate their
efforts. You want them to remember you
fondly when you are gone.
• Camera so you can post photos online and
share them with the DJ.
Perhaps the strangest radio show I did
was one where I set it up to have 3 players,
thinking this would give the DJ time to allow
for additional instruments, vocals etc. When
we arrived there was 1 mic, no direct and no
monitor or headphone feed. But the DJ was very
cool, we rolled with it and rocked!
What to do.
• Be on time.
• Be appreciative. They didn’t have to have
you air time and they don’t have to give
you airplay.
• Choose your tunes wisely. If the DJ will be
playing tunes from your CD, have him play
what you can’t do well live in the studio.
• Don’t waste time tuning on the air.
• Expect not to hear well. You are not in a
recording studio, there aren’t effects and
DJs are not sound guys (even though some
think they are). Just play your best and
flow with it.
• Smile on the air, you can hear a smile.
• If you are going on the air with a band, choose
ahead who will be the spokesperson.
Nothing is worse than having 4 voices
speaking at once and nobody getting the
point across.
The coolest show I did was around the
“kitchen table.” The premise was to do the
show from the DJ’s home kitchen complete
with sound effects. He provided great food, a
great attitude and a very well set up studio!
What to say? It’s time to perform…
• Write out what you want to say ahead of
time!! Write large and legibly so if you’re
flustered or rushed you can see your notes
easily. Use a sharpie and multiple pages.
Include the basic things you want to get
across: your Web site, upcoming gigs
with details, where to buy your CDs, the
title of your latest CD, why you are doing
the show. Use key words to help you
remember stories. Always write out in
large letters the station frequency and call
sign, the DJ’s name and program name. It
is very embarrassing to say, “It’s been great
to be on such and such” and you say the
wrong station. It can happen, I’ve been
there!!
• Have another sheet listing the songs you
want to play and few words about them.
• If you can, relate to a specific interest of the
town you are in.
• Thank the DJ on the air for the opportunity.
They didn’t have to invite you on and
they don’t have to play you when you
leave. You are their guest. Let them and
their listeners know you appreciate being
there.
• Be entertaining and up. Have something to
say. You were invited to help you promote
something, so do that.
• Relax.
• If you get derailed and the DJ goes off on
a tangent, bring the conversation subtly
back to your agenda.
• Time flies - poof! It’s over. Keep your agenda
moving.
• Spell your name and Web site so folks can
find you easily.
The biggest mistake I’ve made: I
inadvertently unplugged the station’s computer
while trying to plug in my one cord. Oops!
That’s another story. sm
You can view Mike’s video of “Hillbilly Beach Bum” by
going to www.MySpace.com/MikeAiken.
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
inth et r e n ch e s
Help Me
Help You
By John Sollenberger
L
ast time out, I talked
about the value of a
good Web site as a tool
of self-promotion. This time,
I’d like to spin off that and
give a few tips on how to
use the press as a means of
getting your message out.
Weekly alternative newspapers, as well
as the weekly entertainment sections of daily
papers, offer great opportunities to get some
much-needed buzz and to help get potential
fans out to your live shows. But there are a few
things you need to remember in order to get the
attention of the music press and to get them to
take your act seriously.
First, remember that most weeklies hit
the street on Thursday; often, deadlines are as
early as the Friday before. Yet, in my day job as
entertainment writer for a weekly paper, acts
are always sending me notices on a Tuesday
or Wednesday (or later) for gigs the following
weekend. The reminder needs to come in at least
two weeks in advance of the show, if not earlier.
Dovetailing off of that, I get a lot of requests
to do reviews of shows. My paper doesn’t do
performance reviews, and I don’t know of many
that do. Yes, there are some out there, but this
them about you.
Also, remember that publications have
a chain of command. Most will have an arts
and entertainment editor, and they ultimately
decide what gets in and what doesn’t. Generally
speaking, unless you’ve dealt with a particular
reporter in the past, it’s better to address your
package and request to the editor in charge of
the paper’s entertainment section.
Of course, if a reporter actually does
contact you, then by all means, return their
call! A while back, an editor suggested I give
major play to a particular band. The act seemed
to be making all the right moves, had a good
following, a killer CD on the market, even
had a song placed in a major movie, and they
seemed interested in talking to us. This was to
be a big cover story about an act doing the right
things from a business perspective. But, after
repeated telephone calls and e-mails, the band
The easier you make it for a reporter to help
you, the better the chance that your act will get
some ink. Remember, time is tight and writers
depend on you to tell them about you.
is where your research comes in. Most weeklies
run pre-show stories, with the idea of getting
a crowd out to your event. That actually helps
you more than a review (what if you have an
off night the night of the review?), and if a good
crowd shows up, the club owner will love you.
Get to know various publications, read through
them and see which ones handle what you
want to do.
As I pointed out in a previous column, it’s
always good to send along a complete press kit,
either through the mail or electronically. Give
an idea of the kind of music the public can
expect, a band bio, high-resolution photos and
a performance calendar. The easier you make it
for a reporter to help you, the better the chance
that your act will get some ink. Remember,
time is tight and writers depend on you to tell
10
s i nger&musician
April
2007
never responded; they just blew me off. The
major story was downgraded to a short blurb. If
someone offers you the ink, then take it!
Finally, in my years as a music industry
and entertainment writer, as well as a working
musician, I’ve come to understand that
musicians tend to consider themselves to be
artists, first, last and always. Some feel that
self-promotion is somehow a dirty word, that
the art should speak for itself. While there
may be some truth in that, the greatest music
in the world won’t get the buzz it deserves if
you don’t get your hands dirty and effectively
promote your act. It’s been the rule since P.T.
Barnum’s day, and always will be. sm
Got other ideas for promotion and publicity?
Send them to John at: [email protected].
lives o u n d1 0 1
Gain Structure
If It Ain’t
Right At The
Beginning
of the Line, It
Won’t Be Right
At the End
By Steve La Cerra
Y
ou’ve just gone out
and spent thousands
of dollars on new PA
or recording equipment in
an effort to make sure your
band will sound as good as
possible. Yet somehow —
even though you know the
gear is high-quality — you’re
not getting the results you
hoped for. The equipment is
connected and functioning
correctly but doesn’t quite
have the fidelity you wanted
to achieve.
Maybe the problem lies in the system’s gain
structure. An extremely important aspect of sound
system use, gain structure is the red-headed
stepchild of audio: it’s often misunderstood and
typically neglected until there’s a problem. Let’s
try to de-mystify the idea of gain structure so
that you can get on to making music with the
best sound quality possible.
What Is It?
Gain structure refers to the manner in
which signal levels are set in (and between) the
various sections of an audio system. Sounds
easy, right? Wrong. Turn a level control too high
and you’ll have distorted audio. Set it too low
and you may find that your system doesn’t play
12
s i nger&musician
April
2007
livesound101
De-Mystified
loud enough, or that you can’t get sufficient
level to tape. Symptoms of poor gain structure
include noise of the hissing type (as opposed to
hum or buzzes), distortion, lack of headroom,
and grossly mismatched readings between the
meters on different devices used in your system.
It may lead you to believe that a piece of gear is
malfunctioning, or that you have a bad cable in
the chain. When gain structure is set correctly
you’ll get every last dB out of your PA, you’ll
record cleaner tracks, and all of a sudden your
digital processors will have a better signal-tonoise ratio.
ABC’s of The Signal Chain
One of the most basic things you can do
to ensure proper gain structure is make sure
your sound sources are plugged into the right
holes at the mixing console. There’s a reason for
separate mic and line inputs on your mixer: line
level signals (such as those from effect devices,
tape machines, keyboards and drum machines)
are much stronger than microphone signals.
This is why manufacturers usually use different
types of connectors for mic and line inputs
(note that ‘tape’ inputs essentially have the
same gain characteristics as line inputs). A mic
input incorporates an extra gain stage to boost
the microphone’s feeble signal up to something
more usable. Line inputs are less sensitive, so
when using an XLR-to-quarter-inch adapter
cable to plug a mic into a line input, you’ll have
to crank the gain way high just to hear the mic
(this adds more noise). Conversely, if you plug
a keyboard into a mic input you’re probably
going to hear distortion because the signal from
the keyboard is strong enough to overload the
mic preamp. Those are examples of poor gain
structure.
Audio By Numbers
Once you’ve ascertained that the devices are
plugged into the correct jacks, it’s a good idea to
check their operating levels. There are variations
in “line” level, most notably those referred to
as “+4” and “-10.” Although the boundaries
have become blurred in the past 10 years, most
professional audio gear operates at +4 while
most semi-pro and consumer gear operates at
-10 (technically speaking for you tweak heads,
it’s +4 dBm and -10 dBV, but we’re not gonna
go there). A general clue to operating level is
the type of jacks on the rear panel: if the jacks
are RCA you can be 99.44% sure the gear runs
at -10. If the gear has XLR connectors for the
line inputs and outputs it’s almost certainly +4.
If 1/4-inch jacks are used you’ll have to get out
the manual and read the fine print. While you
are at it, pay attention to whether the 1/4-inch
jacks are TS unbalanced or TRS balanced.
It’s important to understand how +4 and
-10 gear reacts when interfaced together, so
here’s an example: you patch a consumer-style
CD player into a mixer. The CD player has RCA
jacks and the mixer has 1/4-inch jacks, so you
buy or make an adapter cable to connect them.
But when you listen to the CD player through
the mixer, the level is really low. To make it as
loud as your drum machine, the faders have
to be pushed way up. This is because the CD
player operates at –10 and the mixer operates
at +4. The mixer is expecting to receive a
stronger signal level. When it doesn’t, you have
to crank up the faders (which generally means
more noise). What’s the solution? Look on the
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
13
li ves o u n d1 0 1
mixer for a switch that changes the operating
level from +4 to –10. Doing so will make the
line input more sensitive and you won’t have
to open up the faders so much (matching tape
machine output levels to tape inputs in this
manner is crucial to clean mixes). Some gear
has two sets of input or output jacks for exactly
this reason. If you can’t adjust the operating
levels of two pieces of gear to match, consider
getting some sort of level-matching interface.
A good example is the Matchbox from Henry
Engineering. It converts -10 audio on RCA jacks
to +4 audio on XLR jacks and vice-versa. Similar
devices are available from Ebtech, Whirlwind
and other manufacturers.
Matching operating levels is particularly
important when using compressors. Let’s say you
have a compressor patched between your mixer
and your power amp in order to prevent the
power amp from being overloaded. The idea is
that when the mixer starts putting out excessive
level, the compressor will compress, protecting
the amp and speakers. Well, for a compressor
operating at -10 (semi-pro), a +4 signal from the
mixer looks like excessive signal, when in fact
the mixer may not be putting out much signal
at all. This limits (HA!) the maximum drive to
the power amp, putting a cap on the amount of
volume you can get in the room. The solution
in a case is to look for a -10/+4 switch on the
compressor and set it to match the mixer.
The Microphone and Other Delicacies
Proper gain structure on a microphone is
critical to clean sound because mics put out
such weak signals. Think of a mic signal as water
14
s i nger&musician
April
2007
flowing through plumbing. Much like plumbing,
audio consoles have a series of ‘valves’ which
influence the signal flow. If you require water
pressure sufficient to reach the fourth floor, you
have to check several valves. The most important
one is the valve on the main water pipe entering
the building. If the main valve is closed down,
you can open up every valve feeding the various
hot and cold lines throughout the building, you
can open up every faucet in every bathroom
and kitchen in the entire place — but as long as
that main valve is closed, water will not reach
the fourth floor. The mixer channel’s mic trim
knob is the equivalent of the water main (see
figure one). You must get the correct amount of
level at the trim (or ‘gain’ control) in order to
safely deliver the mic signal to the rest of the
chain. You can boost the fader up as high as you
want but if the trim is off, you’ll get nothing but
noise. Conversely if you have the trim way up
and the fader way down, chances for distortion
are much higher.
Depending upon the mixer there are several
ways to measure the mic signal. A popular feature
on many consoles is the PFL (Pre Fade Listen)
meter. Generally, pressing a button labeled ‘PFL’
on the channel switches the mixer’s main meter
to show level of this one channel BEFORE that
channel’s fader. In other words it’s letting you
measure the water pressure right after the main
valve but before the kitchen faucet. If you set the
level incorrectly here you’re practically doomed
to a career of distortion or noise. Adjust the trim
knob while watching the meter. You can raise the
trim until the meter reads ‘0’ but remember this:
other microphone signals must make it into the
audio ‘plumbing’ during the mix — so leave a
bit of headroom by PFL’ing the signal at roughly
-7 to -5. When you start combining signals you
won’t overflow the main mix pipe. Since adding
EQ will likely change the PFL signal, allow a
bit of room for that as well. If you have the trim
all the way down and the PFL signal is still way
over ‘0’, look for a ‘pad’ switch on the channel
and use it; this will lower the sensitivity of the
mic preamp by a fixed amount, reducing the
possibility of distorting the signal (sort of like
narrowing the water main).
Variations on this type of metering include
‘solo’ as implemented on most Mackie analog
consoles. The trick here is knowing that this
type of solo does NOT show pre fader level,
so the fader must be set at ‘unity’ or you will
not get an accurate reading of signal level at
the input stage. On some consoles this spot is
marked with a ‘0’ or a small arrow. This is the
spot where the fader is putting out exactly what
it is receiving, neither boosting or cutting the
signal. Other consoles might have a simple twocolor LED with green for signal present and red
for ‘overload.’ In this case adjust the trim until
the LED barely shows red and then back it off
by about 10 to 15 percent. Since some consoles
have more headroom than others you’ll have to
experiment to see how far you can push the trim
before distortion occurs.
Once the trim is set you can bring up the
channel fader to hear the signal (notice in figure
one that the fader is ‘downstream’ of the trim
control). At least some of the channel faders
should be at or near the ‘0’ mark; if all the faders
are very low or very high, something is wrong
livesound101
Think of a mic signal as water flowing through plumbing. Much like plumbing,
audio consoles have a series of ‘valves’ which influence the signal flow. If you
require water pressure sufficient to reach the fourth floor, you have to check
several valves. The most important one is the valve on the main water pipe
entering the building. If the main valve is closed down, you can open up every
valve feeding the various hot and cold lines throughout the building, you can
open up every faucet in every bathroom and kitchen in the entire place — but
as long as that main valve is closed, water will not reach the fourth floor.
with the gain structure. Keep in mind that other
‘valves’ affect the audio signal, such as the main
mix fader(s) — which should also be set at or
near ‘0.’ If setting the master at ‘0’ makes the
volume in the room too loud, turn down the level
controls on the power amps. If you need to bring
the master fader all the way up to get adequate
volume in the room, either the power amps are
set too low or your system is under powered.
When submixing channels (ten channels
of drums to a stereo pair of subgroups faders,
for example) similar concepts apply. Think of
a subgroup fader as a hot/cold mix valve. In
order for the mix valve to operate properly you
need correct pressure of hot and cold water
before mixing. Try using the kick drum channel
as a reference, setting it’s fader to ‘0’ and then
mixing the rest of the drum channels in to taste.
If the mixer has a PFL switch at the subgroup
fader, use it to measure the flow right before the
subgroup fader. A subgroup PFL showing ‘in the
red’ will probably sound distorted no matter
how loud or soft the drums are in the mix.
Gain structure is equally important when
using aux sends to route signal to effects like
reverb or delay. Some mixers have a PFL on the
aux send. Use it. Measure the level of that snare
drum send before it hits the reverb unit. Turn
up the master knob for the send and watch it
hit the meter on the reverb. If the reverb has
an input level control, turn it up until the meter
hits red and then back it down a bit. At this
point it doesn’t matter what the reverb sounds
like: just get the level right. Then PFL the mixer’s
effect return to set the output level of the reverb
as well as the trim on the mixer’s effect return
(if there is a trim). Once the levels have been
set, bring up the effect return fader (or knob)
to add the sound of the effect into your mix.
With digital effects, correct gain structure is
extremely important because if you set the
input too low, you won’t get the full benefit of
the unit’s A/D/A converters.
Once you get into good gain structure
habits, you’ll find that you have more system
headroom, better signal to noise ratios and
cleaner mixes. Of course the rules can be broken
but first it’s a good idea to learn the game. sm
La Cerra mixes front-of-house for Blue
Öyster Cult and is a freelance engineer in the
New York area.He also pens the Bleeding Edge
column for FOH Magazine. He can be reached
via email at [email protected]
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
15
Rock the
t
a
bo
Put 20+ bands and 2000+ fans on a ship in the Caribbean
for five days and what do you get? The coolest cruise—
and one of the coolest gigs—on the Seven Seas
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2007
All Rock Boat Photos by Linda Evans, Evans Design
cover story
B
By Bill Evans
ack in the late
‘90s, I was editing
a magazine called
GIG when a band came to
our attention that deserved
some ink. They were called
Sister Hazel and—in
addition to being a damn
good band—they worked
the biz side as well as we
had ever seen it done.
So well, in fact, that they built up a huge
following through live shows and sold enough
copies of their indie release to whet the appetite
of a major label. They got signed and the first
album, Somewhere More Familiar, sold big.
They had a hit that was played over the ending
credits of the movie Bedazzeled called “Change
Your Mind.” After releasing the next album,
Fortress, the band realized that the major label
scene was not right for them and asked to be
released from their deal with Universal, opting
to go back to their indie roots. They kept doing
what they had always done—playing and
touring and winning rabid fans.
Oo-wee, Oo-wee Baby
Then, in 2001, some of those rabid fans started
requesting (Okay, demanding) a Sister Hazel
“convention”—someplace where all their fans
could come together and just hang out for a few
days. The band and their management—Sixthman
out of Atlanta, GA--got the bright idea to do it on a
cruise ship and the Rock Boat was born. Now in it’s
seventh incarnation, Rock Boat has gone from 400
fans and two bands with a block of rooms to taking
over the entire ship with more than 20 bands, more
than 2000 fans and shows that start by noon one
day and go into the wee hours of the next.
“We had so much fun that we knew we
had to figure out a way to get the entire ship,”
recalls Sixthman’s Andy Levine, “So we got off
the ship and decided to find other bands that
we knew had substantial fan bases. If we could
all pull our fan bases together, we could get one
ship. And that would allow us to do what we’re
doing—programming, doing the shows whenever
we want, wherever. We went to Pat McGee Band
and Edwin McCain and Tonic and Cowboy Mouth,
and between all of us, we were able to get 1,800
people to fill the ship the first year. We made some
mistakes, but overall, everyone had a great time
and we’ve been doing it ever since. And from there,
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
17
the Rock Boat has grown into this community of bands and people who
get together every year, and celebrate their passion for music and life and,
you know, whatever it is! And doing that, it’s turned out to be a great artist
development tool, because these people who are here are super-loyal and
passionate, and they’ll be at all of these shows.”
Sailin’ with a Cargo full of…
Every band we talked to on the ship said the same thing: The
Rock Boat people are like a big extended family. It’s not that they
saw a band somewhere and liked them. They hung out together.
They gathered around a piano in the lounge with other fans and
people from various bands and sang Journey songs at 2AM. There is a
connection. And the artists know that when they tour and they let the
Rock Boat family know they are coming to town, that most of them
will be there for the show.
SO, we have established that it is a cool gig and a great
promotional opportunity. But what are the Sixthman folks looking for
when they book the boat? One act, Honor By August, was on board
after winning a competition sponsored by BMI and there is an online
competition that Sixth Man does called ‘Battle for the Boat.’ “The
things we look for in artists?” asks Levine. “It’s the perfect balance of…
do they have a reputation for a great live show? Are they very active?
Do they get it? Are they willing to get on here and really interact with
the fans and really work hard--do everything they can so these people
have the time of their life? And from there, are they the essence of
what the event is about? We try to build this event so you’re gonna see
10 bands you know about and 10 bands you’ve never heard of, you’re
going to discover 10. That’s how we try to balance it out. We like the
way it’s going now. We really do.”
With a return rate of better than 70%, the fans dig it too. sm
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April
2007
rock boat band spotlight
Five Star Iris—Atlanta, GA
Alan Yates Band—Atlanta, GA
Members: Alan Schaefer, Robert Schaefer, Dan Fishman, Alex Winfield
Members: Alan Yates, Michael “Pico” Lamb, Brian Bisky, Will Boos,
Jon Morrison
Together since: Spring 2003
First Rock Boat? Yes
How did you get the gig? A lot of asking!
What was the coolest part of the trip? The overall vibe and quality of
the people.
What was the biggest surprise? How supportive Rock Boaters are year
round!
What do you expect to get out of this during the coming year?
Will you do the boat again if invited? We expect our touring base to
really grow. We will definitely do the boat again if invited.
Home base: Atlanta
Together since: 2001
First Rock Boat? 2002
How did you get the gig? On the
first Rock Boat in 2001, Andy
Levine of Sixthman called me to
work as part of the sound crew.
The following year they invited
me and my band on to perform.
No one knew who we were,
and we were pretty early in the
development process as a band. It
was fun. The sound and fan base
of AYB continued to develop over
the next few years and we finally
made our way back on the boat
for 2007.
What was the coolest part
of the trip? That is a tough one.
It made me feel pretty good when
Kevin Griffin of Better than Ezra
came up to tell me he enjoyed the
show.
What was the biggest surprise? Mark Broussard, he wasn’t listed as
one of the acts. Our bass player Jon is a huge fan, and on the last night
of the cruise he was on stage with the man swapping vocal licks. It was
pretty cool to see.
What do you expect to get out of this during the coming year? I’m not
sure, but I plan to milk it for all it’s worth.
Wideawake—Austin, TX
Zac Brown Band—Atlanta, GA
Members: Scott Leger, Chris Heerlein, Matt Fletcher
Members: Zac Brown, Jimmy Demartini, John Hopkins, Marcus
Petruska, Joel Williams
Together since: 2003
First Rock Boat? 2006
Together since: (Full Band) 2005
How did you get the gig? We were opening some shows for Dexter
Freebish (Rock Boat vets, from Austin, super cool guys) and some
Dexter fans/Rock Boat alumni saw us and liked us. They told us about
the boat and put a good word in for us with Sixthman. “Thank you
S.B. & G.H.”
How did you get the gig? My first trip on the boat was with my first band,
we were a 3-piece. We won a slot on the boat from a series of competitions
through the show My South Rocks, it was put on by Turner South.
What was the coolest part of the trip? The Rock Boaters. They are
some of the most sincere music fans we have ever known.
What was the biggest surprise? The response of the people. It was
overwhelming!
What do you expect to get out of this during the coming year? Great
memories and some familiar faces as we travel to new places.
Will you do the boat again if invited? Of course, it has been one of the
most unique and amazing experiences in our musical career.
First Rock Boat? 3rd
What was the coolest part of the trip? Playing poker w/ David Ryan
Harris, Matt Mangano, Marc Broussard and Scottie Crowe.
What was the biggest surprise? Other bands talking about us and bands
we look up to coming on stage to play with us during our show (like
Ken Block from Sister Hazel and Fred from Cowboy Mouth). The bands
we look up to giving us props.
What do you expect to get out of this during the coming year? Our
new DVD, Live from Atlanta, and new live CD, Live from the Rock Bus
Tour, are great representations of the band, and we just came out with
them before the boat. We’re hoping a lot of people took that music
home and are playing it for their friends.
Will you do the boat again if invited? Absolutely. We love the Rock Boat
community. The Boat has the best fans and best musicians around.
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
19
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Guitars and Keyboards
HERE’s WHAT’s ON ITs WAY TO YOUR
By Jake Kelly
It’s always nice to get an unbiased view of
things. While Bob Lindquist and I have been
to Winter NAMM more times than either of us
care to count, Singer&Musician’s new Artist
Liaison Jake Kelly is not operating under the
same “handicap.” Wandering the aisles of the
International Music Products Association’s
annual event in Anaheim, CA (January 18-21) he
felt, “like a kid in a candy store.” --Ed.
O
nce upon a time
Fender Musical
Instruments owned
Rhodes, who made a nifty
electric piano. The advent of
digital technology seemingly
made the electro-mechanical
Rhodes piano obsolete
(along with its chimey but
recognizable sound that was
used on virtually every hit
in the ‘70s). Now, Rhodes is
once again its own company
and producing the Mark
7 Rhodes Piano, available
with 88, 73 or 61 keys and
features such updates as
MIDI, LCD displays, and
active preamps.
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s i nger&musician
April
2007
As before, real wood keys trigger real
hammers hitting real chimes. The best part is it
also comes in red. It also should be noted that
Rhodes offers its old school speaker cabinet—
on which the piano can rest—with a twist:
speakers facing both forwards and backwards,
for personal monitoring while performing.
Keys
Speaking of keys, Roland offered up its
new FP-7 digital piano, that’s designed to feel
more like a fine acoustic with nuances such as
“hammer and damper noise” and “string and
off-key resonance”. In addition to its realistic
acoustic tones, it’s nice to hear samples of
Wurlitzer electric pianos included in its tonal
palate. Computer connectivity is provided with
a USB port, and the FP-7 can trigger .wav files
off of a USB memory key.
If organ is more of your bag, you’ll be
pleased to hear that Hammond has a new roadworthy Leslie cabinet. Looking like an Anvil
roadcase with speaker grills, the Leslie 3300
boasts 300 watts of solid state power tempered
with a tube pre-amp and (of course) 2-speed
horn rotor and bass rotor. Even with the addition
of casters, the 3300 is still a beast, but if you
want the sound of a real Leslie and no splinters
this could be the ticket.
Kurzweil showed its new PC1se 76 key
performance controller, which in addition to
its already killer piano samples, ships with both
orchestral and classic keys ROM expansions.
The Mellotron sounds alone will have you
tripping like it’s 1969, and the clavinet will
make you feel superstitious.
Guitars
Holding down the low end of the musical
spectrum was a replica of the Ampeg AEB solid
body bass guitar, by wacky Eastwood Guitars.
The EEB bass has the same funky appearance
of the original, complete with the all-the-waythrough f-holes and a pickguard that covers
nearly the entire face of the guitar. The only
thing that was missing is the peg that would
allow you to play it upright.
If it has to be acoustic, and you have to
travel, you might be in trouble. Upright Acoustic
basses were never known for their portability. In
the forties and fifties these instruments would
be strapped to the top of a station wagon while
the guitarists (and even the drummers gear) was
safe from the elements inside. Now G. Edward
Lutherie (GEL) has a solution with the Eminence
Portable Upright. Looking like an upright on
South Beach, this bass is a little shy on the
acoustic side (size does matter), but provides
full and rich acoustic tones plugged in. To
increase the instrument’s portability, the neck
can be removed allowing the neck, body, and
gig bag to be stored nicely in a airline approved,
flight-ready golf club hard case!
Amps
And, if smaller is better, you might look
to plug your bass into Eden’s WTX-260 bass
amplifier. At just three and a half pounds,
you won’t mind carrying it anywhere and
with Eden’s self-adjusting circuitry, you can.
According to Eden’s techs, the WTX-260 can be
plugged in to any power outlet in the world, and
the amp adjusts to the power type and voltage
automatically. The amp is rated at a sufficient
260 watts at 4 ohms, and even higher in where
power is rated at 240 volts.
Drummers who find themselves in more
wholly acoustic settings might appreciate Cadeson
Music Co.’s innovative Woofer Drum, a 22” x
8” drum that is placed (actually attached with
long lugs) a few inches in front of the standard
kick drum. It vibrates sympathetically with each
strike of the kick drum and provides a natural
punchiness—and, yes, punchiness is a word.
Peavey unveiled the Windsor 15 watt 12”
class A combo. Nice and loud for it’s size,
Windsor has an extra perk: a built-in power
attenuator. Many guitar players love the sound
of power tubes being pushed to the point of
breaking up, with the power attenuator you
can drive the power tubes on the amp without
tools
and Mics, Oh My!
R LOCAL MUSIC STORE
the volume. The class A circuitry provides quick articulation and
bright sound.
Pedals
Roland has struck a deal with Fender and is offering in their
Boss line of pedals the ‘65 Fender Deluxe Reverb Amp and the ‘59
Fender Bassman. Both are the size of Boss’s compact pedals and
offer the controls found on the amps they’re modeled after with
the addition of a drive control. The ‘65 Fender Deluxe Reverb
pedal even includes adjustable Vibrato (which is actually tremolo)
as found on the amp.
More Guitars
PRS showed some new single cutaway guitars. Intriguing was
the SE One: single cutaway, single pickup, single knob. One can
only wonder why they call it the “One”.
A couple of other fun and affordable guitars came from Dan
Electro. Many professional guitarists get misty-eyed fondly recalling
(and regretting selling) their Danos from the days of yore. It’s not
often that we’re given a second chance (to make the same mistake
again?). The double cut ‘59 Dano and the angular Dano Pro were
on display in all their glory. Both feature double single coil “lipstick
tube” pickup and upgraded hardware.
If a Dano wasn’t funky enough, Eastwood guitars now
offer a replica of the map-shaped National Newport guitar, the
Airline Map. Unlike it’s predecessor whose body was made of
(some would say toneless) fiberglass, the Map’s body is made of
chambered mahogany. Available in black, white, red, and, yes
Virginia, sea foam green.
Gibson turned back the pages of time, releasing the light and
responsive Legend Series 1942 J-45. According to a Gibson rep.
the guitar (and it’s companion 1937 L-00) are made the old fashion
way...the braces are even cut with an old band saw. When asked
about being available with a pickup, the rep. merely pretended not
to hear and walked away.
Takamine sought to reach into the past as well, with the
bluegrass player in mind. The EF360SBG might be a mouthful
to say, but Herringbone seems to roll right off the tongue. Solid
rosewood back and side compliment the solid spruce top.
Available with either Takamine’s Cool Tube pre-amp or for a more
traditional look, their TLD line driver.
With a name that is nearly synonymous with tradition, Martin
showed a special edition model, the OMG Artinger 1. This writer
is not sure which is the guitar’s most striking feature. Is it the port
hole on the side of the guitar? Is it the Oval (and slanted) sound
hole? Or, is it the beveled edge armrest? Interesting.
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
21
too l s
With the acoustic performer in mind, LR Baggs debuted the Core 1 acoustic reference
amplifier. The Core 1 uses a new transducer that handles high sound levels efficiently and
disperses full-range sound 140 degrees. The amp has three channels, two with complete tone
controls making it a fine portable P.A. for the coffee house musician.
PAs
For the combo on the run, Yamaha has added more beef (and a couple of more channels)
to their STAGEPAS 300 to create the STAGEPAS 500. The mixer/power section can operate in
its slot in the back of one of the systems two bi-amped cabinets, rest table top or be mounted
on a microphone stand for ease of positioning where the artist can adjust on the fly. 500 watts
of power, ten channels, reverb, and even compression on two of it’s channels make it a viable
choice.
Community took the wraps of a working musician-priced series of their loudspeakers. The
Sonus series are made from birch (no plastic here) and have recessed handles, and casters on the
subwoofers. Sure there’s geeky specks too, such as ferrofluid in the high and mid frequency drivers
to reduce harmonic distortion and smoother frequency response. These look and sound like serious
speakers.
New from JBL is the PRX-500 series of Crown-powered speakers designed for portability.
Powered speakers have become increasing popular because the amplification is matched to
the speaker. The five-speaker line means business, as the lowest power rating is 500 watts
continuous and 1000 watts peak.
Mics
Shure was showing the flagship KSM-9 in a wired format. Perhaps more important, they
spent most of their time educating us about impending changes in the way the wireless spectrum
is divided and how that may affect those of us who have opted to cut the cord. We’ll keep you
posted on this one.
Audio-Technica released the next generation of the Artist Line of microphones. Yes, there
were a couple of very nice vocal mics here but A-T also took into account the specialized needs
of drummers and those who mike them with rugged all-metal enclosures housing electronics
that are each specifically designed for the wide-ranging dynamic applications of a drum kit.
Particularly intriguing is the ATM450 with it’s side address design for snare drums that place
equal emphasis on both snare hits and rim shots.
The MicroMic series from AKG has the stage musician in mind as well. The C 516, C
518, and C519 miniature cardioid condenser mic have flexible goosenecks and clip onto the
instrument, such as saxophones or toms. But the ultra-hip feature of the series, is that an optional
wireless transmitter pack can be directly attached to the gooseneck. No more chords dangling
from the saxophone bell to the player’s belt pack! The series also includes two miniature vocal
mics.
Monitors
Personal monitoring continues to become more popular as price for earphones lower and
performance improves. Future Sonics Atrio series offer has two such offerings; the m5 for stage
applications and the m8 for the studio. Both boasts natural feel with accurate bass response.
Westone has a new three-way, in-ear monitor designed for singers and guitarists with
accentuated mid-range so they can hear themselves above the fray, the ES3. Because of this
intentional bump in the midrange frequencies, these are not recommended for listening to
recorded music. These are designed exclusively for the stage.
And Something Really Different
Over at Digitech, they demoed a soon to be released product that is this writer’s “Best of
Show”. Intelligent harmonizers are nothing new, but they never were as smart as one would
want them to be. They could do scales just fine as long as you told them what scale and
what key you wanted them to sing it in. And even then, they wouldn’t have they right scale
for something as simple as a major II seventh chord leading into the V, without some fancy
toe tapping or MIDI programming. Digitech’s Vocalist Live 2 eliminates that toe tapping and
programming by reading what chord is being played on the guitar (plugged into the Vocalist
Live 2, with a thru line running to the amp, PA, etc.) and adjusting the harmony accordingly.
And...doing it very well and quickly, handling major 7th and diminished chords with ease. It
also features compression, reverb and a mix control for the harmony voices.
Another product that stood out, and you could stand out with it, is the FootLoose wireless
switching unit by SkyWyre wireless technologies. It’s basically a foot pedal transmitter and a
receiver that carries no audio signal, but remotely controls switching on your amplifier, say
reverb on/off or channel 1 or 2.
Triad Products showed the Standback. a simple but extremely cool, compact, adjustable
device that allows amplifiers and speaker cabinet to be leaned back for better monitoring and
sound dispersion. Consisting of a three braces of high-impact plastic formed into a triangle and
two nylon straps the Standback props up your amp during the gig, and collapses down to the
length of one of the triangle’s side. Wrap the strap around it, throw it in your gig bag and you’re
good to go. (Bill bought two…)
Well, I’ll run and get us some soda. You pack up this gear. I think the next gig is going to
be a good one. sm
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2007
24/ 7s t ud io
Mixing On Your Computer
Yes, Mixing With a Mouse Sucks But If You Have to Do It, Here’s How
by Bruce Bartlett
W
e’re going to
do a mixdown
together. Let’s
say that all your tracks are
recorded and edited, and
it’s time to mix or combine
them to 2-track stereo. This
article offers some tips to
make your mixes sound
terrific.
Figure 1. A screen shot of a mix. A reverb
plug-in was inserted in an aux track labeled
“Reverb.” In the vocal track, the reverb-send
level is turned up.
24
s i nger&musician
April
2007
During mixdown, you can control five
aspects of the sound:
•
Use the mixer faders to control the balance
– the relative loudness of the instruments.
•
Use panning to set the instruments’ stereo
positions.
•
Use EQ to adjust their tone quality (bass,
midrange, treble)
•
Use compression to reduce excessive
dynamic range (soften loud notes)
•
Add effects (reverb, chorus, echo, etc.)
Open your song project. You should see the
recorded tracks on screen. You’ve already edited
out sections of each track where no music was
played, in order to reduce noise and leakage.
For starters, put the master faders at design
center (at 0 dB, about 3/4 up, at the shaded
portion of fader travel). This sets up the software
mixer for the best compromise between noise
and headroom.
PANNING
You need to pan the tracks before doing the
mix because the loudness of a track depends
on where it’s panned. Assign the output of each
track to busses 1 and 2 (the stereo mix bus), or
to the two outputs of your sound card.
Use the pan controls to place each track
where desired between your stereo speakers.
Typically the bass, snare, kick drum, and lead
vocal go to center. Guitars can be panned left
or right. Stereo keyboards, drum overheads and
background vocals spread between left and
right. Pan doubled guitars left and right for a
spacious effect.
When you monitor the mix in mono, you
might hear center-channel buildup. Instruments
in the center of the stereo stage will sound
louder in mono than they did in stereo, so the
mix balance will change in mono. To prevent
this, note which tracks are panned all the way
left or right, and bring them a little toward the
center: 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock on the pan
knobs, or 70% left and right.
COMPRESSION
Sometimes the lead vocal track might be
too loud or too quiet relative to the instruments
because vocals have a wider dynamic range than
instruments. You can control this by inserting a
compressor plug-in in the vocal track. It will
keep the loudness of the vocal more constant,
making it easier to hear throughout the mix.
24/7stud io
Once the compressor is inserted, load a suitable
vocal preset. Slowly bring down the threshold
control until loud passages are not too loud.
Typically the gain reduction will be about 6 dB,
so you will need to turn up the compressor’s
makeup gain about 6 dB to compensate. It’s also
common to compress the kick drum and bass.
SET A BALANCE
Before doing a mix, tune up your ears.
Play some CDs whose sound you admire. This
helps you get used to a commercial balance of
the highs, mids, and lows. Choose a CD with
tunes like those you’re recording. Check out
Here’s another way: Start with all the faders
down. Bring up just the kick drum fader to
about –5 dB, then add bass and balance the two
together. Next add drums and set a balance. Then
add guitars, keyboards, and vocals, balancing
each new track with the previous mix. Finally,
add percussion and background vocals.
When the mix is almost complete, ask
yourself “Can I hear everything?” “Does
anything stick out too much?” When the mix is
right, the most important instruments or voices
are loudest; less important parts are in the
background. In a typical rock mix, the snare is
loudest, and the kick is nearly as loud. The lead
subconscious effect.
It’s a good idea to monitor around 85 dB
SPL. If you monitor louder, the bass and treble
will be weak when the mix is played softly.
Get an SPL meter from Radio Shack to set the
listening level while mixing.
SET EQ
Next, set EQ for the tonal balance you want
on each track. If a track sounds too dull, turn
up the highs. If a track sounds too bassy, turn
down the lows, and so on. Cymbals should
sound crisp and distinct, but not sizzly or harsh;
kick drum and bass should sound deep, but not
Before doing a mix, tune up your ears. Play some CDs whose sound you admire.
Choose a CD with tunes like those you’re recording.
the production. How is the balance set? How
about EQ, effects, sonic surprises? Try to figure
out what techniques were used to create those
sounds, and duplicate them. Of course, you
might prefer to break new ground.
Using the track faders, adjust the volume
of each track for a pleasing balance among
instruments and vocals. The goal is to hear each
instrument and vocal clearly.
Here’s one way to build the mix. Set all the
faders to about –10 dB. Then turn up the most
important tracks and turn down background
instruments.
vocal is next in level. Note that there’s a wide
latitude for musical interpretation and personal
taste in making a mix.
In a ballad, the lead vocal is usually on
top. You might set the soloed lead-vocal level
to peak at –5 dB. Bring up the monitor level so
that the vocal is as loud as you like to hear it,
then leave the monitor level alone. Bring in the
other tracks one at a time and mix them relative
to the vocal track.
Sometimes you don’t want everything
to be clearly heard. Once in a while, you
might mix in certain tracks very subtly for a
overwhelming or muddy. Be sure the bass is
recorded with enough edge or harmonics to be
audible on small speakers.
The EQ that sounds right on a soloed track
seldom sounds right when all the tracks are
mixed together. So make EQ decisions when you
have the complete mix happening. You’ll need to
readjust the mix balances after adding EQ.
In pop-music recordings, the tone quality
or timbre of instruments does not have to be
natural. Still, many listeners want to hear a
realistic timbre from acoustic instruments, such
as the guitar, flute, sax, or piano.
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
25
24/ 7s t ud i o
The overall tonal balance of the mix should
be neither bassy nor trebly. That is, the perceived
spectrum should not emphasize lows or highs.
You should hear the low bass, mid-bass,
midrange, upper midrange, and highs roughly
in equal proportions. Too-loud frequency bands
can tire your ears.
When your mix is almost done, switch
between your mix and a commercial CD of the
same genre to see whether you’re competitive.
Play them through the same monitor speakers.
If the tonal balance of your mix matches a
commercial CD, you know your mix will
translate to the real world. This works regardless
of what monitors you use. An effective tool for
visually equalizing a mix is Harmonic Balancer
(www.har-bal.com). in the stereo mix bus, keep the master faders at
0, and adjust all the track faders by the same
amount so your stereo output level peaks around
-3 dB (peak meter mode, not rms). You can touch
up the master faders a few dB if necessary. Don’t
exceed 0 dB peak meter level because that will
clip the signal, causing distortion.
JUDGING THE MIX
When you mix, your attention scans the
inputs. Listen briefly to each instrument in turn
and to the mix as a whole. If you hear something
you don’t like, fix it. Is the vocal too tubby? Roll
off the bass on the vocal track. Is the kick drum
too quiet? Turn it up. Is the lead-guitar solo too
dead? Turn up its effects send.
The mix must be appropriate for the style
of music. For example, a mix that’s right for
rock music usually won’t work for folk music or
acoustic jazz. Rock mixes typically have lots of
production EQ, compression, and effects; and
the drums are way up front. In contrast, folk or
ADD EFFECTS
With the balance and EQ roughed in, it’s
time to add effects. Here’s a brief description of
several effects:
•
Reverberation (reverb): Simulates a
room or concert hall that the musicians
are playing in. Use a short reverb time
(0.5 to 1 second) to simulate a club on
fast songs; use a longer reverb time (1
to 2 seconds) to simulate a concert hall
on ballads. You might want to leave the
lead vocal dry (without reverb).
•
Echo: Uses a delay plug-in to create
multiple repetitions of a sound. For
example, set the delay to about 150
milliseconds to get a 1950’s slap echo,
or to about 350 milliseconds to get a
slow echo.
•
Chorus: Detunes the track and adds a
short variable delay to get a swirling,
spacious effect. Stereo chorus can
sound beautiful on a guitar track.
•
Flanging (comb filtering): Creates a
psychedelic effect that is dated, but
might be useful.
Figure 2. An example of automation: the volume
envelope is raised during a guitar solo.
To use one of these effects, first insert an
aux-bus track (one for each effect). Add an aux acoustic jazz is usually mixed with no effects
send to each track that you want to put an effect other than slight reverb, and the instruments
on. For example, you might have aux-1 send and vocals sound natural. A rock guitar typically
going to aux bus 1 (reverb), aux-2 send going to sounds bright and distorted; a straight-ahead
aux bus 2 (echo), and so on. Setting up effects jazz guitar usually sounds mellow and clean.
Try to keep the mix clean and clear. A clean
this way uses less CPU power than inserting an
mix is uncluttered; not too many parts play
effect on each track. See Figure 1.
Using the aux sends in each track, adjust at once. It helps to arrange the music so that
similar parts don’t overlap. Usually, the fewer
the amount of effects for each track as desired.
Too many effects and reverb can muddy the the instruments, the clearer the sound. Mix
mix. You might turn up the reverb only on a few selectively, so that not too many instruments are
instruments or vocals. Once you have the reverb heard at the same time. Have guitar licks fill in
send level set, try turning it down gradually and the holes between vocal phrases, rather than
playing on top of the vocals.
see how little you can get by with.
In a clear-sounding recording, instruments
You might want to insert a distortion plugin into a track. For example, you can record an do not “crowd” or mask each other’s sound.
electric guitar direct and add distortion later They are separate and distinct. Clarity arises
by using a guitar-amp simulator plug-in. Some when instruments occupy different areas of
people even add distortion to drums or vocals the frequency spectrum. For example, the bass
provides lows; keyboards might emphasize
for a lo-fi effect.
midbass; lead guitar may provide upper mids,
and cymbals fill in the highs.
SET LEVELS
Often the rhythm guitar occupies the same
Once your mix is nearly done you can set
the overall level of the mix. To prevent distortion frequency range as the piano, so they tend to
26
s i nger&musician
April
2007
mask each other’s sound. You can aid clarity by
equalizing them differently. Boost the guitar at,
say, 3 kHz, and boost the piano around 10 kHz.
Or pan them to opposite sides.
CHANGES DURING THE MIX
It’s rare to do a mix in which you set the
faders and leave them there. Often you need
to change fader levels during a mix. Thanks to
automated mixing, the computer can remember
your changes and recall them each time you
open the project.
An easy way to automate the level changes is
to set up a fader envelope (volume envelope) for
each track that needs it. For example, suppose
the guitar track needs to come up temporarily
during a solo. Use your software to create an
envelope (a volume graph line) on the guitar
track. At the beginning of the song, set the guitar
volume where you want it. Then just before the
solo, click-drag the volume envelope up so that
the solo is loud enough. After the solo, clickdrag the volume envelope back down to
where it was (Figure 2).
Many recording programs let you
automate aux-send levels and EQ as well.
What if you want the sound of an
instrument to change drastically during a
song? For example, suppose you want a
guitar to have different effects, different EQ,
and more reverb during a solo. Here’s what
to do:
1. Split the instrument’s track just before and
after the solo. This defines the solo as a
separate clip.
2. Copy the solo clip to a new blank track. Be
careful not to slide it in time.
3. Insert the desired effects, EQ and aux-send
level on the new track.
4. Delete the solo clip on the original guitar
track.
To fade out the end of the tune, slowly
bring down the master fader and record
(automate) its motion. Try to have the music
faded out by the end of a musical phrase. The
slower the song, the slower the fade should
be. You might want to postpone fades until
mastering.
RECORD THE MIX
When you’re happy with the mix and the
master meter levels, export the mix to a 2-track
stereo wave file. If you will send the mixes out
for mastering, turn off dither and save each mix
as a 24-bit wave file. If you will be importing
the mixes into a CD-burning program, turn on
dither and save each mix as a 16-bit wave file.
After a few days, listen to the mix on a
variety of systems -- car speakers, a boom box, a
home system. The time lapse between mixdown
and listening will allow you to hear with fresh
ears. Do you want to change anything? If so,
make it right. You’ll end up with a mix to be
proud of. sm
Bruce Bartlett is the author of “Practical
Recording Techniques 4th Ed.” published by
Focal Press.
buy e r’ sg u id e
Stomp On It!
Pedal-Based Guitar Effects and Preamps
S
o there I was, alone with my new toys—
an electric guitar and amp of unknown
lineage, an imitation Crybaby wha-wha
pedal, an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff and an
MXR five-band graphic EQ. I sat the guitar
against the amp and cranked everything up
until the guitar started feeding back wildly.
Then I started manipulating the knobs on the
effects making what was, without a doubt,
a horrible racket—but learning how it all
worked together, especially when I found I
could change the “note” of the feedback by
manipulating the sliders on the graphic EQ.
And thus began my love affair with the pedal
based effects lovingly known as “stompboxes.”
28
s i nger&musician
April
2007
By Bill Evans
As time went on I collected a huge number of pedals, many of which I
have sold or lost or had stolen, for which I still kick myself. There have been
re-issues of many of the classics and some sound pretty good—but those
originals, well a pea-green Ibanez Tube Screamer will fetch up to $500 on
eBay.
WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY DO
Stompboxes come in an all-you-can eat buffet of flavors. Indeed, you
can find probably 100 distortion models alone. Generally, a stompbox takes
the output of an electric guitar, futzes with it in any number of ways and
then spits it out on the other side. (Keep in mind, though, that creativity often
comes in the form of the question: “I wonder what would happen if…?”
Don’t be afraid to try something that the unit was not designed for. You might
blow it up, but you might find something new and cool.)
Effects made for guitarists have been used to huge effect (get it, effect?)
on more records than you can count. The one that immediately springs to
mind is the Fender Rhoades piano run through a phase shifter, which seems
to be on about every other ballad recorded in the ‘70s. Not all effects were
made for guitarists. For example, the first wha pedals were made for organs.
Stompboxes come in a range of prices and quality and technological
cunning that is as long as the list of what they do. It seems sometimes
as if every manufacturer of anything electronic and musical has made
stompboxes. Some of them were only made for a short period but the list
includes Alesis (known for recording gear) and most recently studio-effects
powerhouse Eventide. But the meat and potatoes (and increasingly technoheavy themselves) stompbox makers would include, Boss, DOD, and Dunlop
with the new kid on the block being Visual Sound. Reissues of classics by
Ibanez, Electro-Harmonix and MXR are also popular.
Lets take a closer look at these babies, shall we.
CRANK IT UP
First on the list has got to be the most
ubiquitous and debated of all pedals: the
distortion or overdrive. If you want a real
exploration of the physics of guitar distortion
go to iLivetoPlay.net to the Online Exclusives
section where you will find a link to and article
that explains how it works in great detail.
But at their root, all distortion or overdrive
pedals create a bigger signal than the circuit can
handle which results in the sound wave being
“clipped.” We hear that clipping as distortion
and the “color” of the distortion (tube-y
overdrive vs. solid-state fuzziness) is all about
how that clipping occurs. The pedals available
today range from mild overdrive (Example:
the Boss BD-2 Blues Driver) to extreme highgain metal tones with bass boost like (Like the
DigiTech Death Metal).
There is a huge range of effects that are all
based on some kind of time delay including
reverb, echo and chorus. If you want to hear
over-the-top reverb check out old surf recording
by Dick Dale or the Ventures. Echo is literally
everywhere and you could not escape a guitar
chorus effect during the ‘80s. Andy Summers
from the Police is maybe the best example of
that “chorused” sound. Classic chorus pedals
include the original Boss CE-1 (which was
coveted for years by keyboard players for it’s
Leslie-type sound) through the Dunlop UniVibe (a Hendrix fave) to the DOD Ice Box.
This Year’s Model
Ironically, for someone who used to have
a line of at least a half dozen pedals on the
floor in front of me, these days I have none.
But I have hundreds at the same time. Digital
modeling has gone from replicating classic
amps to making virtual stompboxes. My Line
6 Vetta amp contains a collection of them and
these days I don’t use anything else, except a
talkbox.
But those models are not just in amps.
Line 6, Boss (Roland), Vox and others all
make advanced pedals that model a range of
classic effects. Digitech (DOD) has even done
a range of models named for specific players
that models the sounds they used on specific
songs and that are approved and co-developed
with the particular guitar player. I have seen Eric
Clapton, Brian May and Jimi Hendrix models
and more are sure to come.
Like so many things sonic, stompboxes are
almost totally subjective and what I love you
may hate. But keep a few basics in mind. Steel
cases will take a lot of abuse. Quality companies
use quality components and that make a big
difference. Yes, there are super cheap knockoffs out there (the basement at NAMM—also
known as “Little China”—was full of ‘em) but
most of them are pieces of crap that will die
when you can least afford them to. Check the
switch. Does it feel sturdy? If it feels cheap—
move on.
Also consider power. Most stomp boxes will
take an AC adapter or batteries but an adapter
will provide a steady signal and consistent
sound. (A great accessory is a power supply by
Visual Sound called the 1 Spot Combo Pack
that will power five or six pedals regardless of
manufacturer with on little wall wart. Another
option is powered pedal boards made by SKB,
Furman and others).
The thing to remember is that stompboxes
are fun. I dug ‘em even if my wife mocked
my constant stomping as “The Bill Dance.”
Modeled, vintage, reissue or something in
between, the right stompbox can make your
sound. Just don’t trip turning it on. sm
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
29
now p lay i ng o niradi o
Now Playing On iRadio
By R.A. Lindquist
A
fter watching The
Grammys the other
night and then
American Idol a few nights
later, it occurred to me that
the gap between what it
takes to win a Grammy and
what it takes to make the
Top 24 on Idol is relatively
narrow (I’m
speaking, of
course, of the
five or six top
Idol contestants).
How does this translate
to the artists we feature on
iRadio? Simply put, the vast
majority are as talented, and
make music just as good (if not
better) than many Grammy
winners. Personally, I think
James Blunt (nominated for
song of the year, “You’re
Beautiful”) is a fantastic artist,
but I also believe that many
of the comparable artists
featured on iRadio are just as
talented. It’s unfortunate but
independent artists, teaming
with creativity and talent,
are too often overlooked by
the general public simply
because certain programmers
and
promoters
have
determined this music is
not for mass consumption.
We disagree. Tune into to
Singer&Musician’s
iRadio
(www.iRadio.ws) and let us
know which side of the fence
you’re on.
iLTP Network Site Frontpage Now Much Easier To Use.
Because so much of
what we do is Web-based,
it’s important that we have
a site that’s easy for you to
find what you’re looking for.
So, after totally redesigning
our site just last summer, and
30
s i nger&musician
April
2007
then listening to your feedback, we decided to
take another look at it. So far, the comments
we’ve received have been very positive. Among
the most notable changes:
Download Edition
We now spotlight our latest issue of
Singer&Musician right at the top, AND offer
a slightly compacted version for download.
To decrease download time, we’ve removed
pages that are duplicated elsewhere on the site,
such as the new products section. Everything
else is there - including all the ads. Last year,
more than 358,000 issues of Singer&Musician
were downloaded globally. Obviously, this is
a service that is appreciated and we want to
make it as fast and as easy as possible for readers
in areas where the print version may not be
available.
SAM University
This is consistently the most visited area
on our site and we’ve made it much easier for
users to find what they are looking for. We’re
also adding tons of new instructional material
that covers everything from building your vocal
chops to knowing how to better communicate
with your sound techs.
New Product Spotlight
We’ve created a dedicated new products
area that can be updated daily. One of the big
disadvantages of any print
publication is that, between
issues, there are more new
product introductions than we
can cover. Now you can keep
up with what’s new every day.
iLTP Community BLOGS
In this area, you’ll find
blogs from our contributors and
editors with opportunities for
you to comment on a variety of
subjects. This is where you can
really get involved. Have an
opinion? A question? A funny
or inspiring experience? Some
advice? This is where you
can let the Singer&Musician
community
know
what’s
important in YOUR world.
Better Navigaton
At the top of the left side
are buttons that will open up
the iRadio window as well as
one for the FREE back issue
downloads. Down the left side
you’ll find additional quick
links to areas on the site. With
this new design it is much faster
and easier to find just what you
are looking for.
That’s it in a nutshell. Visit
the new site soon and check
out the new layout—you’ll
find it more user-friendly and
there is a stunning amount of
information and resources for
the Indie musician up there
that is not available anywhere
else. More importantly, come
back often. The iLivetoPlay.net
site is updated daily with new
features and even more careerenhancing information. sm
i R ad io A L ist
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
31
Pr o du c tr e v i e w
Peavey Kosmos V2
M
ost pro sound
guys will publicly
express disdain for
devices known as “spectrum
enhanchers.”
I am among a minority of sound guys who
will actually admit to owning and using these
devices as part of the signal chain. Back when I
was starting out and doing mostly sound for my
own band with a small, underpowered system
using a unit like an Aphex Aural Exciter or a BBE
Sonic Maximizer was an “all the time” thing and
it made my crappy little system sound better.
I will go as far as to say that my use of such
devices is a big part of what got me repeat work
and jobs mixing for other groups and venues
and eventually allowed me to get a real system
that did not require the use of such devices
all the time. But I still use them when I need
to and I am far from the only one. I won’t talk
out of school or snitch on anyone, but I have
seen plenty of these kind of units in plenty of
A-Level touring racks. No one talks about them
but plenty of pros use them.
When Peavey first released the Kosmos
about five years ago, they were faced with this
dilemma. In addition to enhancing highs and
providing the illusion of a bigger stereo spread
the first Kosmos added a subharmonic generator
which Peavey know would make thee unit
popular with Djs. They were right and given that
market, the cute seismic-themed controls like
“Thud” and “Quake” fit right in. A couple of years
later, Peavey upped the game with the release of
the Kosmos Pro that added some great features
including the ability to use it as a crossover and
the use of balanced I/O but the cute names were
actually expanded which turned a lot of pros off.
There where also a lot of controls whose function
was not immediately apparent so you had to
work with the unit a bit to figure out how to make
it work for you. I liked it but did not see a lot of
them out there in my pro audio travels.
But at Summer NAMM last year, Peavey
released the Kosmos V2 which addresses much
of what pros did not like and keeps all of the
good stuff all at a price that is just over half of
the Komos Pro.
THE GEAR
The Kosmos Pro is a single RU unit
packaged in an attractive silver case—gone are
32
s i nger&musician
April
2007
the swooping die-cuts and bright blue of the
previous model. The rear panel includes an IEC
jack for a standard Edison plug for power as well
as stereo ins and outs on both balanced TRS and
XLR connects with a switch to put the V2 into
mono mode. The last connector on the back is a
subwoofer out which is also balanced but only
on a TRS connection—no XLR out for the sub.
The front panel has been greatly simplified
with about a third fewer controls. It is important
to remember that the Kosmos is NOT an EQ
and it adjusts frequency response through phase
manipulation the Low Freq control serves to
emphasize and tighten the lows and works best
when using a sub and really helps smooth things
out when using the subharmonic generator. The
High Freq control does not really boost the highs,
rather it
THE GIGS
I had a good idea of what the unit could do
already. So, I decided to take it on the kind of
gig I would not usually think to include it on and
see how it went.
The show was a very quiet series of acoustic
performances in a room for about 200 people.
The acts were all solo or duos with acoustic
guitars and nothing else. The system consisted
of a very old Soundcraft board driving a pair of
Mackie 15” powered subs and a pair of SLS top
boxes powered by a QSC PLX amp. The signal
from the board went into the Kosmos V2 in
stereo and both subs got the same output signal
with the stereo outs feeding the QSC/SLS combo.
The crossover function was engaged as was the
control to remove the subharmonic frequencies
from the mains.
As the acts began to take the stage things
sounded OK but the acts were largely audio
wall paper. It did not sound bad it was just
easy to ignore. We had been using the Kosmos
as a crossover and to widen that stereo image
until I got a weird idea. I started dialing up the
subharmonic on an acoustic guitar duo with a
female lead singer and male backing singer who
also did the bulk of the between song talking. I
liked what it was doing to the guitars but it was
muddying the male vocal.
I ran back to the board and dumped the
EQ on the vocal channels at about 200 Hz and
tried the subharmonic again. No mud. Feeling
particularly brilliant, I went back to the console
and dumped the lows from the female singer’s
guitar and—viola!—got what sounded like a
third band member. With the subharmonic
tracking just the lead acoustic guitar who was
doing a lot of finger picking you would think—if
you closed your eyes and just listened—that
there was a bass doubling those parts.
With some creative use of the Kosmos V2,
we not only made a small system at very low
volume sound much bigger without getting
loud, but we added a new dimension to the
performance. There are not many processors I
can use to get that kind of response.
PEAVEY KOSMOS V2—$299
Primera
Bravo SE
These days, “promo” in Las Vegas means
DVD— and those take a long time to burn. I
bought an Epson printer that prints right on the
disc and looks pretty good but it is fussy and I have
to babysit it. Bottom line is that duping 10 DVDs
for sending to venues and agents is a several hour
ordeal. Enter the Primera Technology’s Bravo SE
Disc Publisher.
adds clarity and widens the stereo image. At high
setting it can sound harsh but used judiciously it
can go a long way toward making a small system
sound bigger—especially at low volumes.
I
By Bill Evans
f you have been doing
this music thing for a
bunch of years like some
of us, then you have seen
the accelerating changes
in the way we duplicate
recorded materials.
What It Is and What It Isn’t
The Bravo SE is about the size of any desktop
printer it connects via USB. Feed it a disk you
and send it an image file from your Mac or PC,
hit start and walk away. It is really that easy.
But before we delve into how it works, let’s
talk about what it should be used for. These
units are great for short-run stuff. If you are
doing a CD or DVD for release and printing
up 1000 at a time, then you need to go to one
of the reputable commercial duplicators (like
Oasis, DiscMakers, MMS, Dove or any of our
other fine advertisers).
Pr o duct r eview
TC Electronic C300 Compressor
By Bill Evans
when hooked up for stereo use you can also do
“serial compressing” with the first compression
“engine” as a compressor and the second as a
limiter or the first as a gate and the second as
an expander. I/O connections are balanced 1/4”
plus SP/DIF and MIDI for program changes. The
power supply is internal and accessed via a
standard IEC jack.
THE GEAR
A multi-band compressor is basically group
of compressors, each of which is frequencydependant (in other words it only compresses
within a selected frequency range). The idea is
to be able to compress the parts of a signal that
are causing problems without affecting the rest
of the frequency range. For example, using a fullrange compressor on a vocal channel can cause
a perceived “dulling” of the high frequency
content of the channel because it is the midrange
that needs compressing but the whole signal
gets compressed equally. While multi-band
compression is really something more common
in the studio—especially in the mastering
process—than onstage, there are still a couple of
units near and dear to the hearts of your more
compression-savvy sound geeks. Chief among
these is the TC Electronic Triple C. If you want
one, you can occasionally find a used one on
eBay for near the price it once cost new.
The C300 is an attempt at giving users most
of the advantages of the multi-band compression
of the Triple C while improving its ease-of-use
and getting the price down to where an indie
musician can afford it. To do this, the software
gurus at TC have created algorithms based on
the typical settings of a multi-band compressor
for different specific uses which are accessible
from the front panel as presets—male vocal,
female vocal,
acoustic
g u i t a r ,
drums, etc.
After dialing
in the preset
or
source,
you still have control over threshold and
ratio—when the compressor kicks in and how
hard it hits the signal. The two other common
compression parameters, attack and release, are
handled by the algorithms but you get a knob
for makeup gain (when you compress a signal
you may have to boost the overall gain to get it
back to where you want it in the mix). You also
have a knob labeled Mix which we will get to
in a minute.
The C 300 can operate in dual mono,
stereo or serial modes. As a mono insert for a
specific channel or group you plug it in like
any other compressor—ditto for stereo use. But
How It Works
When I opened the box, it was like any
computer printer: Printer, power supply, USB
cable and Discribe software for PCs and Macs.
The software includes templates for labels
so you can do your design in the program of
your choice and then overlay the template to
see how it will print. A pretty painless process
even for someone as graphics-challenged as I.
I took our DVD promo from a recent gig at
the Fremont Street Experience, threw together a
quick label and fired up Discribe. At first, I could
not find the registration number (the manual said
it was inside the package). I finally figured out that
you must go through an online process to get the
activation key. Not anything difficult but it did take
a little time. The Discribe software is very easy to
use. Tell it what kind of job you are doing and where
the source material lives (it can be a disc image on
your hard drive or a master copy of a CD or DVD).
Next, show it where the label graphic is (Discribe
comes with multiple templates that show you
what your finished disk will look like so you can
create it in the graphics program of your choice. I
used Photoshop). Load the spindle up with blanks,
hit start and walk away. It is that simple. Make sure
that you have the most recent version of Discribe
(5.3.23 for the Mac as of this writing) as previous
versions sometimes left the occasional disk only
half printed. Using the most current software, my
success rate was 100%—something I can’t even
say for the burner (with no printer) that is built
into my PowerBook. The discs look unbelievably
good. Primera sent a spindle of TuffCoat with
WaterShield DVDs and they live up to their
booking. Just for grins, I wet my finger and tried
to smudge one while writing this. No dice. On
the other hand, the ones I burned manually and
printed months ago on the Epson smudged with
the slightest moisture. The TuffCoat discs also
give you a very nice, shiny finish that looks a lot
like a commercially printed disc.
Who’s It For
So who needs one? If I were a performer
who did regular promo mailings, I would love
one. In fact, I may buy this one. But think about
this. I just did a gig last night that was recorded
at the board. How cool would it be to be able to
offer recordings of THAT NIGHT’S GIG to fans
on the way out the door? At an MSRP 0f $1495
and a street price up to a hundred bucks less
than that it is not a small investment for an indie
artist. But think of it this way: 50 of those cool
CDs will run you $34.95 and an ink cartridge
(good for about 100 discs) is $37.95. This puts
your cost per disc just over a buck. Add a case
and a preprinted insert and you may be up to
a buck fifty per. If you sell them for $12 a pop
the Bravo pays for itself with just 150 CDs sold.
That’s not a lot and after that the ten bucks per
disc above cost becomes part of your income
stream. Something to really think about.
Primera Bravo SE Disc Publisher—$1495
I
’ll never forget the time
I went out on a briefcase
gig (soundguy slang for a
gig where you don’t have to
carry any gear) to step in for
a guy who had gotten himself
double booked and had to
leave for another show.
The rack at the mix position included a
number of compressors—none of which were
even patched into the system. When I inquired
why this was so I was told by the other engineer
that he didn’t really “get” compression so he
didn’t patch them in but I was welcome to.
Truth is, that is a great attitude to take. Misuse
and overuse of compression can send your sound
south as fast as any other misstep I can think of
and by not insisting that something get used
just because it was there, this mixer showed
real maturity and restraint. Now, given that this
mixer/musician is far from alone in not “getting”
compression, here is one to strike fear into the
bravest of audio hearts—multi-band compression.
THE GIGS
The C 300 saw use in a number of
applications and shone in every one. We used
it on vocals and acoustic guitars and bass and
drums. The presets gave us a great “base” and
then it was just a case of dialing in the amount of
compression and at what point it kicked in and
then adjusting the gain. The final kob—the one
labeled Mix—allows you to do a trick that a lot
of engineers do that requires two channels on
the console but the C 300 does it all inside the
box. This is the “parallel” compression feature
and what it does
is split the incoming signal into two sources
compressing one and leaving the other “dry.”
This is perhaps the best feature of the unit as it
allows you to get the compressor punchiness
without stepping all over the input’s dynamic
range. In other words, it allows for compression
without “squashing.” Very nice. And best of all,
the C 300—which sounds great and is easy to
use and has capabilities far beyond most units in
this price range—sells for about a third of what
its predecessor did. You will be hard pressed to
find a better unit in this price range for either
stage or studio and—added bonus!—you won’t
have to scour eBay to find one.
TC Electronic C 300 Compressor—$249
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
33
a d v ert iseme n t
nEW pro du c ts po t l ig h t
Alfred’s Ultimate
Vocal SingAlong Series
Alfred’s Ultimate Vocal Sing-Along series
give you everything you need to sing
your favorite songs! At just $12.95
(SRP), each songbook has the lyrics,
music notation, and chords to eight great
hits, with lyrics-only pages included.
There are two versions of every song
on the CD: a full-performance track with
an amazing sound-alike recording, and
a professional accompaniment track so
you sing along. When you use the CD in
your Mac or Windows-based computer,
the TNT (Tone “N” Tempo) Changer lets
you easily change the key and tempo to
individualize the playback for just your
voice and style. www.alfred.com
AUDIX DP-7
The DP-7 is pre-packaged set of seven microphones ideally
suited for miking a 5 piece drum kit for both live and recording applications. At the heart of the mic system is the popular D6 dynamic microphone for kick drum.
For snare drum, the i-5 is provided; for rack toms
there are two D2 mics, for floor tom there is a
D4, and for overheads there are two ADX51
condenser microphones with pad and roll-off.
Additionally there are 4 D-Vice rim mounting
clips which eliminate the need for mic stands for snare
and toms. The entire miking kit is packaged in a convenient
foam-lined aluminum carrying case. Suggested retail: $1747. www.audixusa.com
TASCAM
TASCAM’s GA-30CD guitar amp uses solid-state technology for killer guitar tone without the
latency delay of digital modeling amps. The 30-watt amp has a multi-effects processor for
delay, chorus, phasing and more great-sounding tones. The amp’s built-in CD trainer has its
own stereo sound system for playing CDs at virtually any speed and pitch without compromising the amp tone. The GA-30CD plays back CDs
with Variable Speed Audition so musicians can learn
licks at slower speeds without changing the pitch.
CDs can also be pitched to match the tuning of
an instrument, and a built-in tuner is provided. A
Guitar Cancel feature is also provided for playing
along with CDs, and a line input can play back an
MP3 player, microphone preamp, mixer or other
source. www.TASCAM.com
Making Money Making
Music: The Musician’s Guide
to Cover Gigs
By Quint Randle and Singer&Musician’s Bill Evans. Written
in straight-forward language by professional gigging musicians, Making Money Making Music guides artists through
every aspect of achieving financial success through cover
gigs. This easy-to-use reference shows readers how to start
or join a cover band, choose the right cover songs, land the
first gigs or get better ones, handle marketing and promotion, use proper sound and lighting systems, and much more.
Currently available at: www.amazon.com, www.
walmart.com, www.music44.com
Product Spotlight
Ads Work!
When you’re introducing a new product or service,
get the word out fast with a Product Spotlight on the
iLiveToPlay Network! Reach 60,000+ readers in
Singer&Musician PLUS 100,000+ visitors to
iLiveToPlay.net for one low price.
Deadline for the May/June issue is
fast approaching. Contact Robert Lindquist
[email protected] or call 585-905-6021
www.ilivetoplay.net
34
s i nger&musician
April
2007
AUDIX
VX-5
The VX-5 is a professional slim-line
electret condenser
vocal microphone
aimed at the live
performance,
broadcast, and home
studio market. With
a smooth uniform
frequency response
from 40 Hz - 18 kHz,
the VX-5 incorporates
switches for bass roll-off
and a -10dB pad, making it possible to fine
tune the microphone
for a wide variety of
performance requirements. The VX-5 is
able to handle sound
pressure levels in excess
of 140 dB. Suggested
retail: $299. www.
audixusa.com
singer& musician university
P rovidin g t he k n o wledge y o u need t o reac h y o u r g o al o f v ocal & m u s i cal s u ccess …
SONG:
dirty little secret
ARTIST:
all american
rejects
By Phil Parlapiano
F
rom their humble
beginnings rocking to
Def Leppard and Bon
Jovi back in Stillwater, OK,
the All American Rejects
have come pretty far,
penning quite a few top five
singles, including the peppy,
“Dirty Little Secret.”
The song opens with a distorted riff in
Bb-(probably played in C and tuned down a
whole step—most rock songs in “flat” keys are
tuned down or were written by the keyboard
player) sounding quite like a combination of
the ‘80s hit, “My Sharona” by The Knack and
anything by Social Distortion. The drums bash
on the second riff, bass comes in on the third
and fourth holding over on the Ab chord one
extra measure. The vocal enters on the verse
with a melody very much like U2’s “With or
Without You.” The guitars play power chords
in 1/8 notes over a drum snare and tom part.
There is no bass.
The chords proceed Bb, F, Gm to Eb. At
the B section the chords release nicely to Cm
as the bass enters in a dotted quarter, eighth,
half note fashion. The melody pops up in
range, like alternative rockers, Weaser, would.
After two bars the chords change to Gm for
two, Eb for the next two while the second
guitar flirts with the major 7th, then ending
the progression with a F screaming into the
big pop chorus. Another guitar is added as the
singer proclaims “I’ll keep you my dirty little
secret”. I don’t know any girl that could live
with a song written about her being a dirty
little secret! The vocal lines repeat in round.
The next lyrics then read “Don’t tell anyone or
you’ll be just another regret.” Man, this guy
is smooth. The chorus ends on the 4 chord,
butting right up to the 2nd verse.
At this verse, an additional guitar chunks
away, but at an octave. This adds much needed
Why It Works
•
Updated ‘80s punk vibe sounds
new and familiar at the same
time
•
Character’s “change of
heart” in lyrics
•
Outstanding production and
pop quality
life to the track. There is an added vocal
harmony on the 2nd and 4th line of the
A part.
When the b section comes again, a
vocal duet sings ‘ahhs’ in the background
being a great idea to add lift to this section.
The next chorus comes around
sounding quite like the first until it butts
into the bridge
At the halftime bridge, the singer
ponders the idea that maybe the girl has
feelings for him and this is eating him
apart, showing he indeed has a conscience. The
second half is a nice progression Bb/D-Cm as
the drums go back to regular time and the band
gets ready for the big rock solo.
The solo is a tasty melody over the intro chord
progression as the tambourine jingles 16ths.
At the last chorus, the band is broken
down, with drums, one 8th note guitar and
vocals in octaves, favoring the lower one. At the
repeated chorus, the vocal melody is changed
in an almost bluesy style, which is a very fresh
approach. There is a coda that climbs up (eb, f,
gm-) ending on the Ab. The singer asks ‘who
has to know” while the intro progression repeats
again ending at a syncopation on the suspended
F chord, where it holds with guitar feedback for
a while until the whole track pitches down (an
old analog trick!).
The production and pop quality make
“Dirty Little Secret” a perfect song for a teen
romance show, which is where I might have
heard it before. It also shows that a little 80’s
power punk mixed with 90’s sensibility add up
to make a top 5 hit song.
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
35
singe r&m u s i c ia nu n i v e r s it y
askthecoach
By Breck Alan
The right reason to
pursue music?
Q
I’ve been a bit depressed about the
music business lately. When I finally
realized I wasn’t going to be a famous
rock star I had a hard time being motivated
to play. Now I realize I was playing music all
those years and sacrificing a more stable future
for all of the wrong reasons. Still, I feel empty
without it. Your thoughts on all of this would
be appreciated.
­— Jason Fynch , NYC
A
What shame is there in wanting to be
famous? Any one doing music several
times a week and putting themselves
through the insanity of that, loves it and is doing
it because they love it, even if they seem to have
another motive to begin with.
The difference between someone really
pursuing music as a career and the person with
another profession pursuing music as a hobby
is rarely the love of music but a difference in
agendas. Some people are
just more willing than others
to endure the discomfort
of poverty and insecurity
for a cause than are other
people.
I’ve known many people
with other careers that
pursue music on nights and
weekends that desperately
wish they could do it as a
career. They love music.
Many of them are not in
love with their jobs but are
of the opinion that there is
no chance of success in
the music business so they
choose a more responsible
path.
They choose a
direction that affords them
a nice lifestyle with some
security and a chance to do
their passion as a hobby. They are probably the
wise ones. Statistically speaking their chance of
success is almost exactly the same as someone
that pursues music as a full time career. It’s
an itty, bitty, teeny, tiny chance of success.
And that’s assuming the hobbyist is somewhat
serious and actually throws a little music out
into the world with their homemade CD, the
song-writer contest every now and then and the
bar gig every few months. You gotta at least
play the lotto a little if you ever even dream
about winning it.
The point is they love it too. Your argument
would suggest that they do it for the right reason,
which is just because they love it.
One could argue that it is the passionate
ones that create great art. And it has been a
rather universal opinion that sacrifice is needed
to really feel passion. Therefore, regardless of
the outcome so far, you can feel good in the
fact that you have lived a passionate life despite
your feelings of disappointment.
On the other hand I’ve never met a person
that was truly pursuing music or any other art
form that didn’t have a pretty deep love for.
It didn’t mean they were necessarily good
at it but they loved it. Often, the people that
are just as in love with the idea of stardom as
they are the actual music, live out their star
character and bring that character forward in
their performance. When it works, it works
because there are just as many people (or more
perhaps) that follow musical trends for what
they represent fashion-wise as opposed to what
they represent musically. The problem is, when
it doesn’t work you end up with a burnt out,
unsuccessful rock star. That’s the worst kind of
rock star. And you know what? The world is full
of them.
Basically, you’re feeling
disappointed because your
expectations weren’t met.
Well, I hate to say this,
but in the music biz most
expectations are not met.
There’s a brutal saying in
the pursuit of art that goes
“If you can quit, do.” It’s a
matter of self preservation—
you have a right to not feel
disappointed all of the time.
Most of the people
I’ve ever known who have
worked hard to pursue
music as a career have come
out the other side as very
driven, motivated people
and have turned that into
a functional way of living.
Many of those people have
stayed in music as educators, producers, agents,
managers, record label owners or employees,
equipment dealers, etc.
It’s sad that things can disappoint us and
burn us out to the extent that we don’t want to
do them any more. If that is the case, it’s not
necessary to feel guilty about it. I think people
that pursue big lives end up leading several
lifetimes. If music was another lifetime for you,
then be happy and proud that you had that
lifetime. I’m sure it will enrich you in whatever
you do.
There’s a brutal
saying in the
pursuit of art
that goes “if you
can quit, do.”
It’s a matter of
self preservation
and you have a
right to not feel
disappointed all
of the time.
36
s i nger&musician
April
2007
sin ger&musici a nuniversi ty
Seminars Keep the Ball Rolling
By Richard Gilewitz
Y
ears ago when I began
doing seminars I had
no formal schooling in
putting on this type of event.
Yes, I had released CD’s and had a respectable
touring history and I had taught in individual and
class settings. Yet it was not until I become actively
involved and experienced literally hundreds of
these in-store and off-site clinics that I spotted
consistent plays and patterns.
The most essential patterns, or should I say
elements, of a good seminar is balance and the
understanding of the roles of everyone involved.
Not in any particular order, there is the audience,
the host (music dealer, university department
head, or individual), the manufacturers
supporting the event, the media, the
musician conducting the seminar,
the host staff, the local teachers and,
in general, the entire community.
Each one of these participants has
an effect on the success of the seminar.
If the audience is distracted by ringing
cell phones, if the papers did not print
up the press release, if the host did
not distribute the posters and flyers,
and if the musician did not prepare
his sets, the outcome of a potentially
successful seminar is compromised.
Another element of a good
seminar is respect. The seminars
are not about the musician; they
are about educating, inspiring, and
bringing music to a community that
may not have had the opportunity
to experience a certain style of playing. When
scheduling my clinics, I always try to respect the
time and availability of the potential host. There
is no set formula. Sometimes the store owner
wants to make the arrangements and often they
prefer to delegate the duties to the staff or to
the combo or guitar manager. Some prefer to
communicate through emails and some like, as
they say in New Zealand, a bit of a chin wag on
the phone to talk about how to make the most of
the evening or afternoon event.
Preparation is of the utmost importance
and communicating what is needed to the right
people is absolutely crucial. I must be flexible
with my sound equipment requests. I may prefer
to have subwoofers available to demonstrate the
sonic range of my Breedlove 12-string, which I
tune down two whole steps from standard pitch
for a great effect, but one of the host dealers
may only have a powered mixer and a pair of
12” speakers available. Pitch a fit and that’s a
sure guarantee not to be invited back.
When first introducing the seminar concept to
a potential host, I mention the sponsors, who will
be involved in supporting the show, to see if there
is a good fit. A store selling only organs and pianos
is not appropriate for a guitar clinic. Finding the
right date and time, as well as discussing costs,
should be in the forefront. No one likes surprises,
hidden costs, or anything misleading because that
path leads to issues of mistrust.
Once a date is booked it is advisable to
provide a CD for in-store play along with posters
and hand-out flyers to promote the evening.
Press releases should then be sent to local area
media and CDs to supportive radio stations.
Many times there will already be a relationship
between a store and members of the local media,
which can be very advantageous in terms of onair announcements or call in contests to bring
attention to the event.
I find that the best nights for seminars are
Monday-Thursday and, on occasion, a Saturday
afternoon. A 7-9 PM time frame is good, which
is after dinner and not too late for kids. (I
encourage parents to bring them along if they do
not disrupt. Parents are usually sensitive to others
and will not bring a fussy youngster to the clinic.)
My format is to offer a combination mini concert
and Q & A period, with the 45-minute concert
leading into a brief intermission. This gives
people a chance to get to know me, hear what
I’m doing, and become comfortable in preparing
their questions for the 2nd half. They really tend
to light up when they know that if they ask a
question, they will get a prize. This is the portion
where my sponsors donate a generous amount of
swag and promotional items for the night.
Balance on all fronts is key during the event
as well. I do not want to come off misrepresenting
myself as a comedian, a hotshot, a sales rep,
or something that I am not. However, there is
absolutely nothing wrong with adding humor
to the show, playing the music with the utmost
brilliance and respect, and mentioning the
products I use, why I use them along with how
they work...and never, never forgetting to thank
both the audience for showing up and the host
for having the event.
About a week prior to the show, I make a
habit of contacting the host stores knowing that
now they will have had the time to push the
upcoming clinic a little bit higher up on their
busy platter. We discuss specifics about available
sound, sound check times, and if possible,
lighting or stage schemes, and refreshments. Not
for me, but for the attendees. There’s nothing like
a good cup of coffee, a cookie or two and a bit
of a chin wag among everyone on the break.
There’s that feeling of community and what
music should be about. It’s the passing of the
torch for a musical style, respect for the local
teachers who hopefully encourage
their students to come, and a thanks for
the music dealers for keeping the ball
rolling by supporting the music in their
community.
And it is a ball! One of the most
common questions I seem to get from
students, teachers and dealers is how and
why I continue to do so many of these
clinics. For me the answer is simple. I
never know what type of situation I may
wind up in, what ‘s going to happen or
what type of question I may get, from both
children OR adults. I once played a music
shop that sold guitars and wigs. One clinic
was held in an abandoned funeral home!
You can just imagine what kind of emails
I got when people saw THAT venue on my
tour itinerary. But the dealer was creative
in finding a location since his shop was too small
to hold such an event. The evening turned out to be
a great success for everyone.
Once a member of the audience ask if my
Intellitouch tuner was a mirror. Another student
queried me about the type of shampoo I use and
the more I thought about it, it could have been a
perfectly legitimate question. He probably didn’t
want what happened to me to happen to HIM!
And of course my all time favorite question,
which came from a first grader, “Are most of the
people who like the music you play dead?”
I cannot stress enough how fortunate I
feel to be associated with some of the most
reputable sponsors in the music industry who
support these events, such as Audio-Technica,
Breedlove Guitars, D’Addario and Planet Waves,
Gold Tone, Intellitouch Tuners, L.R. Baggs,
Mel Bay Publications, Singer & Musician, and
Shubb Capos. It is indeed the efforts of many,
coming from all directions, that makes my job
of passing the ball a lot smoother.
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
37
singe r&m u s i c ia nu n i v e r s it y
Back To The Basement
Dear Lis,
I recorded a demo of some of my songs in
my basement. It sounds pretty good although
there are some mistakes in it. I’m not really that
great a singer but I have style. Can I send it out
to managers and record labels?
— Christian
Dear Christian,
The people in the music business hear
thousands of demos from very sophisticated
producers and artists. If they listen to one that
is well produced and well sung and the next
one they listen to is yours, how do you think
it will compare? Go back to the basement and
fix it. Make it sound as good as you can with
no mistakes. Give yourself as good a chance to
compete as possible.
The Entertainment
Starts Here
Lis Lewis is a vocal coach in Los Angeles. Her
clients include the Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears,
Gwen Stefani, Jack Black, Jimmy Eat World,
and the All-American Rejects. She just finished
coaching all of the rockers for the TV show “Rock
Star: Supernova”. Visit her website http://www.
TheSingersWorkshop.com.
Producer 101
Dear Lis,
I’ve been working with a producer who
wants me to make my voice grittier. I try but
my voice gets so tired. What can I do? Actually
I’m not sure I even like the sound.
— Cody
Dear Cody,
This is such a common problem; I
wish I could give producers a class on working
with singers. The first thing I’d say is find singers
whose voices you love rather than trying to
force a perfectly good singer into some idea you
have in your head. The second thing is learn
something about how the voice works. You
force a singer to be gritty and you’re likely to
shorten their career. To you, Cody, I’d say, be
true to yourself. Working with a producer is a
collaboration that involves give and take, so
pick your battles. But when it comes down to
something as important as your sound, fight for
what you believe.
38
s i nger&musician
April
2007
Dear Lis,
I am a recording/performing artist who
sings original material. I’m interested in
auditioning for Rock Star for next year in order
to get more exposure. Do you think it’s a good
idea?
— Rebecca
Dear Rebecca,
If you aren’t really good at singing cover
songs, it won’t matter how good your original
songs are. Rock Star is a show that is primarily
about cover songs. Also remember that this isn’t
only about the career boost that comes if you stick
it out. The entertainment starts at the beginning
of the show and you are it. Think long and hard
about whether it’s right for you.
Air Control
Dear Lis,
Don’t I have to push harder (from the
diaphragm) in order to sing higher?
— Alyson
Dear Alyson,
I don’t like the word ‘push’. Usually it means
that you are shoving too much air into your
vocal cords, whether it’s from the diaphragm
or not. You do have to make adjustments in air
pressure to sing in different ranges, at different
volumes and for different tones. You are - kind
of - a wind instrument. But I suspect that you
don’t need the amount of air pressure you think
you do.
Conflict of Interest
Dear Lis,
My producer wants to manage me. He says
he has a lot of contacts. Should I let him?
— Dean
Dear Dean,
This is becoming a more popular
arrangement than it used to be, but I still
have problems with it. Your manager should
be looking out for your best interests in every
aspect of your career. What if the best thing
for you is a different producer? Obviously he
wouldn’t tell you that. On the other hand, it
has become more common for a management
company to offer ‘one stop shopping’ providing
producer, writers and musicians and other
industry professionals. As always make sure you
get a good entertainment attorney to look at the
deal; they will know what the norms are for this
kind of relationship.
sin ger&musici a nuniversi ty
Stay Well – Play Well
Surviving Flu Season
By Ocea
I
t starts with sniffling and
sneezing—usually while
traveling in the band bus
with 5 or 6 other people.
Then, you start to get achy
and it’s all down hill from
there. Having been on and
off the road for 11+ years,
I have found several things
that seem to work.
It’s upon us again – and this year, the CDC
has said flu season has started late. Viruses live
on hard surfaces for up to 72 hours and are easily
transferred by a handshake, sneeze or cough. But
you don’t have to become a “Germ-o-phobe.”
You’ve heard it a million times before, but I can’t
overstress how critical it is to wash your hands or
carry anti-viral/anti-bacterial wipes with you. My second piece of advice is to pull over at
your nearest health food store or pharmacy and
buy some Oscillococcinum. Weird name. Wicked
great flu formula. This is a homeopathic medicine
- which means it activates the body’s natural virusfighting systems and kicks them into overdrive.
The trick is to have it with you so you can
take it at the FIRST sign of flu. It comes with three
vials that you take in the mouth (tastes like sugar
pellets) every six hours. It will dramatically reduce
the length and severity of flu. I carry this with me
at all times and can be generally found giving it
away to an unlucky fellow traveler. I once sent
24 boxes to Nickelback when their whole crew
was coming down with the same flu virus.
Another piece of advice is to build up your
immune system so you make your body less
susceptible to illness. Astragalus is an herb long used
in traditional Chinese medicine to boost immunity—
and can be found in pills or as a liquid tincture. The
great thing about astragalus is that you can take it
every day and you won’t build up a tolerance.
Garlic is another great antiviral, antibacterial, and
antifungal. You can find enteric-coated tablets that
dissolve in the digestive track so you don’t have garlic
breath. Finally, consider Maitake mushrooms—they
have a tremendous immune boosting action—and
they are available in capsules.
Okay, here’s the part you are going to hate.
Sugar, caffeine, alcohol and dairy products can
lower immunity and increase mucus in the body. I’m
not saying you have to cut these foods out altogether.
But if you are feeling a bit “off” or are around people
who are sick, moderation would be wise.
If you do get sick... Hunker down. Try to get
plenty of rest. Drink lemon & ginger tea. Avoid
the foods listed above. And try using a soothing
throat spray to address post-nasal drip and a dry,
irritated throat. Be well! sm
Ocea is one of the most sought-after bodywork
therapists and healers in the entertainment industry.
She has been on and off the road with national
recording artists for 11+ years and has worked
backstage on talent and production and most of the
entertainment award shows. Ocea is the President/
Founder of Travel Wellness, Inc. with natural
solutions for touring, performing and travel wellness.
For more information visit www.travelwellness.com.
NOTE-This general information is offered
in the spirit of helping you enjoy better health –
While the publisher is unaware of any possible side
effects from the advice offered, you should always
properly research what effects any medicine or
compound may have before you take it.
I carry this with me at all times and can be generally
found giving it away to an unlucky fellow traveler.
I once sent 24 boxes to Nickelback when their whole
crew was coming down with the same flu virus.
Sin ger&M us i c ia n ’ s
Mall Classi fi e d s
advertiser’s index
Advertiser:— —————— www.———————————— Pg—
Acoustics First—————— acousticsfirst.com——————— 40
The Art of Body Singing—— bodysinging.com— —————— 40
ASCAP EXPO— ————— ascap.com/expo— —————— 41
Audio Technica— ———— audio-technica.com— ————— 7
Crazy Daisy Productions—— crazymastering.com—————— 40
Disc Makers——————— discmakers.com/singer————— 25
Dove Enterprises— ——— dovetapes.com———————— 29
Emery & Webb— ———— emerywebb.com— —————— 15
Founder’s Festival— ——— foundersfestival.org— ————— 39
Game Show Mania———— gameshowmania.com— ———— 40
GillaCamp— —————— richardgilewitz.com— ————— 25
Independent Musician— — iLiveToPlay.net/websites— ——— 11
Jake Kelly— —————— jakekelly.net— ———————— 31
Jon Zucker— —————— jonzucker.com— ——————— 31
Mike Aiken— —————— mikeaikenmusic.com— ———— 31
MMS— ———————— musicmanufacturing.com———— 15
Oasis— ———————— oasiscd.com/singer— ————— 44
OnBoard———————— tuners.com—————————— 27
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Phil Parlapiano— ———— parlapiano.com———————— 31
QSC—————————— qscaudio.com— ——————— 43
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Ron Kaplan——————— ronkaplan.com— ——————— 13
Sound Arena— ————— soundarena.com— —————— 36
SNS Digital— —————— yourmusiconcd.com—————— 40
USA Songwriting— ——— songwriting.net———————— 23
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Yamaha— ——————— yamaha.com— ———————— 5
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(615)352-4848
[email protected]
www.ParadeOfStars.com
e -mail:
40
s i nger&musician
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2007
w w w. i L i v e To P l a y. n e t
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MYb ac kpag e
Investigating
Innovation
By Jake Kelly
I
remember riding in the
car with my mom, during
the pre-dawn early light,
headed to junior high (they
call it middle school now).
My mom, I love her to death,
is not the hippest person
around. So, it should come
as no great surprise that the
radio was tuned to one of
those stations that played the
“Greatest Music of All Time.”
My mom drove a sensible, early-seventies
Olds. She was raised during the Great Depression
and old habits die hard. We actually saved our
wrapping paper and used it to wrap gifts the next
Christmas. So, to mom, the idea of spending a
little extra money on an extravagance such as an
FM radio was unthinkable.
My folks reasoned that the next depression
was a mere heartbeat away. The fact that it hadn’t
happened yet, meant that it was only closer to...
ka-boom.
The radio station that was the favorite
parental choice was an AM station that blasted
the entire western portion of the Untied States
with fifty kabillion watts. Elevators across this
great land long to have the programmer of this
radio station dictate what musical drivel dribbles
from their speakers. Countless insomniacs
counted on this station to, if not knock them
unconscious, turn their gray matter into mush to
dull the mundane existence to their lives.
So...
My mom has this radio station playing when
suddenly a song by the Beatles comes on.
My mom doesn’t do what I expect. There’s
no, “This band is the decline of civilization!” or
“Those boys need a haircut (or castration)!” And
I’m surprised...
brother Jimmy Dorsey (1904-1957) had given
way on the family stereo as my trailblazing sister
and oldest brother led the revolution by playing
The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel.
These days, with a string quartet backing
the now “Sir” Paul McCartney singing “Eleanor
Rigby” hardly seems like something that might
cause a stir in suburbia.
Were they ahead of their time??
They were, most certainly, innovators.
George Martin’s know-how and studio
chops—mixed with the youthful enthusiasm,
experimental mentality and psychedelic drug
use of the four lads—did lead to some ground
breaking sounds and songs. But, this only would
have put them ahead of their time if they weren’t
recognized at the time they released it.
When roaming the isles of the NAMM
show, I’d often blaze by a booth that featured an
acoustic guitar with an oddly placed sound hole
or some other wacky take on tradition. Then I
noticed that Martin guitars, arguably the most
traditional of all guitar manufacturers, had a
guitar with two slanted oval sounds holes. One
of them was placed on the rim!
A slightly constipated thought process prevents
us from recognizing true innovation and ideas.
A slightly constipated thought process prevents us from
recognizing true innovation and ideas. Every day we blaze
past novel ideas when really we should be taking notice.
My mom (and, yes, I realize this is the third
paragraph that starts that way), merely states,
“Those boys were ahead of their time.”
To be truthful, the song that we heard
wasn’t “Day Tripper”, “Revolution”, or “Pimp
Daddy Loves You All Night Long” (hard to find,
but should be more widely available soon), but
rather a pleasant string quartet backing Paul on
“Eleanor Rigby” and not too out of place on a
station that requires every song to have strings.
Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised about my
mother’s acceptance of the Beatles. After all,
my childhood was tempered by the fact that
my parents had three children before me. With
great reluctance from my parents, Glenn Miller
(1904-1944), Tommy Dorsey (1905-1956), and
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s i nger&musician
April
2007
Every day we blaze past novel ideas when really
we should be taking notice. When Martin did it, I
noticed, but I should have given the idea credence
when it was presented by other manufacturers.
There was more than one booth that held a
product that had me thinking, “Why hasn’t anyone
thought of that before?” In garages all across
America, innovators and inventors are working
on the next gadget or technology that will make
capturing my music easier or inspire me to play
better. And next year they might be at NAMM. I
hope I have my eyes and mind open so I can see it,
so they won’t be thought of as before their time.
One final note: I love the swing era and
own the same records that are in my parent’s
record collection. sm