Spring 2010 - Sweetwater.com

Transcription

SPRING 2010 Issue | Vol. 90
SweetNotes
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PED
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SSES Nashville Flood Relief:
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We’re Helping, And You Can Too!
(800) 222–4700 | www.sweetwater.com
from the editor
As soon as we heard about the devastating flooding in Tennessee, we stopped the presses so that we
could include this message. After seeing the heartbreaking images of flooded Nashville, our nation’s
“Music City,” and realizing just how many friends and working musicians, techs, and engineers would
be affected, we wanted to make sure we took the time to reach out and respond. Right away, we made
a significant donation to the relief efforts. And we ask that those of you who can, please consider
lending a hand too. There are a number of excellent organizations at work in Tennessee right now,
and any donation to the area will help to restore this important music community as well as to aid the
many families who depend on it.
Spring has sprung! For those of us who deal
with cold winter, there’s so much to do this
time of year, especially with the outdoors
coming back to life — yards to be tended,
grills to be fired up, and naps to be taken
in hammocks. It’s also the time of year to
get inspired to give your studio or live rig a
thorough cleaning and maintenance check.
Here are five easy ways to make a donation:
Text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a
$10 donation on your mobile phone.
http://bit.ly/CommF
http://bit.ly/MCare
http://bit.ly/HONash
http://bit.ly/SalvArmy
For me, as a musician, it’s a time to renew
and expand my skills. I’ve broken out a few
Mitch Gallagher
instructional videos (Larry Carlton has been
Editorial Director
in my computer’s DVD player lately — what
a great player!), put new strings on the
[email protected]
guitar, and started woodshedding new ideas
and challenges. I also expanded my arsenal with a new 335. (Larry Carlton, ES-335… yes there’s a
distinct connection!) There’s nothing like a new instrument to get the juices flowing!
All in all, I’m excited to have an inspiring, music-filled year. I hope that your plans for 2010 include
growing as a musician, an engineer, or a producer, and making a ton of great music!
Way More Than a Practice Amp!
Po blank, here’s what Fender has
Point
managed to do to their guitars over the years
ma
that practically nobody else has been able to pull off: they’ve
managed to make their classic models evolve to fit modern
players’ needs, without compromising the character that made
these guitars so sought after in the first place. And now, they’ve
done it again! Pick up an American Deluxe Stratocaster or
Telecaster and prepare for all the vibe, feel, and sound you’d
expect from a primo Fender — with modern touches!
So, what’s new? How about a complete lack of that old singlecoil nemesis, 60-cycle hum? That’s because Fender equipped the
American Deluxe models with their stunning new N3 Noiseless
pickups. Don’t worry, you still get all the tone, openness, and
response that made the classic pickups so great. Plug in and
Page 01_Nashville.indd 1
you’ll see! Authentic Fender electric tones are a must, but they
didn’t stop there! Fender included the updated S-1 switching
system, which gives you more tonal options than ever.
Just when you thought Fender couldn’t make their Strats and
Teles any easier to play, they went and upped the ante: Fender
added a compound-radius fingerboard, so playing is easier all
over the neck! The locking tuners only make these reliable axes
even more roadworthy, and each American Deluxe instrument
comes with a super-tough hardshell case. Give your Sales
Engineer a call and get the lowdown on these hot new guitars!
> > Fender American Deluxe Series
Sweetwater price starting at $1499.99
www.sweetwater.com/AmerDlx
Fender has changed what it means to plug into an amp!
The G-DEC 3 combo lets you learn and practice songs
and dial in your favorite sounds in ways you’ve never
imagined! Want to jam? You can actually load up audio
tracks on an SD card and plug it right in; you’ll be off and running, jamming with your
favorite tunes. The G-DEC 3 comes complete with software that lets you create and
tweak tones on your computer — and the amp responds instantly! Better yet, you
can save your settings and even share them online! Available in both 15- and 30-watt
configurations, the G-DEC 3 is equally at home onstage, in the studio, or in your
practice space. Check out this jaw-dropping powerhouse for yourself at Sweetwater.
com/GDEC3-30!
> > Fender G-DEC 3-30
Sweetwater price $399.99
www.sweetwater.com/gdec3-30
> > Fender G-DEC 3-15
www.sweetwater.com/gdec3-15
5/19/10 6:39:44 PM
SWEETNOTES | SPRING 2010 | PAGE 2
No-compromise Channel Strip!
Experienced engineers know: you can’t turn ho-hum audio source material into sonic gold. That’s why you need
quality right at the source — if you want pro-caliber results, then you need to make the most of what comes
out of your microphone or instrument line. That’s where Grace Design’s m103 channel strip really makes a
huge difference!
The m103 delivers what you’ve come to expect from Grace Design products: clear, clean, detailed sound plus
easy tweakability. This is no “pro-sumer” toy masquerading as a top-of-the-line unit; the m103 is the real
deal, and we’ve heard firsthand what it can do. It all starts with the heart of the m103, the renowned m101
transformer mic preamp. This pre will make your vocals and instruments sound absolutely amazing, and it even
includes a switch that optimizes the m103 for use with ribbon mics. You won’t believe what a difference the
preamp section alone will make on your projects!
Hands On
Believe it or not, that level of quality and flexibility also applies to the m103’s other elements. You get a very,
very effective 3-band equalizer, which includes sweepable mids and a “Mid Q” knob. The result? You can dial
in an EQ curve that complements your vocal or instrument perfectly. And how about that impressive onboard
optical compressor? It’s capable of everything from gentle dynamic control to a pronounced squash effect, so
you can use it on all kinds of applications. Best of all, you can access the EQ and the compressor independently
or change their order in the chain.
Are you ready to step up to a truly pro-level channel strip? Then call your Sales Engineer and find out more
about the stellar m103!
Budda Superdrive 30 Series II
By Mitch Gallagher
Budda Amplification is a boutique tube
amplifier manufacturer based out of San Francisco, California,
founded in 1995. The company gained early acclaim for its
groundbreaking small, high-gain models, which have evolved to
today’s Superdrive Series II models. These models incorporate
some of the best of classic amp designs along with many unique
innovations. Ever since we started carrying Budda amps, I’ve
enjoyed checking them out — and I have always been impressed.
The Superdrive family consists of all-tube combos and heads,
ranging in power from 18 watts to 80 watts. The interesting thing
is that all of these models share the exact same preamp design.
All that changes are the power tubes used, the amount of power
produced, and the tonal contributions of the power amp section.
The Superdrive 30 combo we’re looking at here (there’s also
a head version) uses four EL84 tubes running in Class AB for 30
watts of power, with a 5U4 tube rectifier and three 12AX7 preamp
tubes. There are two speaker outputs, which can run at 4, 8, or 16
ohms. The internal speaker is Budda’s proprietary Phat 12. This has become one of my
favorite drivers; it has a rich, full, punchy sound, with no shrillness or edginess.
> > Grace Design m103
www.sweetwater.com/m103
> > Budda Superdrive 30 Series II
www.sweetwater.com/SD30-112
There are two footswitchable channels — Rhythm (with pull Brite switch) and Drive. Each channel has its own gain control. They share
a master volume as well as bass, mid, and treble controls. The mid control can be pulled for “modern” response, which scoops the mids
slightly. Around back, there are an effects loop and a slave output with its own volume control. The slave out is ideal for daisy-chaining
the Superdrive 30 to another amp for more coverage or volume or for a wet amp/dry amp effects rig.
The Rhythm channel can range from clean and bell-like to broken up and crunchy; the Drive channel gives you much higher gain,
capable of long, singing sustain and deep saturation. Between the two channels, you can conjure up an array of great tones. From clean
to dirty, the Superdrive 30 easily delivers. There’s plenty of volume available for a live gig. And if you think 30 watts isn’t enough to keep
up onstage, you’re either on a huge stage or you haven’t heard this amp!
Tonally, the Superdrive 30 leans toward crisp, detailed, powerful, present sounds. The guitar literally jumps out of the speaker at you. It’s
a cool, visceral experience that makes playing easy. Some amps are picky, preferring either single-coils or humbuckers. But I enjoyed
using both single-coil and humbucker guitars with the Superdrive 30; it sounded fantastic with each type. At a rehearsal with my band,
the amp immediately drew positive comments from the other players — its tonefulness was a big hit.
Make no mistake, this amp wants to rock, though it will do other styles as well. But it’s when you can wind it up and let it rage and
scream that it’s happiest! I’m loving the Superdrive 30, but also be sure to check the rest of the Superdrive series II amps out; each has
a different vibe, feel, and sound due to its power amp design. There’s sure to be one that will bring the tone home for you!
Around the World
in One Instrument!
What could be better than
an incredible collection of
samples and loops from all
over the globe, all packed
into a virtual instrument that
makes it super easy to add
compelling sounds and vibe
to your tracks? That’s MOTU’s
Ethno Instrument 2! Filled
to the brim with an absolutely
whopping 21GB of content,
this instrument takes you all
over the world and lets you
play an astonishing number of instruments and
sounds. Want authentic? Since so many of these instruments don’t conform to the Western 12-note scale, Ethno Instrument 2 actually allows you
to play several of them in either their native tunings or a modified Western
tuning. That’s impressive.
Also impressive is the way you can work inside Ethno Instrument 2. When
you’re dealing with a large number of instruments, you need an easy and
quick way to get the sounds you want. That’s why MOTU included a very
cool search feature; just type in the name of an instrument or a geographic
region, and all the presets with that name will instantly appear in the
browser list. Then, all you have to do is click on the name to audition the
sound, and you’re good to go! We’re talking drums, gongs, voice sounds,
bells, impressive loops, and much more. Ethno Instrument 2 gives you
unlimited parts, so you can build ensembles as large as you like. It also
comes complete with convolution reverb, so you can place all those
great sounds in ultra-realistic acoustic spaces. Plus, you can use Ethno
Instrument 2 standalone or as a plug-in, so it’s perfect for any setup. You
won’t believe the sounds and grooves you’ll be able conjure with your MIDI
keyboard controller! Call your
> > MOTU Ethno Instrument 2
Sweetwater Sales Engineer
today and learn more about
www.sweetwater.com/EthnoInst2
this amazing instrument.
Moving? Moved? Want more than one copy? Call, fax, or e-mail us your new address and don’t miss an issue of SweetNotes!
Page 02.indd 2
5/3/10 9:07:52 AM
The Pros Visit Sweetwater!
It’s still early in the year, and already 2010 is turning into one of Sweetwater’s most exciting years yet. Our state-of-the-art Performance Theatre has played host to an incredible run of
all-star sessions, workshops, clinics, and performances‚ and GearFest 2010 hasn’t even started! Here’s a glimpse at who’s recently come through our doors and passed along pro audio
wisdom — and/or dropped jaws with instrumental mastery. To pick up a bit of that wisdom yourself, be sure to catch Mitch Gallagher’s interviews with these industry luminaries by
pointing your browser to the Sweetwater Minute playlist at www.youtube.com/sweetwater.
Joe Satriani — Legendary Guitarist Extraordinaire
Ibanez Workshop
Thanks to help from our friends at Ibanez, Joe Satriani brought down the house with an outrageous
concert and Q&A clinic in late March. “Satch” tore it up on his favorite Ibanez guitars, then gave us a tour
of his newest Vox pedals later on in the clinic. For being practically a guitar god, Joe is amazingly down
to earth; the guy just loves to play!
Watch the video (Sweetwater Minute #30 & 31): http://bit.ly/SWMinute
Mark Hornsby — Hit Producer/Engineer
Leticia Wolf — Emerging Singer/Songwriter
Daking Audio and Bock Audio Demo
It’s one thing to talk about a microphone or a preamp, but hearing a session unfold right in front of
you is a completely different experience. In early March, we had the chance to spend the morning
with breakout singer/songwriter Leticia Wolf, as she gave it her all in the vocal booth. Nashville-based
producer/engineer Mark Hornsby engineered the session, while Geoff Daking of Daking Audio and
Blues Magoos fame stood on. Thanks again to Daking Audio and Bock Audio for bringing all this talent
(and gear!) to our training session.
Watch the video (Sweetwater Minute #34): http://bit.ly/SWMinute
Greg Koch — Fender Clinician, Guitarist
Extraordinaire
Kenny Aronoff — Session/Tour Drummer
Ross Hogarth — Grammy-winning Producer
Lukas Rossi — Rock Star Supernova Winner
German Briseno — Touring Bassist
Royer and Mojave Audio Demo
It’s always a treat to hear gear in action — especially when you’ve got a first-class producer/engineer
behind the board and ace musicians in the live room. That’s why this session, sponsored by Royer
Labs and Mojave Audio, was such a blast. Drum phenom Kenny Aronoff slammed on the kit (he’s
played with John Mellencamp, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Rolling Stones — and too many others
to name), while Rock Star Supernova winner Lukas Rossi was on guitar/vox. Killer bassist German
Briseno held down the low end. And none other than producer Ross Hogarth was behind the board.
Watch the video (Sweetwater Minute #23 & 24): http://bit.ly/SWMinute
Jack Joseph Puig — Grammy-winning Producer/Mixer
Waves Workshop
What do U2, John Mayer, Weezer, No Doubt, The Goo Goo Dolls, Panic at the Disco, The Counting
Crows, Sheryl Crow, Fiona Apple, and Beck all have in common? True, they all have wildly successful albums under their belts. Each one of these iconic names has also turned to the golden ears of
producer/engineer Jack Joseph Puig. JJP was in the house at Sweetwater, leading a free workshop
where he talked about his experiences and offered insight into his Waves plug-ins. If you haven’t
checked out his signature Waves collection, it puts his signature sound out there for the taking, and all
of the plug-ins were modeled using JJP’s own to-die-for collection of vintage and modern gear.
Joe Satriani — Legendary Guitarist Virtuoso
L to R:
Brad Lunde
(TransAudio
Group), singer/
songwriter
Leticia Wolf,
producer/
engineer Mark
Hornsby,
vocalist Mandy
Wolf, Geoff
Daking (Daking Audio)
Greg Koch — Solo Artist, Guitarist Extraordinaire
Fender Workshop
If you’ve ever been to a Fender workshop with Greg Koch on the stage, then you know it’s an unforgettable experience. The guy has incredible chops, that’s for sure. But he’s also the funniest tonetalking guy we’ve ever met. Greg had our Performance Theatre cracking up as he showed off Fender’s
new American Deluxe Series, then gave a sonic tour of the latest G-DEC 3 amplifier. As always, it was
great gear, great tones, great playing, and great times with Fender and Greg.
Sweetwater’s Mitch Gallagher (left) and
Jack Joseph Puig
Kenny Aronoff — Session/Tour Drummer
Exclusive videos, features, and hands-on reviews at www.sweetwater.com/expert-center
Page 03.indd 3
5/4/10 12:52:14 PM
Hands On Spectrasonics Trilian
There are 19 filter types, six multistage looping envelopes, six LFOs,
dual-morphing modulation, modulatable effects, and more. A single
layer can contain high-def DI (direct box), mic, and release samples,
which can be blended to create your ideal bass tone. You can sculpt
your bass sound to your heart’s content!
By Mitch Gallagher
What if you’re a drummer, guitar player, keyboardist, vocalist, horn
player, or any other musician who doesn’t play bass guitar, but you
want to add bass to your tracks? I don’t think anyone would doubt
that the best solution is to get a great bass player to come in and
play for you. But what if you can’t find a bass player? What if you
want super flexibility on bass sounds? What if you want to take the
bass part to lands unknown, where mortal man has never tread?
Trilian can also play samples “round robin,” so if a note is repeated,
a different sample will play each time. This prevents the artificial
“machine gun” effect, making repeated notes sound completely
natural. All this means that Trilian is one powerful beast, capable of
everything from natural, realistic bass parts to low-end monstrosities.
The answer to all those questions is Spectrasonic’s Trilian, an
incredible virtual bass instrument for Mac (OS X 10.4.9 and higher)
and Windows (7/Vista/XP) that runs under RTAS, VST, and Audio
Units formats, with 32- and 64-bit support. Trilian is the worthy
successor to Spectrasonic’s very successful Trilogy bass plug-in.
But, it takes things far beyond Trilogy by using Spectrasonic’s
amazing STEAM engine — the same engine that powers the
company’s mind-blowing Omnisphere. In fact, the sounds from Omnisphere and Trilian are 100% compatible with
one another, so you can stay in one environment for all of your virtual music making.
Trilian has a huge core library that consists of over 60 electric 4-, 5-,
6-, and 8-string basses; a stunning new acoustic bass (using four
audio channels and over 21,000 samples!); and a multitude of synth
basses, which feature the new 4-pole “Juicy” and “Power” filters.
The cool thing is that
hat Trilian is easy to use.
use The user interface is clear, and the control and the variety of articulations
and sounds is mind boggling. You absolutely can create a convincing bass part.
As a synth engine, Trilian has an arpeggiator with Groove Lock sync to RMX or MIDI files, integrated effects racks,
8-part multitimbral operation, Stack Mode with user-configurable parameters, and Custom Controls for fast editing. It
also has powerful editing features such as timbre shifting, FM, Flex Mod, and much more.
But even if your goal is simply to have a great bass instrument to quickly drop into your demos, Trilian fills the bill.
Open it up, select a sound, and make music! Or, dig way in and
> > Spectrasonics Trilian
tweak away to get the ultimate. There’s no question: Trilian has
raised the bar way up for virtual bass instruments!
www.sweetwater.com/trilian
Hands On
Marshall Class 5
By Mitch Gallagher
Guitarist-friendly
Recording Solution!
If you’re like most guitarists, creativity isn’t a problem; you have a
head full of ideas and possible directions to take them! The rub is
in finding an easy way to capture these ideas and turn them into
complete songs. And that’s right where the brand-new V-Studio 20 is ready to help. It’s an all-in-one
recording interface and hands-on control surface with a very potent trick up its sleeve: inside, there are
36 genuine BOSS effects built right in, so you can record and produce your songs using the most popular
guitar tones on the planet.
True to its does-it-all nature, the V-Studio 20 comes with Cakewalk’s Guitar Tracks recording software.
Just connect your V-Studio 20 to your computer via USB and pull up Guitar Tracks; you’re instantly ready
to go. You can steer your recording session using the controls right on the V-Studio 20 — there’s no complicated mapping necessary. And since this unit comes with built-in stereo microphones, you won’t need
any other gear to start recording. Although, when you’re ready to expand your setup, you have connections for an instrument, an external microphone, headphones, studio monitors, pedals, and footswitches.
New to recording? Cakewalk’s musician-friendly V-Studio 20 is the perfect way to make the leap into
tracking, mixing, and producing your own songs. With its self-contained approach and affordable price
tag, the V-Studio 20 also makes a compelling addition
to any mobile recordist’s tool kit.
> > Cakewalk V-Studio 20
Give your Sales Engineer a call or pay a visit to
Sweetwater.com to learn more!
www.sweetwater.com/vstudio20
I have a dream. It’s a recurring dream that’s
been cycling through my subconscious for the
past few decades. In this dream, I’m playing
electric guitar in a small home studio, with
full-on, cranked-up Marshall tone, and no one
is complaining! My ears aren’t even ringing!
Ah, remembering that dream always takes
me to such a blissful place…
Imagine my delight to find that others were
having the same dream, and that Marshall
had made our collective wish come true
with the Class 5 combo amp! The Class 5
is a 5-watt amplifier driven by a single EL84
power tube. It offers volume, bass, mid, and
treble controls. The only other control is a switch for
turning on the headphone output or the external speaker jack (the amp can even drive
a 4 x 12" cabinet!). A custom-designed 10" Celestion speaker provides the output.
This straight-ahead design makes the Class 5 very easy to operate — just plug in, dial up the
clean or crunch tone you desire, then tweak the tone knobs to perfect the sound. But this simplicity doesn’t mean that the amp is
limited. You can coax an array of tones from it, from clean and sparkling to crunchy and driving, from round and rich to raging and
screaming. At five watts, no matter whether you’re playing clean or maxing everything out, the volume never becomes offensive.
The amp is dynamic and responsive, and it allows all the character of your guitar to come through. A Tele sounds like a Tele, a Strat
like a Strat, and a Les Paul like a Les Paul.
I’ve really been enjoying the trend for manufacturers to release small, toneful amplifiers lately — several have taken up permanent
residence in my studio. There’s no question that the Class 5 will be joining them. The combination of compact size; light weight;
manageable volume; and, above all, big Marshall tone, makes it a no-brainer.
Be sure to check out my video demo of the Class 5 at
www.sweetwater.com/Class5. Then call your Sales Engineer for more information!
> > Marshall Class 5
www.sweetwater.com/class5
Page 04.indd 4
5/3/10 2:26:02 PM
SYNTH
TRICKS
Roland Rocks
Musikmesse
If you followed the announcements
from the Musikmesse trade show this
fr
yyear, then you saw incredible new
ggear from Roland make its debut.
PPianos and synths and recorders, oh
my — Roland hit us with everything.
m
Check out these cool highlights!
C
By Daniel Fisher
For this edition of “Synth Tricks,” I’d like to share a crazy, fun idea I had last month. My kids were playing video
games on our TV, and I was stuck sitting there watching while they were having all the fun. That’s when I came
up with the idea to hijack the TV’s sound and bend it to my will. All I needed was a pair of RCA-to-¼'' adapters
(Hosa GPR-101) along with a pair of RCA-to-¼'' audio cables
(Hosa CPR-201).
I temporarily pulled the audio cables out of the TV that were coming
from the video game and put the two ¼'' adapters on them. Then
I plugged them into one of my favorite delay pedals: DigiTech’s
TimeBender. I then used the extra two cables to plug the delay
back into the TV. I set the pedal to bypass mode and waited for the
kids to ignore me again. That’s when I started messing with the
delay time and the feedback amounts, turning the video game’s
soundtrack and sound effects into a trippy experience.
Pretty soon everybody wanted a turn at scrambling the video game’s sounds, and it became
part of the rotation. Then we added the Moogerfooger MF-102 Ring Modulator, and things
started getting really weird. Each additional pedal offered more opportunities for everyone to
grab a knob or two.
After the video game was over, I left the pedals connected and found that mangling your TV’s
audio is also a great way to pass the time during commercials. As a side benefit, you learn a
lot more about what your effect pedals and rack units can do when you don’t have to worry
about performing at the same time. Who knows? Maybe it’ll catch on as a parlor game:
connect a bunch of every kind of effects pedals in a row and give one to each guest. Then
play your favorite DVD and remix to taste. One thing's for sure: none of your guests will say,
“Been there; done that.”
Two Killer Looper Pedals
DigiTech is back with a pair of awesome new loopers for 2010. Remember back in 2005, when they rocked the
music world by introducing their incredible JamMan looper pedal? Now, DigiTech’s raised the bar again with their
JamMan Stereo and JamMan Solo! The JamMan Stereo is a full-sized unit with controls for quickly stepping
through loops and selecting advanced options, while the JamMan Solo is a mono, pedalboard-ready compact
stompbox. These loopers give you up to 35 minutes of CD-quality recording — no external media needed. If that’s
not enough time, you can pop in an inexpensive SDHC memory card and get up to 16 hours of solid recording time
with instant live playback. You get 99 internal memory slots and 99 more on your SDHC card, for instant loop recall.
Both the JamMan Stereo and the JamMan Solo are equipped with 1/8" aux inputs, making it easy to load material from
an MP3 player. They’re also both equipped with an extra pedal input that lets you access even more functions on the fly.
And the JamMan isn’t just for guitarists — the JamMan Stereo provides vocalists and DJs with awesome tools, such
as an XLR mic input and three different stop modes. The reverse playback mode is great for crazy effects, and you can
slow down/speed up loops without affecting their pitches. Add a USB port and editor/librarian software to manage loops,
and you’ve got one powerful, stage-ready music creation tool!
If you're looking for compact, full-featured looping power, it’s
tough to beat these pedals — check ’em out!
> > DigiTech JamMan Stereo
www.sweetwater.com/JamManStereo
> > DigiTech JamMan Solo
www.sweetwater.com/JamManSolo
FFor all of you analog synth lovers out
there, nothing will rock your world
th
like Roland's GAIA SH-01. The SH series of analog-style synths dates back to the ’70s and has introduced
more models and breakthrough technology than any other Roland line. The SH-01 isn’t just the next step in
the series; it’s a huge leap forward! With three oscillators, 64 notes of polyphony, an advanced arpeggiator,
and a killer effects engine, the GAIA SH-01 sounds absolutely massive. It has a 3-octave keyboard plus an
awesome user interface that’s reminiscent of old-school analog models. And priced to street at under $700,
this baby’s every synth nut’s dream come true.
Here’s another one for keyboardists. If you’ve been shy to pull the trigger on an AX-Synth because of the
price, Roland's Lucina AX-09 is what you’ve been waiting for. The AX-09 has a 3-octave velocity-sensitive
keybed, a pitch ribbon, a modulation bar, and a D Beam. It comes loaded with dozens of the sounds that
made the AX-Synth popular.
And the AX-09 looks
amazing, from its slick body
shape to its set of buttons
that glow electric blue. So,
step out from behind your
rig, grab a Lucina AX-09, and
take the stage!
Roland’s portable recorders
ecorders just keep getting cooler
cooler. They reworked the (formerly
Edirol) R-09 handheld into a slimmer model, the R-05. They’ve also released a
cool nnew BR-800 portable recorder. With this workhorse recorder in your gig bag,
backpack, or laptop case, you’re always ready. The BOSS BR-800 is a genuine
back
4-channel
USB interface with four separate XLR and TRS inputs. On top of that, the
4-ch
BR-800
has a pair of built-in condensers, so you don’t even need to pack mics!
BROn the flip side, you can pop in an SD card (up to 32GB) and record
without a computer in
sight. And since the
BR-800 can run on
AA batteries, you
can leave civilization
behind altogether. Plus,
the BR-800's touchsensitive display gives
this super-capable recorder
an extra-slim, laptop-casefriendly profile.
> > Roland Lucina AX-09
> > Roland GAIA SH-01
www.sweetwater.com/ax09wt
www.sweetwater.com/sh01
> > Roland R-05
> > BOSS BR-800
www.sweetwater.com/R05
www.sweetwater.com/br800
There’s a lot’s more to learn
about these and other pieces of
cool new gear from Roland,
so give your Sales Engineer a
call or visit Sweetwater.com
and find out more!
Discover the Sweetwater Difference — (800) 222–4700 or www.sweetwater.com
Page 05.indd 5
5/3/10 3:22:31 PM
Sweetwater
Welcomes Miktek!
We’re always on the lookout for the hottest new products, and we couldn’t be more pleased to announce
the addition of Miktek microphones to our ever-expanding product line. So right about now you’re more
than likely wondering why — with the microphone market already flooded with an abundant supply of
mics — we would feel the need to add yet another mic line? The answer is really quite simple: these
mics rock, with a capital “R”!
Hand assembled and individually tested in Nashville, Tennessee, Miktek microphones easily
go toe-to-toe with both the studio standards that have been used for generations and more
recent favorites. In fact, a shootout here at Sweetwater revealed exactly how good these
mics are, as they were chosen as the clear favorite in every instance.
What’s the key to the Miktek sound? Part of it is the hand-selected transformers, transistors,
capacitors, capsules, and components (Miktek actually uses NOS Telefunken EF800 tubes
for vintage tone!). But the heart and soul of Miktek sound is the care taken to ensure every
single mic is as good as it possibly can be. This includes an individual serialized frequency
response graph with every mic. What does that mean to you? It means that the frequency
response graph in the box with your mic shows you the exact frequency response of that
mic, not simply the spec’d-out frequency response the mic is supposed to have.
While Miktek Managing Director, Michael Ketchell, hesitates to use the word “affordable” to
describe his microphones, the sound and build quality of these mics far exceeds what you’d
expect for the price. Miktek currently has limited distribution, which means Sweetwater is one of the few
places in the country you can get one. Call your Sales Engineer today and get in on the industry’s best-kept secret!
The Sound of a
Large-format Legend
in a Compact Module
If you’ve already joined the 500 Series revolution, here’s a new EQ
you’re going to love. If you haven’t experienced the ease and convenience of 500 Series rack technology yet, here’s one more reason to
take the plunge. Great River and a team of designers responsible for
the legendary Harrison 32 Series console have joined forces to develop
the new 32EQ, a 500 Series-format EQ that will blow you away!
For those of you unfamiliar with the classic Harrison 32 Series console,
it had a uniquely airy and brilliant sound. You can hear it in many of the
great hits of the ‘70s and ‘80s, including top records by Queen, ABBA,
and both Janet and Michael Jackson — it’s all over the record-bestselling album Thriller. Not only does the 32EQ give you the awesomesounding 4-band equalizer from the Harrison 32 Series console, but it
also features the 32 Series’s highly sought-after sweepable highpass
and lowpass filters. And the Great River 32EQ even gives you control
that goes far beyond the original 32 Series console’s specifications, as
it allows you to set it in either a “beautifully flawed” vintage feedback
configuration or a more modern linear mode via an internal
jumper. Plus, because the 32EQ is built to meet the 500 Series
standard, you can get as many as you need —
> > Great River 32EQ
at a price that’s too good to pass up!
www.sweetwater.com/32eq
Hands On
Mesa/Boogie TA-15 TransAtlantic
By Mitch Gallagher
I became a convert to Mesa/Boogie amps back in the early ’80s, when I picked up a Mark IIB with an EV speaker and
a matching Anvil road case. That amp sounded stellar. But, over the years, hauling it around to gigs and sessions just
became too much work — including the case, we’re talking well over 100 lbs. of extremely loud amp. So I let that
amp go, but doing so did not diminish my desire for that juicy, classic Boogie tone.
Imagine, then, how my heart jumped for joy when I rounded a corner at the Winter NAMM trade show, entered the
Mesa/Boogie booth, and saw the compact and lightweight TA-15 TransAtlantic amp! Could it be that my tonal thirst
would finally be quenched? I immediately cornered the Boogie guys and pestered them until they promised to send
me a review unit. I’m happy to report that, like clockwork, Boogie came through. I recently received one of the first (if
not the first) production TransAtlantics to leave the factory. Would it be all I hoped? Read on!
left channel is a “British” voicing, with Normal and Top Boost options.
There are volume, bass, treble, and top-cut controls, or the top cut can
be pulled out to become a master volume. Using this channel, you can
create “hybrid” sounds, such as a “Vox”-ish Top Boost preamp with the “Fender”-ish Class AB power amp, or go for
the Normal preamp with the 15-watt Class A power amp for Vox AC15-style sound.
Switch over to the right preamp, and you’ve got “American” preamp tones. There are three options here: Tweed (’50s
Fender style), Hi 1 (“Marshall”-y crunch), and Hi 2 (high-gain Mesa/Boogie). Gain, bass, treble, and master volume
allow you to tweak your sound. Using this channel, you can also create tonal hybrids — tweed preamp with singleended Class A power, anyone? — or dial up classic Boogie tones with Hi 2 running through the Class AB power amp.
I played the amp through both closed- and open-back
1 x 12" cabs as well as a 4 x 12" cab, trying all the
preamp/power amp combos. I can tell you this: there’s
not a bad sound in there. The TA-15 can cover country
to jazz, blues to hard rock. Plus, the amp weighs only 12
lbs, and it comes with a padded carrying bag.
There are many small amps on the market,
but most are limited to just a few tones. The
TransAtlantic, on the other hand, keeps it tiny
while offering a plethora of varied tones, both
from the preamp and from the power amp.
The TransAtlantic has an all-tube design, with
a pair of EL84 power tubes. These power tubes
can be switched to different configurations:
25-watt Class AB, 15-watt Class A, and 5-watt
single-ended Class A. Not only does the power
rating change, but the sound of the amp also
changes. Class AB is round and warm, while
Class A adds a chiming top end and more
compression. At five watts, you can crank it in
your bedroom; at 25 watts, it’s stage ready.
With five preamp types and three power amp types, the
TransAtlantic is incredibly flexible — very few “full-size”
amps can match its versatility! Plus, the volume is both
spouse and neighbor friendly.
Needless to say I’m stoked about the TA-15 — I’ve
fallen hard for this amp. Be sure to watch my demo at
www.sweetwater.com/ta15.
> > Mesa/Boogie TA-15 TransAtlantic
www.sweetwater.com/ta15
The TransAtlantic has two footswitchable channels, which are each voiced very differently. The
View online versions of our print publications at www.sweetwater.com/publications/
Page 06.indd 6
5/3/10 2:35:01 PM
Inside
$
By Chuck Surack
As I’m writing this, we’re in the middle of an exciting time
here in Indiana — the Final Four and March Madness have
just wrapped up, and spring is really kicking into high gear.
I’m happy to report that 2010 has been a great year so far,
thanks to your support, and we’ve got plans to make it even
better. How? With GearFest 2010, for starters, which takes
place on June 25 and 26!
GearFest is our annual “gear party,” which we hold right here at Sweetwater
HQ. Thousands of Sweetwater friends from all around the world come to
Fort Wayne for the last weekend in June to celebrate all things gear- and
music-oriented. It’s a trade show (that’s open to the public) featuring hundreds
of manufacturers as well as all the latest and greatest gear, seminars and
workshops, live performances, panel discussions, tours, great food, prizes,
and the chance to network and rub elbows with other musicians and
75,0
000
Gear Giveaway
Win Your Share of a
Vanload of Gear!
www.sweetwater.com/feature/gearfest2010/gear_van.php
engineers from around the globe. And don’t miss out on our
biggest GearFest giveaway yet: we’re giving away three
packages that total $75,000!
There’s nothing like GearFest anywhere else in our industry,
and best of all, the event is totally free of charge! We’ve got
some great things planned for this year’s GearFest, so I hope that you’ll be able
to join us — it’s going to be the best GearFest ever!
In closing, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your ongoing support.
Without you, we wouldn’t be here, and we’re sincerely grateful that you choose
us for your equipment needs. Here’s to a great spring and summer. Hope to see
you at GearFest 2010!
Register online today at www.sweetwater.com/feature/gearfest2010
A Once-in-a-lifetime
Guitar Event!
Relationships are important at Sweetwater. We strive to have great partnerships with our vendors, and we work hard at building strong
relationships with our customers. Occasionally we find ourselves in situations where we get to bring our customers and our vendors together
to help forge a special relationship. One such event recently transpired, when Maryland’s premier guitar manufacturer came to Fort Wayne to give some
of our more enthusiastic guitar customers the chance to build their own custom Paul Reed Smith Private Stock guitar.
The 2-day event was a dream come true for guitar fans, as PRS brought with them a massive selection of tonewoods, covering everything from bodies
to tops to necks to fingerboards, and everything in between. In addition to soaking up the the knowledge of our army of guitar-savvy Sales Engineers,
customers looking to build their ultimate axe could also tap into the expertise of the wood specialists from PRS. Even Paul Smith himself was on hand,
ready to offer his considerable insight on all things guitar. The selection of available woods
ds completely filledd our conference hall,
ha and these were honestly
some of the finest specimens of guitar wood we’d ever seen!
Customers hand selected their wood combinations, then moved on to the color, the inlays,
ys, and the
electronics options. And after everything was spec’d out, the order was sent directly to the Paul Ree
Reed
ed
Smith Private Stock shop. In a few short weeks, guitar and owner will be introduced, andd countless
hours of riffing can begin!
While this Private Stock event was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the right people,, a PRS Privat
Private
te
Stock guitar is simply out of reach for the rest of us. But budget-conscious PRS connoisseurs
sseurs were
also in luck, as we had a fine collection of more down-to-earth Paul Reed Smith guitarss on hand.
The weekend had something for everyone — from serious high-end collectors to weekend
kend warriorss
and beginners looking for a quality instrument.
We had such a great response from all who attended that we can’t wait to do another event like
this one! Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open for upcoming special events at Sweetwater.
weetwater.
com/about/events. You never know who we’ll have here next!
Exclusive videos, features,
ures, and han
hands-on
nds-on reviews at www.sweetwater.com/expert-center
Page 07.indd 7
5/3/10 4:02:14 PM
Hands On
Primacoustics Recoil Stabilizers
By Mitch Gallagher
Studio monitors are, by their nature, systems — they’re more than just a pair of speakers.
Factors such as the room, the electronics driving the monitors, the placements, and more can
all impact the sound your monitors produce. Given how picky most of us are about our studio
monitors, it’s interesting that, for many years, few of us worried very much about whether or
not our monitors were isolated from their supports. We’d just throw them onto the console’s
meter bridge, on stands, on a rack, or even on a desktop next to a computer monitor and call
it good.
However, we began to discover that the interaction of our monitors with whatever they were
sitting on did make a difference. In one of my studios, I remember having a problem with a
low-mid-frequency resonance. I eventually tracked it down to a resonating gear rack under
a studio monitor. Lacking a better solution, I put a computer mouse pad under the speaker,
which helped to isolate it.
Now, there are significantly better solutions, from inexpensive acoustical foam isolators to the
Primacoustics Recoil Stabilizers, which combine dense foam isolation with a heavy metal
plate that helps control the inertia of the speaker. (It’s basic physics: when air moves from the
front of the speaker, the speaker has a tendency to want to move backward.)
I have two sets of Recoil Stabilizers in my
studio: a flat pair that is under my larger
JBL LSR6328 monitors and an angled pair
that supports and isolates my Focal Solo6
Be monitors. I couldn’t be happier with these
isolators. I first remember hearing them at
an AES (Audio Engineering Society) conventionn in New
York and being surprised at how much of a difference
they
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d everything
thi
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I highly recommend checking out a set of Recoil Stabilizers. It’s an investment that will
instantly pay off in better monitoring in your studio. It comes down to this: if you
> > Primacoustics Recoil Stabilizer Flat, RX5
can hear better, you’re going to make better recordings, mixes, and masters.
Sweetwater price $79.99 (each)
www.sweetwater.com/rx5f
And that’s what it’s all about.
A Big Sweetwater Welcome
to Lehle Gitarrentechnik
We’re proud to welcome Lehle Gitarrentechnik to Sweetwater’s select
lineup of high-quality gear manufacturers! Similar to Sweetwater, Lehle
was founded by a driven individual
who strove to fill a gap in the music
industry, with the company quickly
achieving international recognition and
a reputation for excellence.
Georg Lehle’s inspiration came from conversations he had with guitarists who expressed a need for quiet and
reliable amp and effects switchers. What followed was a series of switchers that quickly gained the attention of
today’s hottest guitarists. Ten years and a generation of switching later, the line has expanded to include a whole
range of switchers, splitters, loop selectors, and super-clean gain drivers. From the Little Lehle II effects-loop
controller to the Dual SGoS MIDI-networkable multi-switcher, Lehle products are built from only the finest components. Select JFET amplifiers and Lehle’s custom LTHZ transformer keep guitars sounding clean while bringing
out the subtle overtones that other switchers lose. We’re excited about all of the ways Lehle gives guitar players
to express their creativity. For more information about Lehle, give your Sales Engineer a call!
> > Lehle Gitarrentechnik Little Lehle II
www.sweetwater.com/littlelehle
Primacoustic RX5
Recoil Stabilizer, Flat
> > Lehle Gitarrentechnik Dual SGoS
www.sweetwater.com/DualSGoS
ProGear on the Go!
Emmy-award winning composer Kevin
Croxton may be fishing on Kodiak
Island in Alaska, but that doesn’t mean
he has to be without his ProGear.
Kevin, if the bear asks for the ProGear,
we recommend giving it to him!
Where have you and your ProGear visited? E-mail
photos to [email protected]!
Hands On SWR headlite
By Mitch Gallagher
Though I’m mainly a guitar
player, I’ve also paid my
dues on other instruments,
including keyboards and
bass guitar. My bass rig
back in the day consisted
of a massive head (that
also could’ve served as
an auxiliary heater for the
house) and a matching
2 x 15" behemoth of a cabinet. As you may have noticed in my rave reviews of a couple of tiny guitar
amps in this issue, these days I’m all about compact and lightweight when it comes to amplification.
That’s why I flipped when I saw the SWR headlite at NAMM — at less than 4 lbs., it may be the most
portable bass amp ever!
But just because it’s small doesn’t mean the headlite can’t do the job. The list of features includes the following:
• 12AX7 tube-based preamp
• built-in compressor
• 10dB pad for active basses
• effects loop
• 3-band semi-parametric EQ
• effects blend control
• mute switch
• direct, preamp, and speaker outputs
• built-in aural enhancer
• ground-lift switch
And to drive all those features? An amazing 400 watts of power — at less than 4 lbs. How do they do it? Who
knows? All that matters is that it works! It even comes with a gig bag that can hold the headlite and the amplite
(the matching power-amp-only version of the headlite) as well as cables and accessories.
Along with the headlite, SWR sent me the golight jr., a compact front-ported 2 x 10" cabinet with a horn tweeter.
At 45 lbs., it’s a nice complement to the featherweight headlite, whether you choose to carry it or run it on
optional casters. Either way, you can get your entire bass rig into the gig in one trip — gotta love that!
You’d be hard pressed to find a bass rig that’s as compact and portable as the headlite/golight cab combination
— let alone one that can deliver this much full-bandwidth tone and volume. And don’t forget the Amplite — it’s
the ideal super-small, 400-watt power amp solution for a ton of situations, from PA to keyboard rig, from monitors to easy-to-carry backup power amp. With the headlite, the amplite, and the golight, SWR has a cool family of
winners. Never break your back moving a huge rig again!
> > SWR golight jr.
> > SWR headlite
> > SWR amplite
www.sweetwater.com/headlite www.sweetwater.com/amplite www.sweetwater.com/golightjr210
Page 08.indd 8
5/3/10 3:14:52 PM
Hands On
iZotope RX Advanced
K10
K8
By Mitch Gallagher
I use iZotope’s RX frequently for cleaning up
recordings, optimizing samples, and removing
noise from old tracks. Most recently, I used it for
preparing a ton of samples I made from running my
Strat straight into an audio interface. There was a
bunch of noise in the recordings, and RX knocked
it out without any problem. Those samples ended
up clean enough to be used on an album by an
electronic music composer Michael Rhoades.
KSub
K
K12
Now, iZotope has made a great thing even better!
RX Advanced is an extended version of RX, with
even deeper control over the signal processing. RX
Advanced is Mac OS X and Windows compatible and can run standalone. You can also use it as a
plug-in under VST, MAS, RTAS, AudioSuite, Audio Units, or DirectX.
Here are a few of the new, extended features:
• MBIT+ dithering — with full control over all dither options. You’re even given control over the amount of dither
added to the signal, plus dither can be muted when there is silence in the input signal. There is also the option to
suppress harmonics generated by truncation if you’re not using dither.
• 64-bit sample rate conversion — with full control over all options, and excellent alias filtering.
• Advanced manual declicking — you can manually select a higher number of iterations for smoother sound.
• Multi-resolution declipping — this allows multi-resolution processing to interpolate clipped intervals.
• Multi-resolution spectral repair modes — allows for better frequency resolution with low-frequency content and
better time resolution with high-frequency content.
• Advanced denoiser parameters — better control for suppressing broadband noise, such as hiss and buzz.
If you’re after the best-possible hiss, buzz, hum, click, and clip removal,
and graphical repair solution available, it’s hard to beat RX Advanced.
It’s extremely powerful software that can yield simply amazing results.
> > iZotope RX Advanced
www.sweetwater.com/RXAdv-e
QSC K Series:
Crystal-clear Speakers
Every now and then, a piece of gear manages to break through the pack, defy expectations, and cause a whole
bunch of folks to instantly upgrade their rigs. And QSC has managed to launch an entire series that did just that.
What we’re referring to is the K Series, a 3-speaker/1-subwoofer lineup of powerful (1,000W), unbelievably articulate
portable PA speakers that are finding their way into many of the best clubs and venues around the globe.
What makes the K Series so special? Well, QSC designed them from the ground up to raise the PA-speaker bar and
to perform like studio monitors, delivering a wide sweet spot, surprising balance and clarity, and total honesty when
you want it. Flip around each lightweight speaker — the 8" K8, the 10" K10, or the 12" K12 — and you’ve got
a series of switches to tailor your sound to your application. Want thumping low-end extension? Flip on the Deep
switch and you’ve got it. Need it absolutely earthshaking? Mount your speakers above a KSub or two. There’s also a
switch to boost the mid-frequency area for vocal and speech applications.
The K Series also stands out because of QSC’s dedication to consistency across the range. Each full-range speaker
features the same technology at its heart, including 1,000W Class D power modules, identical 1.75" tweeters, and
the same performance-enhancing DSP. What’s more, the pricing separating each speaker is negligible, so there is no
“flagship.” Just choose the speaker that fits your coverage needs and know you’re getting premium quality across
the board.
To find out more about the K Series, check out the video demo online at www.sweetwater.com/K12.
Hands On
New UAD 2 Plug-ins
By Mitch Gallagher
When I first wrote about the Universal Audio UAD-2 DSP cards back in the October ’08 issue, I knew they were
going to be great. I had used the original UAD, and I liked it and its plug-in complement a lot. But when I got the
UAD-2, I wasn’t prepared for how much I would come to depend on its plug-ins. One really cool thing is that
Universal Audio keeps releasing new plug-ins that will run on the cards. I've added several to my arsenal recently,
including the Manley Massive Passive, the Precision Enhancer Hz, and the latest version of the EMT 140 Plate
Reverb. All of these plug-ins come as free 14-day demos when you upgrade to version 5.6 software (also free). This
is cool, as it gives you a chance to try the plugs in your own studio before you commit to buying them.
Let’s start with the EMT 140. You may be aware that UA has had an excellent 140 plate plug-in for a while. This is
a new version that provides even more control. Additions include the original and aftermarket 80Hz input shelving
filters, as well as modulation for adding “movement” to the reverb tail. In short, UA has made the EMT 140 even
better and more versatile. I find myself using it even more than before. (The new version is a free upgrade.)
The Precision Enhancer Hz is designed to let you add harmonics to bass fundamentals, increasing the perceived
low end without using EQ. It also allows small speakers to seemingly produce extremely low frequencies. There
have been other bass “enhancers” in the past, but none has offered the flexibility of this one. You can solo the
effect, solo the filtered original signal being used to drive the effect, and choose among four filter slopes and five
enhancement modes to match the effect to your signal. Whether you’re running a solo track (vocal, bass, or other
instrument) through it or a full mix, you suddenly have access to powerful low end without re-tracking or EQing.
Last but certainly not least is the Manley Massive Passive equalizer, developed in cooperation with EveAnna Manley
and her crew of hardware designers. Like the hardware it's modeled on, the Massive Passive is a stereo unit with
four “passive” EQ bands per channel. There are two versions provided: one with continuous controls for mixing,
the other with stepped controls for
mastering. Basically, everything
you run through this plug-in sounds
better, whether you have the EQ
bands engaged or bypassed —
even with the EQ bands bypassed,
it adds a nice coloration. You have a
choice (per band) of shelving or bell
curves, boost or cut operation, and
stereo linking for matched settings.
I used the Massive Passive plug-in
to mix and master an EP for a jazz
guitarist from New York. While
it can do “surgical” EQ work, it
stands out for shaping tracks when mixing. I loved it for mastering, where I used it to gently
contour the overall mix. It’s a very powerful EQ with beautiful sound quality — just like the
original hardware!
In short, if you’re a UAD-2 user, you need to upgrade to version 5.6 software and check out these plug-ins. If you
haven’t added a UAD-2 to your rig, what are you waiting for? It’s worth getting the card just to run the EMT 140 and
the Massive Passive, let alone all the other great Universal Audio plug-ins!
Page 09.indd 9
5/3/10 9:07:04 AM
Inside the
The Scorpions, of “Rock You Like a Hurricane” fame,
recently announced that they will be calling it quits.
Frankly, this news bummed me out; the Scorps have
been my favorite band for, geez, around 30 years.
Now I’m not going to have a “soundtrack of my life”
moment here, but I will admit to having a lot of great
memories that feature Scorpions songs playing in
the background, especially during my younger days.
I’m sure most of you have music that’s very closely
associated with certain key moments/memories in
your life.
The moments I’d like to talk about are the “gear
moments” — those epiphanies we’ve all had at
some point — moments that are the result of using
products that elevated us by making the process
easier, improving the sound, sparking creativity, etc.
For example, how many of you who are guitarists
remember the first time you played a decent-quality
guitar instead of the poorly setup, painful-to-play, impossible-to-keep-in-tune instrument you probably started
taking lessons on? For me, it was a well-used Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop. I scraped and saved to buy that guitar, and
it gave me the “oh, this is how a guitar is supposed to play” gear moment. Here are a few more pieces of gear that
inspired my personal “gear moments”:
Jeff Radke
Mean Green
Music-making Machines!
Another great way to get two channels of Joemeek optical compression and
channel strip processing is with the dual-channel twinQ. The Joemeek threeQ
gives you the same clean mic pres, Joemeek signature optical compressors, and
3-band equalizers, but in an ultra-compact half-rackspace format. With the threeQ,,
you get all the sound you’d expect from a Joemeek channel strip, at half the
footprint and a fraction of the price. And speaking of a small footprint, the floorQ
introduces the exact same incredible compression in a compact stompbox format.
The floorQ gives your axe serious studio punch you can take onstage!
> > Joemeek twinQ
www.sweetwater.com/twinQ
> > Joemeek threeQ
www.sweetwater.com/threeQ
> > Joemeek oneQ
www.sweetwater.com/oneQ
> > Joemeek floorQ
www.sweetwater.com/floorq
• TASCAM PortaOne. I could do multitrack recording at home!
• My first MIDI sequencer was an Atari 1040st with Hybrid Arts SMPTE Track software. Paired with
my Oberheim Matrix 6, it was mind-bendingly cool technology!
Maybe your “gear moment” was the first time you played sampled sounds on a keyboard, tapped a cool rhythm into
a drum machine, recorded using a high-quality condenser mic on your vocal, or really cranked up a guitar amp —
in my case, a Peavey Mace — and felt the music instead of just hearing it.
I’m continually inspired and excited by new products and technologies. Pretty much all of the people I work with
here at Sweetwater feel the same way. It can be simple mechanical stuff, such as the Ultimate Support GS1000
guitar stands that hang onto my precious guitars so that I (or my kids or my dog) don’t knock them over. It can be
a new product in a new category, such as the Zoom Q3 handheld video recorder. Maybe it’s creative crossover
technology, such as the Akai Professional iPK24 keyboard that turns your iPhone into a playable synth/sequencer.
I might be a bit nuts, but I consider myself very fortunate to be so easily entranced and inspired by gear. It makes
working at Sweetwater much like working in a toy store for me. I admit it, gear makes me happy. I think it makes
many of you happy too. Here’s to many wonderful musical “gear moments in your future.” I’ll close with a few lines
of the Scorpions’ As Soon As The Good Times Roll, “If you feel that life’s passing by, passing by/catch the train of
better times/Rock tonight.” Sounds like great advice to me!
Rock and roll!
Jeff Radke
VP Sales
• BOSS PH-1R phaser. It was my first real trip down the path of guitar tricks.
The infamous Joe Meek gave
us the immortal words, “If it
sounds right, it is right.” And on
that note, Sweetwater is pleased
to offer four incredibly cool
Joemeek processors: the oneQ,
the twinQ, the threeQ, and the
floorQ. The oneQ is a master
channel strip built around one
of Joemeek’s highly renowned
optical compressors. It features excellent preamp and parametric EQ
sections, plus powerful tools, including a de-esser that’s easy to dial
in and a harmonic enhancer that adds definition to your sound without
adding gain. It also gives you a large and accurate VU meter as well as crystal-clear
ar
24-bit/96kHz analog-to-digital conversion. What’s even better is that you can easilyy
link two oneQs together via their “Comp Link” function. And they’re so affordable, a
pair of oneQs won’t break the bank.
• Selmer Super Action 80 alto saxophone. The difference in tone from my student horn was shocking,
and it made me a better player immediately. Yeah, sax (classical) was my primary instrument in college.
twinQ
oneQ
threeQ
floorQ
Customer
Studio
Jeff Hutcoe
By Mark Hutchins
Imagine coming
home from your
high-pressure
job, firing up your
recording rig, and
letting your troubles
evaporate within the
music-making bliss.
Nobody knows
that feeling better
than Jeff Hutcoe,
a public defender
based out of Danbury, Connecticut.
“Sometimes, my
job can be very taxing,”
g ” the native New
Yorker admits. “Music and recording have been my therapy
and escape for 20 years. I get home, shut the door, and spend two or three hours on music. It’s been a great release.”
While Hutcoe, a multi-instrumentalist, uses his primo home studio to blow off steam, he views it as much more than
simply a well-stocked refuge. “I do all kinds of music, from pop to jazz to classical,” Hutcoe says. He particularly enjoys
working on friends’ projects. “I love my equipment, and I love my friends’ enthusiasm when they’re here. When I work
with others, I find myself putting a lot of effort into making the results as impeccable as possible.” To get those results,
Hutcoe uses Neumann, RØDE, and Audio-Technica mics; an Avalon preamp; a Lexicon PCM96 digital reverb; and a
Logic Pro-equipped Mac Pro, as well as other top-notch gear. He swears by his Genelec 8050A monitors. “Everything
sounds incredible through those,” he notes.
Hutcoe also swears by his Sweetwater Sales Engineer, Kenny Bergle, and his assistant, Matt Wood. “I’ve probably been
on the phone for over 35 hours total with Kenny and Matt in the last five or six years,” he says. “They’ve always given
me good advice; they’ve never steered me wrong. Sweetwater’s all I need!”
As for future plans, Hutcoe says he hopes to eventually make the move to commercial recording, but for right now,
he points out, “I have a job. I don’t want two.” When his hectic schedule eventually settles down, he might consider
recording for others. “When that time comes, it’ll come,” he says. For now, Hutcoe appreciates his studio for the
pressure-relief valve it is. “It’s brought me so much joy over the years.”
Tech support 24/7 at www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare
Page 10.indd 10
5/3/10 9:08:47 AM
Groundbreaking Power That
Won’t Break Your Back!
The Most Powerful
Creation Stations EVER!
If you’ve spent any time at all setting up and running live sound, you know where the weight in your rig is: in the
power amps. Sure, speakers aren’t light, but a rack of power amps can easily top 100 lbs., which is no fun to lift
or carry. But Peavey, a long-time leader in the live sound world, is about to change everything you know about
lifting and carrying power amps, with the IPR Series.
Sincee their inception, Sweetwater’s
Since
Sinc
Creation Station audio-optimized PCs
Crea
have
ha
ve continually nudged the boundaries
what a native machine ought to be able
of wh
do.
to ddo
o Every upgrade has meant more
tracks, more plug-ins, and more power.
track
tr
So nneedless to say, these latest Creation
Station computers have pushed the performance level into the stratosphere, hitting stunning track counts and
staggering numbers of plug-in instances.
If you picked up a power amp that weighed in the range of 7 lbs., what would you expect the wattage to be? Not
much, right? You might even expect to find an empty chassis, completely devoid of electronics! The chassis alone
on many conventional power amps — especially if they’re a bit on the older side — is often heavy, and that
doesn’t account for the internal components! Despite its seemingly illogical power-to-weight ratio, the IPR series
power amps can conjure up to 6,000 watts of power and still easily be carried under one arm.
There are four flavors to choose from, each available with or without onboard DSP. Another cool touch on the IPR
series is the inclusion of built-in independent crossovers tuned to 100Hz; they eliminate the need for an external
crossover for many systems. Peavey equipped the back panel with ¼"/XLR combo jack inputs and ¼"/Speakon
outputs, so an IPR amp will easily retrofit into any live sound system.
Peavey has revolutionized the live sound world with the supremely lightweight, astoundingly powerful IPR power
amp series. And with summer right around the corner, now’s the time to upgrade your power amps to a more
back-friendly solution. Call your Sales Engineer for all the details!
Every time we perform significant upgrades to the Creation Station computers, we run a full battery of tests
and trials to establish baseline results. This time out, we conducted our tests by using SONAR Producer 8.5
while running the onboard audio with WDM and ASIO drivers. We were able to attain track counts on par with
Hollywood scoring stages, hitting 135 mono channels at 96kHz on playback with the Creation Station Rack.
Convolution reverbs are notorious for sucking up computer resources, but the Creation Station Rack mustered
86 instances of Perfect Space convolution reverb in a 44.1kHz session. Pretty impressive, huh?
The more affordable Creation Station Tower and the entry-level Creation Station Tower LE both fared
well in our testing, achieving 130 mono channels/83 instances of Perfect Space and 75 mono channels/45
instances of Perfect Space, respectively. Excellent performance for the most cost-effective models in the line!
Virtual instruments are also a crucial aspect of modern music production, and we put the entire line through its
paces, using TruePianos and BFD 2 as our standards. The Tower LE handled two instances of TruePianos along
with a BFD 2.0 drumkit. The Creation Station Tower, the Creationn Station Rack,
and the Pro Tools|HD-compatible Rack XT all upped the count to
six TruePianos with a full BFD drumkit.
You may have noticed that we omitted the Creation Station
Rack XT in the track count/plug-in test results. It performed on
par with the Creation Station Rack, though the Rack XT’s compattibility with Pro Tools|HD, upgraded power supply, expanded I/O
options, and increased RAM give it an edge in terms of features.
> > Peavey IPR Series Power Amps
No matter which Creation Station you choose, you’ll be buying a
machine custom-tailored for serious audio production. Call now
for more information!
> > Sweetwater Creation Station Computers
DerekSenestraro
Why did you first apply for a job at Sweetwater? The integrity of the
company and the unique philosophy of each Sales Engineer having direct
responsibility for taking care of customers were very appealing.
Technical strengths: Drums, recording gear, live sound
Instruments you play: Drums and percussion, bass, piano, a little guitar
Gear you own: Three drum sets; LP percussion; Alesis Fusion8; Yamaha
S08; various guitars, basses, and amps; Mac with Logic; ART MPA Gold;
Focusrite interface and Voice Channel; Apogee MiniDAC and Rosetta 200;
Digidesign 003R Plus; PC with SONAR and Pro Tools; lots of mics.
Name: Derek Senestraro
Position at Sweetwater: Sales Engineer
Start date: October 2006
Education: BM, Percussion from California State University, Fullerton.
Family info: Married 10 years to my beautiful wife, Colleen. We have a
little brown dog named “Kapuna.”
Where are you from originally? I was born and grew up in Eureka,
California, but spent all of my adult life in Southern California.
Other stuff we should know about you: I like to read and spend time
with friends. I like to barbeque, too!
What was your occupation before coming to Sweetwater?Full-time
musician and educator, as well as a manufacturer’s rep for several music
instrument companies. Just before coming to Sweetwater, I was a worship
pastor at a church in Southern California.
Personal motto: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind,
and strength.
Favorite magazine: EQ, Modern Drummer
Real-life hero: My dad. He worked many years as a dairy farmer and was
a great example of a hard worker, dedicated to taking care of his family.
Guilty pleasure of choice: Peanut butter
Describe the most dramatic situation in which you provided the
“Sweetwater Difference” for a customer: There have been many:
going to churches to install and train customers on their sound systems,
walking through SONAR issues with a customer from my computer at
home, connecting a customer with another to help with a cable install —
all to ensure my customers are taken care of.
What in your life best prepared you for the work you do here at
Sweetwater? Being a worship pastor, which isn’t really about music; it’s
about people. Being a Sales Engineer is really the same; it’s about people.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the Sweetwater team?
I know that I will be supported by the company if my intention is to do what
is right for the customer, regardless. That is a rare thing.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned at Sweetwater?
Always keep the goal of helping customers at the forefront, even on the
days when that can be difficult.
Page 11.indd 11
5/3/10 9:10:14 AM
Page 12.indd 12
5/3/10 9:11:07 AM
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
SweetNotes
®
Inside This Issue:
5501 U.S. Hwy 30 W
Fort Wayne, IN 46818
SWEETWATER
SOUND
(800) 222–4700
sweetwater.com
Change Service Requested
Roland Rocks Musikmesse
Spectrasonics Trilian
Grace Designs m103
Joemeek!
SweetNotes
®
(800) 222–4700 | www.sweetwater.com
Inside This Issue:
Roland Rocks Musikmesse!
Budda, Marshall, and Mesa/Boogie Amps
Spectrasonics Trilian
Grace Designs m103
Joemeek!
...and more

Spring 2010 - Sweetwater.com

Transcription

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