Music Planet Issue 2

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MusicPlanet THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF

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BE A PLAYER! ISSUE 02 Winter 2008/9

SPECTRASONICS OMNISPHERE Extraterrestrial powersynth lands…

BIFFY CLYRO LAST KINGS OF SCOTLAND

Pendulum HIGH-TECH ROCKERS COMBO ROUND-UP SEVEN WAYS TO UPSET THE NEIGHBOURS SOUND LIKE… JACK JOHNSON

SQUIER CLASSIC VIBE

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Be a player! MusicPlanet Magazine Venture Point West, 70-72 Evans Road, Merseyside L24 9PB T +44 (0)151 448 2086 E [email protected]

To advertise: Please contact Chris Fleischhack E [email protected] T 0151 448 2085 Contributors: Jeannette Appleton, Peter Bickerton, Helen Burge, Martyn Casserly, John Cherry, Robert Collins, Anita Curbishley, Alex Curtis, Steve Harvey, Owen Hopkin, Richard Lennon, Miguel Mascolinas, Paul Oldfield, Peter Pollard, Ivan Silva, Lee Varey, Sheldon Wood, Andy Wright A big thank you to all the suppliers, manufacturers and distributors who helped us put together this issue of MusicPlanet – good work everyone.

The Official Magazine of Dolphin Music Who are Dolphin Music? Dolphin Music is the UK’s Number 1 online retailer for all your music equipment needs. Dolphin Music has nearly a decade of experience in servicing musicians throughout Europe with equipment, and we are focused on providing our customers with what we like to call the Dolphin Experience. What is the Dolphin Experience? Our approach from day one has always been to look after our customers. We understand that musicians have different needs to those of a general consumer. We also understand that when it comes to gear, the customer must be assured of honest, reliable and trustworthy people to deal with. That’s why all our staff are highly trained and experienced individuals. Where do I go? Although primarily online, we have stores in Gateshead, Huddersfield and Liverpool. Our product experts are trained thoroughly and can help you with any issue you may have. We pride ourselves on not being pushy sales people and are actually here to help you decide what to do. So even if you’re not thinking of buying, but just need a bit of help, feel free to call or email us!

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All contents copyright Dolphin Music Holdings Ltd, 2008 While we make every effort to ensure the content contained within MusicPlanet is correct at the time of publication, we cannot take responsibility for nor be held accountable for any errors or omissions. Due to constant fluctuations in pricing, we cannot guarantee to be accurate with product price details at the time of publication. The opinions expressed in MusicPlanet Magazine are not necessarily those of Dolphin Music or Note Media Ltd. For up-to-the-minute price information, please check the Dolphin Music website at www.dolphinmusic.com MusicPlanet Magazine ISSN 1758-0951 (print) ISSN 1758-096X (online)

Published by Note Media Ltd

E [email protected] T 01749 880016 W www.note-media.com

Welcome to MusicPlanet…

H

ello and welcome to Issue 02 of MusicPlanet – the customer magazine of Dolphin Music that’s specially for anyone who’s passionate about music. First of all, we’d like to say a big thank you for all your feedback from Issue 01. As a result, you’ll find this issue includes more about your favourite artists, and more reviews of exciting new equipment to help you with your music making. Inside we take Spectrasonics’ long-awaited synth Omnisphere for a test drive, and chat to Scotland’s finest rock band of the moment Biffy Clyro about their continuing journey to world domination. The online version of MusicPlanet has also been proving very popular. Not only can you read the issue online, there’s also a fast-growing online community of music enthusiasts, where you can promote your band, ask questions of fellow musicians, talk to our knowledgeable sales staff, and enter our great MusicPlanet competitions. Please make a point of paying us a visit at www.musicplanetmag.co.uk In exactly the same way that Dolphin Music wants to serve your needs with amazing low prices, on-time deliveries and great advice, we are absolutely committed to making MusicPlanet your magazine and your online community. So please continue to tell us what you think and we’ll do our very best to provide you with useful tools and relevant information. Enjoy the issue! Jason Tavaria Joint MD, Dolphin Music [email protected] Rob Williams Joint MD, Dolphin Music [email protected] www.musicplanetmag.co.uk

Contributors

Editor: Neil Worley E [email protected] Designer: Kate Lucas E [email protected]

Robert Collins

Robert Collins has been writing about music and musicians for nearly ten years. He started out at the Melody Maker and has since written for The Sunday Times, NME, Playmusic, The Fly, Classic Rock and Popmatters. com. His all-time favourite interviewees are Perry Farrell, Beth Ditto and Robert Pollard from Guided By Voices – who was also the sweatiest.

Martyn Casserly

It was a simple case of love at first sight. A red Fender Stratocaster sitting on a seat in a garage of all places, and Martyn was hooked. Now he splits his time between practising his guitar face and pouring over guitar books and writing about the amps and six-string beauties that – for some reason – people keep kindly sending to his house. Happy fella!

www.dolphinmusic.com 0844 248 8117

MusicPlanet

Steve Harvey

Steve is MusicPlanet’s acoustic expert. Having co-founded Acoustic magazine, he was its Editor for three years and is now a regular contributor to Guitarist magazine. Over the years, he’s amassed a sizeable collection of desirable acoustics and has played and written about every significant acoustic body shape in existence. Clever man…

Winter2008/9

03

Classic Series Forged from experience, vision and cutting edge technology, the new Ashdown Classic Series raises the bar in bass amplification. Our flagship line offers two ‘Klystron’ heads (500 & 1000 Watts), expertly tuned cabs and combos – all designed to deliver enhanced frequency response, stunning dynamic range and rich tone.

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Proudly built in Kentucky for US and Canadian players, and in the UK for our customers in other countries, the Classic Series amplifiers not only exhibit the style you’ve come to expect from Ashdown, they also rock harder and louder than anything we’ve done before. The new Klystron heads and combos feature a variable tube grind for warmth, a sub-harmonic generator for depth, a dualband compressor for accurate control, a 7-band EQ for endless tone shaping and a 4-way footswitch for performance versatility – a cocktail of vintage and modern features that combine to redefine the sound of ‘Classic’ bass. Find out more at www.ashdownmusic.com

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ISSUE 02 Winter 2008/9

CONTENTS FEATURES Clyro 08 Biffy Scottish rockers still looking to the future treatment 25 Acoustic Essential guide to a better-sounding studio

40 Review Yamaha Tyros3 46 Review Roland HD-1 V-Drums Lite 49 Group Test Combos 57 Review Squier Classic Vibe

reviews 53 Gig The best recent live shows discussed

Duo-Sonic ’50s 62 Review Universal Audio UAD-2 Quad 64 Six of the Best Digital Pianos 67 Review Mackie SRM450 v2 69 Reviews In Brief

hours in Newcastle 59 48 Where to perform a gig in The Toon

REGULARS

to sound like… Jack Johnson 33 How Get the laid-back surf sound of Hawaii

37 Pendulum Guitars and computers can share a stage

heroes – Liam Watson 74 Unsung Producer of The White Stripes

GEAR

22 Six of the Best Electric Guitars 31 Review Spectrasonics Omnisphere

17 News 35 Win a Yamaha DGX-630! 43 Music Clinic Your questions answered 56 Win a Focusrite Studio! 72 Top Five Best Sellers

49 Combos round-up

37 Pendulum

25 Acoustic treatment

06

MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9


WIN!

A FOCUSRITE STUDIO WORTH OVER £1,000! PAGE 56

08 Biffy Clyro

57

Squier Classic Vibe Duo-Sonic ’50s

31

Spectrasonics Omnisphere


MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9

07

When Biffy Clyro began playing big festivals, it was as if they’d come fully formed from nowhere. But, reveals Robert Collins, it’s been a long, hard slog from a Scottish youth centre to supporting Muse at Wembley.

I

first met Biffy Clyro four-and-a-half years ago. Even back then there was something special about them. Guitarist Simon Neil had his blue-eyed Jesus look down to perfection, and even though the Brothers Johnston (bassist James and drummer Ben) were pale even by Scottish standards, they exuded the kind of relaxed charm that belied their (then) lowly position on the rock and roll ladder. It’s not that the band weren’t hungry back then. Like every young band they wanted to bring their music to as wide an audience as possible. But these guys were willing to show a little patience. They understood that they didn’t need to freak out when things didn’t go their way. At that point they were three albums into a career that had failed to set the music world alight. Their 2001 debut, Blackened Sky, couldn’t even be described as an underground hit. A year later their second offering, Vertigo Of Bliss, barely registered on the rock Richter scale. But, somehow, the band’s third long player, Infinity Land, started making waves. A lot of it had to do with the band’s tenacity – for the first half of the decade Biffy Clyro had dedicated themselves to playing every small town and venue the UK had to offer. While other bands were grabbing headlines and cover stories, Biffy were on the road, perfecting their art and building up a fan base. But more than this, it was Biffy’s refusal to compromise their music, even when they were struggling financially, that marked them out as a special band. “If we wanted to take the easy way out we could write a threechord song with a catchy bit,” explained Simon. “We read reviews that say Biffy are a bit hit-and-miss, but it’s better to try shit that’s different. The trick is to make a record that’s interesting musically as well as being enjoyable. It’s always been a challenge to us to make the best music we can and get people to sit up and pay attention. More often than not we’ve been dismissed, which is cool because we like being the underdogs. It’s brought out the battling spirit within us. We’re not afraid to try something that initially seems stupid. I don’t think there’s enough risk-taking in music in general.” This was 2004, when Biffy Clyro were still genuine outsiders. Infinity Land didn’t exactly fly out of record stores, peaking at number 47 in

08

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Wee three kings: Simon Neil, James and Ben Johnston.

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BIFFY CLYRO THE LAST KINGS OF SCOTLAND www.dolphinmusic.com 0844 248 8117

MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9

09

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iii the UK album charts. But Biffy Clyro had turned the corner. They started appearing on major festival main stages and they weren’t just there to make up the numbers. They were stealing the show, rocking harder than any three-piece had the right to do, and leading the crowd in emotional mass sing-alongs. Their fourth album, Puzzle, arrived in June 2007 and went straight in at number 2. It was a critical as well as a commercial success. Kerrang and Rock Sound both made it their album of the year. As 2008 came to an end, James Johnston took time out from the band’s writing and recording of album number five to speak to us. Biffy Clyro may have turned into one of Britain’s most beloved rock bands, but as people they’ve hardly changed a bit. “Personally I don’t feel like we’ve really made it yet,” he reckons. “Obviously we’ve exceeded a lot of the ambitions we started off with. But in order to be successful in your life, whatever you’re doing, you have to recalibrate your ambitions as you go along. When you reach a goal you have to think of a new one. There’s not been a point when I’ve put my feet up and patted myself on the back. We’ve just got on with it and thought about what’s next.” Biffy Clyro may be looking forward to the future, but it doesn’t mean they’re forgetting their past. Just thinking about the band’s virgin rehearsals raises a laugh. “It was in our parents’ garage,” James chuckles. “Back then we were just messing around and having fun. Just SiMon SayS guItar god sImon neIl explaIns trying to make some noise and have something to do on the why he’s a one-brand man. weekend. Our first show was in a youth centre. All our friends and our parents had come. We were really nervous but really “Live, I’m a Fender Strat man. I can’t see past that in terms of enjoyed it. Half the set was our own songs and half was covers. live sound. With recording, I use the Telecaster a lot. When I’m None of those early songs made it to the first record. We sounded like Nirvana and Weezer. I think most bands start off trying to playing it live, it just doesn’t have the right shape, but when emulate their heroes before they start defining their own sound.” we record, it’s got that little bit more weight and it’s a bit James and drummer brother Ben were lucky enough to come more crystal-y. from a musical family and it was James’ dad that got him started in “It’s funny, I’d never heard of a Fender Hot Rod Deville the rock and roll game, giving him his first bass guitar. amp until a few years ago. I don’t even know how long “He gave me a second-hand Fender Precision Bass,” he recalls. “It they’ve been around; maybe it’s a recent thing, but I had a big fat neck so it was good to learn to play on. When I switched to a Jazz Bass later, the neck was thinner and it was all so much quicker remember that as soon as I got one, I thought, ‘This and easier. Back then I had a Peavey combo amp. I covered it in zebra fur is unbelievable.’ And then it was like, ‘Everyone’s got because I thought that was cool. My Dad always played and had tons of one!’ It’s become the necessary amp. It’s probably guitars in the house.” the best amp out there. A lot of people use old Vox The Johnston and Neil families must have been passing on some good amps and things, but the Fender does that but lessons, because when Biffy’s first album came and went with hardly anyone with power and a bit more personality. Every noticing, the band just buckled down for the long haul. band we’ve played with has played a Deville.” “I guess a part of us was disappointed,” admits James. “Although as young guys you really want to go straight to the top, we always knew in the long run it would be best to build up slowly. We always had confidence in our abilities. As

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start out “I thInk most bandsth r heroes tryIng to emulate eIreIown sound” before defInIng th

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E THREE OF TH EN BE S AY W AL S E’ ER H “T AY I’M LETTING US AND THERE’S NO WPL ING WELL” THEM DOWN BY NOT AY

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Although the band refuses to divulge the origins of their frankly rubbish name, one theory states that a friend owned a Cliff Richard-branded pen, ie. a Cliffy Biro. Still, Biffy Clyro aren’t the first great band with a daft name. Here are five more that didn’t sound too smart in the cold light of day. ARCHERS OF LOAF Awesome mid-90s post-grunge band from North Carolina once touted as ‘the new Nirvana’. Stupid name didn’t help their cause. SMASHING PUMPKINS “Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins.” “Homer Simpson, smiling politely.” STRAPPING YOUNG LAD Thrash metallers from British Columbia bucking their genre’s trend by not taking themselves too seriously. POOH They’ve filled arenas in Italy since the 1960s, but have failed to transfer that success into the Englishspeaking world. No idea why. THE BEATLES Get it? It’s a pun! long as we were a long thought. “There are a lot of exciting bands out Because they play ‘beat’ going in an upward there. But generally, you feel that a band comes along music. Stop, my sides trajectory we felt we were with a certain niche and suddenly there’s loads of other are splitting. making headway. I think that came bands exactly the same. But that’s the same in all types from the touring – every time we went of culture. Like cooking TV shows have become really back to a town there’d be a few more people. popular. I don’t want to wave the finger at young bands. As long as we were having fun we were happy. They’re just trying to emulate their heroes.” “Last summer we played with Muse at Wembley, the Young musicians trying to emulate the Biffy Clyro sound Rolling Stones, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and did loads don’t have to look that hard for the answers. Both James and of these huge shows. And then we played a headline Simon are diehard Fender men. For James, whose secondshow in Denver to 15 people. I think a lot of bands get hand P-bass got him started, it’s been Fender all the way. fed up with those kind of gigs, but we’ve just always “I’ve been on different Jazz basses for a while,” he loved what we’re doing. There’s always been the three explains. “Fender have been really good to us and have of us and there’s no way I’m letting them down by not sent us basses. We have a few different tunings for different playing well or not caring. And vice versa. We take the songs. They are in drop D or drop C or C, F, D, G. I have music seriously and we take our roles within the band different basses for different tunes. For songs that are really seriously. People spend their money to see our shows, tuned down I use five-string bass strings and get rid of the so we take them seriously. But we don’t take ourselves thin one, and tune the low string up from a B to a C. I don’t seriously. That’s what allows us to enjoy it.” think the Jazz basses have anything special about them. Biffy Clyro may not have changed as people, but They just sound good and are great to play. I’ve been using their music has. Puzzle is the band’s most immediate Ashdown cabs and heads for the last couple of years. They record to date. A few diehard voices moaned that they have a nice tone and are pretty reliable. Which helps when abandoned the experimentalism that made them you’re touring as much as we do.” special, but James insists that the band were evolving Biffy Clyro have become one of Britain’s biggest bands on their own terms. in the last couple of years, but in some ways they “We were much more underground at the beginning haven’t changed a bit. They still have that underdog and happy to make music for ourselves,” he insists. “The spirit that they started off with. As long as they keep that, only thing that’s changed is people’s perception. And I they’ll always be special. think that’s because we’ve made better music as we’ve “It’s the Scottish mentality to have a chip on your gone along. Puzzle is our best album. What’s the point shoulder and think that you’re a wee man,” James of making a new album if you don’t think it’s your best?” laughs. “That gives us a bit of fighting spirit. Not that we I ask James if he still agrees with Simon’s statement want to fight anybody. We just stick up for ourselves.” MP that there’s not enough risk-taking in music. “I don’t For Biffy Clyro tour dates and upcoming releases know if it’s the bands or the industry,” he says after check out www.myspace.com/biffyclyro 12

MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9


STILL PUZZLED?

NOT COMMITTED TO THE BIFFY CAUSE YET? HERE ARE THREE EXCELLENT PLACES TO START YOUR CONVERSION.

57 Biffy stormed out of Ayr on debut album Blackened Sky with this catchy blast of Pixies-influenced oddness. Singing drummers are the way forward. My Recovery Injection One of the standouts on Infinity Land, this is the perfect example of Biffy’s effortless welding of weirdness and full-on rock. Check out the big finish too. Saturday Superhouse Faster, tighter and catchier than ever, this awesome effort from Puzzle proved that the Biff could play the Dave Grohl game and win.

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Eb Alto Saxophone Alto Saxophone w/ high F# key, in ABS case.

ID: 7537

ID: 15044

ID: 37960

ONLY £1899.00

ONLY £589.00

32399 ......TGI Keyboard Stand - Grey ............... £19.99 Yamaha PSU’s ................................................ From 6.99 Casio PSU’s..................................................... From 9.99 7928 ........Nord Stage 88 Semi-Hard Case .... £165.00 2636 ........Numark HF125 ....................................£9.99

ONLY £499.00

Yamaha

ONLY £299.99

Arnold

Artemis

YTR2335 Medium-weight Bb trumpet

Flute

Clarinet

Very versatile musical instrument.

Specifically designed with the student musician in mind.

ID: 29437

ID: 37972

ID: 31492

VISIT

ONLY £225.99

ONLY £169.00

CALL THE ORDER HOTLINE NOW

Recording Accessories 2331 ........Auralex MoPADs................................ £34.00 36077 ......Auralex Aural-Xpanders - 1 Set......£46.00 32063 ......Samson MS200 - Pair......................£49.00 4570 ........Samson PS-01 Pop Shield ............... £14.00 8526 ........Behringer Micropower PS400 ......... £17.00 13514 ......Rockstand Boom Mic Stand............. £17.95 Drums & Percussion Accessories 32934......Yamaha Drum Stool & Pedal ........... £69.99 38469 .....Stagg DT-25 Drum Throne ............... £29.99 Zildjian Drumsticks .......................Large Range In Stock Vic Firth Drumsticks ......................Large Range In Stock Remo Drum Heads ........................Large Range In Stock Guitar Accessories

Yamaha

ONLY £299.00

Keyboard & Piano Accessories

38781 ......Guizmo Guitar Gizmo ...........................£9.99 33786 ......Guitar Tech Clip On Tuner ................. £14.99 30112 ......Planet Waves CTM ............................ £39.99 24195......Fender PT-100 Pedal Tuner .............£49.99 8854........Shubb Noir 6 String Guitar Capo...... £17.99 13313 ......Warwick Guitar & Bass Stand .......... £12.99 34034 .....Rockstand Deluxe Guitar Stand ..........£7.99 13429......Fender Strap (Red/White/Blue) ...... £10.99

0844 248 8117

dolphinmusic.co.uk TO ORDER ONLINE

Get Your SM58 WireleSS ®

PGX Wireless Systems bring together innovative and easy to

use setup features and professional sound with options like the legendary SM58 or Beta 58A.

To find your nearest participating store visit:

www.shure.co.uk * Limited offer, while stocks last.

NOW INCL UDIN ULTR G FR A-QU EE I C K CH WITH ARGE RECH R ARGE ABLE BATT ERIE S*

PLANET NEWS

The latest gear and events for bands, players and DJs.

Traktor ploughs creative grooves

Native Instruments’ next generation of Traktor DJ software puts the focus on performance creativity Building on the success of the company’s popular Traktor DJ software line, Native Instruments has launched a new version, Traktor Pro, which sets a new benchmark for digital DJ technology. Traktor Pro combines state-of-the-art features with an all-new user interface, which aims to capture the essence of the established DJ workflows while bringing all the possible advantages of a software interface. Alongside the new interface design is a new ‘Crate Flick’ feature with support for cover artwork, enabling DJs to browse their music library visually onscreen. Beat-matching and sync’ing functions in Traktor Pro give DJs greater freedom to focus on the creative aspects of the mix. Precise beat grids are created for every track, and the ‘Sync Lock’ function ensures even multiple decks never go out of sync. DJs can also jump between loops,

cue points or any other part of a song without missing a beat thanks to a new ‘Quantized Navigation’ function, which ensures that the track never drops a beat. Each of the four decks in Traktor Pro features four EQ bands and filters based on the Allen&Heath Xone:92 professional DJ mixer, as well as the option to use filters based on three other professional DJ consoles. A powerful new effects section opens up the possibility to create some incredible new sounds from within Traktor Pro. Two separate effects engines provide more than 20 different algorithms, including a full range of DJ-style effects alongside more avant-garde effects built using Native Instruments’ Reaktor technology. Up to six effects can be chained together and freely assigned to any number of decks at

Monitors keep it digital Samson has unveiled two new studio monitors with built-in USB and iPod connectivity. The StudioDock 3i and StudioDock 4i monitors connect to your DAW over USB, keeping the signal digital all the way to the speaker, ensuring zero degradation of your signal, and producing high-quality audio reproduction with clear, sweet highs and robust lows. The built-in iPod dock enables you to sync, charge and play music from your iPod without requiring any additional cabling. Alternatively, you can connect to the StudioDock monitors using an analogue 1/8-inch jack. The StudioDock 3i comes with a three-inch woofer powered by a 15-watt amplifier in each

any time, effortlessly sync’ing to the tempo when necessary. Custom mappings for a wide variety of relevant MIDI controllers are also included, providing immediate integration with your MIDI hardware setup. New ‘MIDI Modifier’ technology provides even finer performance control, allowing for dynamic and multi-layered knob and fader assignments and on-the-fly adjustments of parameter resolution. As well as the standalone version, Traktor Scratch Pro is bundled with the Audio 8 DJ audio interface and control vinyl and CDs for controlling Traktor Pro using standard vinyl or CD decks. Traktor Pro £169.99 Dolphin ID 39019 Traktor Scratch Pro £449 Dolphin ID 39018

CREDIT CRUNCH? NOT FOR MUSICIANS

speaker. The StudioDock 4i has a larger four-inch woofer and more powerful 20-watt amplifiers. Both units come with a 25mm silk dome high-frequency driver, as well as a headphone output jack and front-panel volume control. StudioDock 3i £99 Dolphin ID 39250 StudioDock 4i £149 Dolphin ID 39249

In December Dolphin Music celebrates six months as part of the Take It Away scheme. Take It Away is an Arts Council initiative designed to help more people get involved in learning and playing music. The scheme allows people to apply for a loan of up to £2,000 for the purchase of any kind of musical instrument, paying back the loan in nine monthy instalments completely interest-free. In the six months that the scheme has been running we’ve seen many customers walk away with a brand-new instrument having only paid a 10% deposit. Any permanent UK resident aged over 18 with a bank or building society account capable of handling direct debits can apply for the scheme in stores, with loans available for any amount between £100 and £2,000. www.dolphinmusic.com


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17

PLANET NEWS

SNIPPETS FREE UPGRADES TO PRO TOOLS 8

Anyone who has purchased and registered a Pro Tools LE or HD system after 3rd October, 2008 will be eligible for a free upgrade from Pro Tools 7 to Pro Tools 8 once it’s available. Customers who purchased and registered their Pro Tools LE systems before 3rd October, 2008 can upgrade to Pro Tools 8 at a cost of £94, while the HD upgrade is available for £157.99. Alternatively, LE users can purchase an Mbox 2 Micro for £159.99, ensuring they get the Pro Tools 8 upgrade for free.

GET YOURSELF ALONG TO THE MUSICPLANET WEBSITE…

Just in case it’s slipped your notice, MusicPlanet Magazine also has a great online presence. There have been many changes in the last few months, including the establishment of an active forum where you can go to promote your band, or just ask questions about making music. Members of Dolphin Music staff are nearly always online to offer you help with kit selection and use. www.musicplanetmag.co.uk

DOLPHIN MOVING TO ELEVATOR BUILDING

In January 2009 Dolphin Music is moving to a permanent, purpose-built artist-orientated space within Elevator, a building that will house artists, musicians and other practitioners. Located within Liverpool’s Cultural Quarter in the Baltic Triangle, the building will provide additional office space with excellent facilities for hosting events, a workshop, and over 30 private studio spaces. The building is set to become the heart of the city’s music industry, with names such as The Wombats (that’s them below), The Zutons and The Rascals also based in the building. Music companies such as Sonalksis are also neighbours, in addition to creative design experts Bad Format, Burn and The Gardens of St Benjamin.

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Take to the stage

The Nord Stage is already a renowned range, and now Swedish company Clavia has announced major new additions to the line with its EX models… Clavia’s Nord Stage line is an award-winning range of performance-ready synthesizers. The Nord Stage EXs are the newest members of this range, extending the internal memory capacity of the range from 128MB to 256MB. The expanded memory in the EX models enables Clavia to provide an even broader selection of sounds including stunning grand pianos, classic organ sounds, electric pianos, clavinet and synthesizers. The keyboards have six separate sound sources, which can be layered or split across the keyboard, providing two organs, two pianos and two synths. You can customise your own sounds using the built-in effects section, which includes two multi-

FX units, a delay, EQ and amp simulation and a rotary speaker emulation as well as a master effects section with a compressor and reverb. You can also use the Nord Stage EX as a master keyboard to control external MIDI devices, taking advantage of all the possible zones, splits and layering options built-in to the Nord Stage EX. There will be three Nord Stage EX models: the 88, 76 and Compact. The 88 and 76 both feature weighted hammer-action keyboards, while the Compact is equipped with a semi-weighted organ keyboard The new models should be available by the time you read this. Check out the Dolphin website.

VOX specials

FREE FADERPORTS WORTH £99

Dolphin has three exclusive VOX amps, the Pathfinder 10, Pathfinder 15R and the limited-edition DA5 White. The Pathfinder series of VOX amps provide VOX’s instantly recogniseable warm, British sound in a compact combo practice amp. A clean/ overdive switch enables you to switch from vintage tones to modern overdriven sounds, and with the Pathfinder 15R you also have a built-in tremolo. The limited-edition DA5 White is a 5-watt compact amp with 11 distinctive sound styles, 11 effects and an Aux input for connecting CD or MP3 players to practise along with. All three amplifiers are available exclusively from Dolphin Music, so be sure to check them out next time you’re in-store or online. Pathfinder 10 £49.99 Dolphin ID 31781 Pathfinder 15R £74.99 Dolphin ID 31782 DA5 (White) £84.99 Dolphin ID 38785


Until the end of December 2008, customers who purchase any product from the PreSonus FireStudio range will receive a free FaderPort controller worth £99. The FireStudio range includes the FireStudio Project, FireStudio itself and FireStudio Tube. An additional bundle containing both the FireStudio and PreSonus Monitor Station Remote is also available, which attracts further savings over buying these two units separately. The FireStudio range provides high-quality audio interfacing for a variety of needs from the FireStudio Project with eight Xmax preamps and S/PDIF I/O to the more advanced FireStudio with 16 additional channels of ADAT I/O alongside the eight Xmax preamps and S/PDIF I/O, and the FireStudio Tube which has 16 analogue inputs, including eight Xmax preamps and two tubebased super-channels. FireStudio Project £379 Dolphin ID 34141 FireStudio £499 Dolphin ID 14426 FireStudio Bundle £589 Dolphin ID 33350 FireStudio Tube £649 Dolphin ID 35163

Stop dreaming,

Start drumming

Pick up the sticks, put on your headphones, stop dreaming and start drumming. The HD-1 V-Drums Lite sounds great, looks cool, and is one of the quietest drumkits available. You can even connect an iPod and jam along with your favourite bands. Step inside the world of V-Drums: it beats watching TV. Call 0845 1305 909 for a brochure.

Check the HD-1 online at www.roland.co.uk/hd1

 w w w. ro l a n d. co. u k

PLANET NEWS

SNIPPETS BEHRINGER VM1 VINTAGE TIME MACHINE

Analogue delay effects are some of the most sought after guitar pedals in existence, so the announcement that Behringer was creating the VM1 Vintage Time Machine has been viewed with much anticipation. The analogue pedal is capable of chorus, vibrato and delay effects with up to 550ms of delay time. Vintage sounds are all easily within reach from classic surf slap-back to progressive infinitely repeating textures. Behringer VM1 £53 Dolphin ID 28491

New Saffire is the jewel in Focusrite’s crown The Saffire Pro 40 is the latest professional interface in Focusrite’s Saffire range and comes bundled with a wealth of audio software Focusrite’s Saffire range continues to grow with the launch of the new Saffire Pro 40, a 20-in, 20-out FireWire interface. The Saffire Pro 40 has a wealth of I/O options, including eight high-quality Saffire preamps, ten analogue outputs, ADAT I/O, stereo S/PDIF I/O and two unique virtual loopback inputs for routing digital audio between software applications without it ever having to leave the box. Front panel metering of each of the eight analogue inputs ensures you have clear indication of any potential level spikes. Special JetPLL jitter-elimination technology helps maintain prime audio quality as your data flows between analogue and digital signals. Two independent headphone outputs enable you to create dedicated stereo monitor mixes, each with its own level control. The main stereo monitor mix features pads for improved sound

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT NOW AT DOLPHINMUSIC.COM

Each week on the Dolphin website we feature one of you in our new Customer Spotlight. The section features musicians and producers who shop at Dolphin, letting you know about their work and what equipment they’ve bought from us to help get it done. Any customer can submit their information by emailing us at [email protected] Be sure to let us know what gear you’ve bought and how that gear has helped you create your sound. Contact [email protected]

quality when used with active monitors. There is also an anti-thump circuit to protect your monitors from damage when the unit is starting up or shutting down. A zero-latency 18 x 16 DSP mixer/router application, Saffire Pro 40 Control, enables you to configure the audio interface to route audio from any of the inputs to any of the outputs. It features intuitive one-click solutions and a clear and concise mixing layout complete with large on-screen metering. As well as the DSP mixer application, the Saffire Pro 40 comes with a suite of Focusrite plug-ins, including all-new Focusrite Compressor, Reverb, Gate and EQ VST/AU plug-ins and the Xcite+ bundle, which includes Ableton Live Lite, Novation’s Bass Station and over 1GB of royalty-free samples.

Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 £349 Dolphin ID 38913

These Boots were made for walking HAND-WIRED BRITISH AMPS Having left her former band Dead Disco, Victoria Hesketh’s new project Little Boots has been making ground in the pop world with a mixture of old and new technology. On her recent Jools Holland performance, Little Boots combined beats produced using the Tenori-On with sounds created using a Stylophone, an acoustic piano and her much-loved microKORG. Little Boots’ sound is an imaginative blend of different instruments, which captures the pop spirit while maintaining her strong indie roots. Like many other new acts, Little Boots isn’t afraid to experiment with a range of electronic and acoustic instruments to find unique sounds that work for her. These sounds are frequently a product of an actve imagination, rather than expensive new synths. Keep an eye out for future performances to see what instruments she uses next. See more at www.myspace.com/littlebootsmusic 20

MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9


Some of the biggest names in amplifier technology have teamed up at Hayden to develop a range of hand-wired amp, such as the Buxom Blonde and the Peacemaker 60. These new amps provide a range of classic British tones, from clean and glassy through to cutting, modern high-gain and edgy. The Buxom Blonde is a 100-watt tube head with three 12AX7 preamp tubes and four EL34 power amp tubes, switchable between pentode and triode. Each output tube is individually fused with a user adjustable bias. With transformer guru John Page and Matamps’ Dave Green on board to develop these designs, Hayden’s range is sure to re-inforce its growing reputation as one of the great independent amplifier manufacturers. www.dolphinmusic.com

Black Magic

Discover the dark side of digital pianos with the new polished black Clavinovas, available at some very seductive prices. Visit www.dolphinmusic.co.uk to find out more.

››› SIX OF THE BEST If you’re after something a little different to the normal Les Paul, Strat, or Tele, here’s a roundup of six cracking alternatives for less than £300.

Vintage AV3P £299 Dolphin ID 38755 The AV3P is a modern classic that draws heavily on some of the finest semi-solid guitars of yesteryear. If crunchy blues or jazzy pop are your thing then the AV3P has got plenty to offer. The three P90-style pickups have a ‘roll control’ that allows you to change them from single-coil sounds to humbuckers simply by dialling in the amount you want. There’s also a push/pull control that gives you access to an out-of-phase middle pickup for those classic blues tones. A hugely versatile instrument with killer looks to match.

Squier Jagmaster £189 Dolphin ID 10473 As the name suggests, this new beauty from Fender’s own Squier label mixes the designs of the classic Jaguar and Jazzmaster to come up with a cool guitar that packs plenty of punch. From the slanted body shape, 70s-style oversized headstock and tremolo bridge, you can tell that there’s a real vintage vibe about the Jagmaster. The control layout has been modified to give it a more modern feel, and with two Duncan-designed humbuckers ready to kick out some sonic mayhem it won’t be long until you find yourself following in the footsteps of Kurt Cobain, Dinosaur Jr or Paramore.

Ibanez RG350EX

£279 Dolphin ID 15329

Nothing else screams out ROCK like an Ibanez guitar. The RG350EX is no exception, with all the kit you need to shred your fingers raw: H/S/H pickup configuration, superfast Wizard II neck with 24 jumbo frets that allow plenty of room for extreme bends and finger gymnastics, an Edge III locking tremolo bridge to ensure rock-solid tuning stability while you mangle and divebomb notes, and a lightweight basswood body so you can jump around a stage with it all night long. Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert and Steve Vai play only Ibanez guitars – now you can join the elite with one of your own.

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MusicPlanet

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››› Electric Guitars under £300

Vintage VZ99 £99 Dolphin ID 38760 Sometimes you just don’t want fancy quilted maple tops, over-elaborate pickup configurations, or having to worry about putting a tiny scratch on your expensive guitar. If you’re the kind of player who wants to get down and dirty with a simple, no-nonsense guitar then the VZ99 is a dream come true. Top playability, gnarly, spiteful tones from the twin angled single-coil pickups, a lightweight Wutong body, and a price that means if you smash it up you can buy another. Everything a garage punk band needs to get going, plus a whole lot more.

Danelectro Dano ‘63 £169 Dolphin ID 36852 No-one quite does retro like Danelectro. Not surprising really when you consider they were building guitars right back when rock ‘n’ roll began. Over the years they’ve been played by Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett, plus a host of others, and now they’re bringing back their sense of fun and style to everyone. The Dano ‘63 features twin lipstick pickups for that classic vintage twang, plus a highly playable neck, ultra-lightweight body, loads of different retro colours, and looks that will get you noticed. If you’ve never done Dano, then now’s the time to start.

Jackson JS30RR

£189.99 Dolphin ID 12003

For many people Randy Rhoads will always be one of the true metal greats, and with players like Zakk Wylde citing him as a huge influence it’s only fitting that he should have a range of signature axes. The JS30RR is Jackson’s entry-level model and should be on the shopping list of any would-be metaller. It boasts an extreme Flying V style body, twin Jackson humbuckers for those face-melting riffs, string-through body design for added sustain, and a fast neck that will have you screaming up and down the fretboard. Time to get going like a crazy train!

››› BUY NOW

To buy, or for expert advice call

0844 248 8117 Or logon at www.dolphinmusic.com And enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left of the screen. www.dolphinmusic.com 0844 248 8117

MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9

23

“...Omnisphere is a phenomenal instrument. It shows what can be done when the power of real, unusual samples is combined with a powerful, multi-approach synthesis engine” - Future Music "...Omnisphere is unquestionably a captivating, complex, beautiful, expressive synthesiser. Considering this is only version 1.0, the future of Omnisphere is looking good. - Mac User

In practice

››

t n e m t a e r T c i t s u Aco

One of the most limiting factors of the home studio is the fact that everything, from tracking through to mastering, is done in a single room – which often doubles as the spare bedroom/store room/garage (delete as appropriate). So, irrespective of the quality of the audio equipment used, a poor acoustic environment is constantly compromising what can be achieved. Poor room acoustics are usually due to the combination of a room’s size, its shape and build structure, and the material contents. The audible effects can be heard as flutter echo (very sharp, bright reflections), reverb and room modes. Each of these interacts with the

bad a n i ixing ly affect m , s r o nit rimental o m ent. r t u m t e o a y d e r s d goo ill alway ts some t w o h r tte onment w Curtis ge a m o N envir r mix. Alex c i t s u aco you

sound of the mix coming out of your studio monitors and changes how the direct sound is perceived. How often have you taken your lastest mix to your mate’s house, raving about the amazing track you created last night, only to find that it is completely bass light or that you can ONLY hear the bass. Well that’s most likely due to poor acoustics – your studio room is heavily affecting the mix, causing it not to transport well to other systems. It is possible to improve the situation, though, and create a more neutral-sounding room by installing some acoustic treatment. The aims are to decrease the reverb time and flatten the frequency response, such that the sound of the room itself interferes less with the mix. There are a wide range of products designed to suit the diverse variety of situations, from home studios to The Reflexion Filter by SE Electronics is a great way to provide isolation when recording vocals. (£195, Dolphin ID 8708)

professional installations, but the somewhat daunting selection can be simplified.

porous, so that the sound energy can penetrate the surface and be trapped within.

ABSORBING STUFF

Diffusers work in a completely different way, aiming to break up the very harsh direct reflections that can occur from a flat surface. This is achieved by using a surface structure that is non-regular and of varying depth. The material itself is often acoustically reflective, such that the sound waves bounce back in a completely irregular pattern, diffusing strong reflections. Certain acoustic products manage to combine the best of both these factors. Wall-mounted acoustic tiles, for example, generally have a non-flat surface to give some element of diffusion, as well

There are essentially only two main types of acoustic treatment: absorbers and diffusers. Absorbers fundamentally do what they say on the tin: sound energy becomes trapped within the material and is unable to be reflected back into the room. The effectiveness of the absorption depends upon the material itself and the frequency of the incident sound. Hence, different materials have different quoted absorption values across specific frequency bands. By their nature, absorbers are generally fibrous or

Step by step The in-depth study of acoustics is a complex science, but improvements in the acoustics of your home studio can generally be achieved relatively simply – the difficulty is that there is not one simple solution to cure all ills. Acoustic analysis software can be an objective assistant, and most


stand-alone DAWs offer basic frequency analysis tools, but the best advice is to treat the room step-by-step, using temporary fixings for each piece of treatment and listening to the changes in the room’s response as each piece is put in position. Adjustments (and experiments!) can then be made to achieve the optimal results.

MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9

25

➥ ➥

In practice

as increasing the active surface area for sound absorption. Improved diffusion can also be achieved by mounting the tiles in some kind of pattern that alternates with bare wall. A benefit of this approach is that it does not make the room too ‘dead’, helping to retain a degree of brightness that can be desirable when recording. The limiting factor for any single type of absorber is that it will only be effective over a specific and limited range of frequencies, and it

›››

The Auralex MAX-Wall (£764, Dolphin ID 35984) system offers excellent modular performance, improving the acoustics of a mixing environment.

THE PLACEMENT OF TREATMENT IS CRITICAL TO ITS SUCCESS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WHAT’S NEEDED IS DIFFERENT IN EVERY ROOM

THE SCIENCE BIT It’s simply a case of some basic physical laws The essence of acoustics is this: the sound energy that is put into the room from your studio monitors has to go somewhere. As sound energy is a wave, it will bounce off certain surfaces and be absorbed by others, in a continuing cycle until all of the energy has been absorbed. The simplest example is the impulse test – clap your hands to generate the impulse and listen to how the room sounds. In most rooms there will be some sharp, metallic ringing sounds (flutter echoes off the parallel, opposing walls), followed by an additional reverb tail. As you move around the room (and repeat the test) the sound will change as different room modes become excited. Room modes are specific frequencies that are reinforced by the physical dimensions of the room. They are a typical problem

for small rooms with similar overall dimensions in both directions. These standing waves form as the sound is reflected from a wall surface and then the wavelength is such that it constructively interferes with and reinforces that specific frequency. Standing waves occur in three modes that basically describe the number of reflections required to complete the wave. Axial room modes reflect off two opposing surfaces and have the highest energy content. Tangential modes reflect off four walls, and oblique modes reflect off six surfaces and have the least overall energy level. When all room dimensions are similar, each of the modes will have a similar fundamental frequency and so positively interfere around the same point, creating a real unbalance in the lower frequency range.

Axial room modes are standing waves that reflect between two parallel walls of a room.

A standing wave can be set up when a room mode is a function of a whole or half wavelength – in this case the room length is half the wavelength of the standing wave.

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is necessary to treat the full audible spectrum (20Hz to 20kHz) of sound. For most generic foam absorbers, this effective range will be within the mid to high frequencies, as the lower frequencies contain too much energy to be effectively absorbed in the same manner. Bass frequencies can be the most problematic in small rooms, due to the potential of constructive interference and reflections that work together to create ‘standing waves’ that cause ‘room modes’. Some broadband absorbers do offer some attenuation in the lower frequency ranges, but these need to be used in combination with dedicated bass treatments that are specifically designed to absorb very low frequencies. Dedicated bass traps have to be designed differently to conventional absorbers, to deal with the properties of the lower frequency sound waves. Higher density foam is one of the options, and this becomes more effective when The Auralex AudioTile is a stylish way to provide both diffusion and absorption. (£210, Dolphin ID 36055)


placed slightly away from a wall or, even better, in a corner – where low frequencies are prone to build up. Resonators work in a different way: they are tuned to a (relatively) specific frequency in such a way that an element of the trap itself ‘vibrates’ in sympathy with the low frequencies and disperses them as heat. The main problem with tuned resonators is their size – they can take up a large amount of space as their dimensions are dictated by the wavelength of the frequency they are designed to absorb. They aren’t always a realistic option for the smaller studio.

WHAT GOES WHERE?

The placement of acoustic treatment is critical to the success of its implementation, but unfortunately what’s needed is different in every room. However, there is a simple rule that generally leads to good results: acoustic treatment should be placed in a position that minimises reflected sound and modal interference at the listening position. Here is a simple example. Studio monitors are usually placed next to a wall and as a result there will be a

➥ ➥

From studio

to stage.

ProKeys Sono Series World’s First Digital Pianos with Built-In Audio Interfaces Inspiring, lightweight digital pianos are finally here. Meet ProKeys Sono 61 and ProKeys Sono 88, the first portable digital pianos to incorporate world-class M-Audio® interface technology. This means you can connect ProKeys Sono directly to your computer and record your keyboard performance, vocals and instruments along with your computer-based tracks. Use ProKeys Sono as a songwriting scratchpad, or connect a laptop to play back all your tracks on stage without the hassle of a separate interface. The transition between writing, recording and performing has never been smoother. • portable digital piano with integral audio interface all-in-one music-making solution • 88-key and 61-key, semi-weighted, velocity-sensitive keys exceptional feel and playability • onboard, stereo-sampled Steinway* grand sound realistic piano experience • additional built-in premium sounds** instant access to piano, clav, strings and more • line and microphone inputs record vocals and instruments with your computer • includes onboard General MIDI sound set 128 total sounds plus drums and percussion • only 11/5 kg. (ProKeys Sono 88 and 61, respectively) light weight for easy transport * This product is not connected with, or approved or endorsed by, the owners of the Steinway name. ** ProKeys Sono 61 features four additional onboard instrument sounds; ProKeys Sono 88 features six additional onboard instrument sounds.

© 2008 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Avid, M-Audio, the “>” logo Prokeys Sono are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the U.S. and in other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Product features, specifications, system requirements and availability are subject to change without notice. Use of enclosed software may be subject to a related license agreement.

www.maudio.co.uk

In practice

GOOD VIBES How to make your room sound better Auralex offers diverse products aimed at solving the problems of poor acoustics within a range of environments from the professional studio, through the home studio to the home cinema. The Auralex Pyramid tile (£317, Dolphin ID 35949) is the most conventionally styled studio product, and when used on flat walls can greatly reduce flutter echoes. It is available in 2-inch and 4-inch thicknesses, with the slightly deeper tiles offering more lowfrequency absorption. Alternatives are the Wedgies (£87, Dolphin ID 35933) and the Designer series (£78, Dolphin ID 35920). Both come in different thicknesses, colours

and area coverage, and are ideal for side walls as they offer diffusion as well as absorption. For a completely original style, the AudioTile (£210, Dolphin ID 36055) can be used to create artistic masterpieces and still control flutter echoes. Bass trapping is sometimes considered unnecessary, but in small rooms it’s often what’s needed most. A 100Hz wave has a wavelength of 3.3m, which makes it perfect for building up modes in a small room. Auralex offers a range of traps that offer acoustic performance along with a professional appearance. The LENRD (£249, Dolphin ID 35952) and MegaLENRD (£277, Dolphin ID 35955) offer a conventional studio style, whereas the SonoColumns (£197, Dolphin ID 35969) offer the same performance with a a different look. Auralex’s Roominator kits provide a combination of absorption and diffusion treatment in a single package. (£975, Dolphin ID 36284)

›››

To treat a whole room it’s often most economic to install one of Auralex’s Roominator kits. These vary in content according to the size of the room you’re trying to treat, but typically include bass traps and absorption/diffusion panels, along with some glue to stick them in place. They start at £487 for the Auralex Project 2 Roominator kit (Dolphin ID 1998), going up to the Auralex Roominators ProPlus (£975, Dolphin ID 36284). If you’re unsure what your room needs, have a look at the Auralex website (www.auralex.com). It offers a great deal of specialist advice, and the opportunity of a free room analysis.

FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR MORE ISOLATION, VOCALBOOTH MAY BE JUST WHAT THE NEIGHBOURS WISH YOU HAD ORDERED

reflection off the wall behind them, back towards the listening position. So a good place to start is by placing some broadband absorption behind the monitors themselves. Either side of the listening point are prime locations too, as there will be sharp reflections that will need a combination of absorption and diffusion. What you’ll need behind the listening position will be dependent on your room, but again a combination of diffusion and absorption is the best approach. Bass frequencies build up within the 28

Auralex’s Metro LENRD Bass Traps (£249, Dolphin ID 35952) are the same corner-mounted design as the MegaLENRDs (£277, Dolphin ID 35955), which are the only foam-based absorbers that operate effectively below 50Hz.

MusicPlanet

corners of the rooms, so it’s a good policy to use some bass trapping in every corner of the room as well.

GOING LIVE

This is all well and good for improving the mixing environment, but how does it all apply when recording live sounds? Well, all the same theoretical rules apply. So if the recording environment is not neutral, each recording that is made will be coloured by the room, making the mixing process even harder. The aim this time is to

Winter2008/9

capture just the direct sound at the microphone, and to minimise the room sound. Over recent years, more tracking has been done in smaller, singleroom studios and there are several products available that greatly improve the achievable results. The huge advantage of this approach is that many of the products aren’t permanent fixings within the room, but are modular systems that can be positioned to suit the recording – be it vocals, guitars or something more esoteric.


The SE Electronics Reflexion Filter (£195, Dolphin ID 8708) has been a revolutionary product in this market. By not only isolating the rear of the microphone from unwanted reflections, but also absorbing the sound that is projected into the room, the Reflexion Filter does a great job of reducing the reflected room sound captured by the microphone. It is suitable for recording vocals and guitars, and its size and mounting arrangement (on a mic stand) make it ideal for the smaller studio. An alternative is to have a more conventional gobo-style arrangement of panels that link together to form a more neutral acoustic environment. Some of these products are now designed to be multipurpose (such as the Auralex MAX-Wall system) – they can be used as both acoustic treatment for the mixing environment, and then moved to create a recording booth. This can be ideal for home recording or studios in a rented space, where portability and flexibility are a must. As with all of the Auralex product range, the audio performance is matched by its professional appearance. For those looking for more isolation in their recording environment, the options made available by VocalBooth may be just what the neighbours wish you had ordered. VocalBooth produces fully isolated small spaces that create an instant ‘room within a room’, providing both soundproofing and acoustic treatment. They are available in a range of sizes to suit anything from just a guitar amp (£945, Dolphin ID 5590) to several people, and each include lighting and ventilation fixings as part of the overall price. For those who regularly record live performances, from voiceover to drums, this may well be the most cost-effective way to have a fully treated space within the confines of your own home. Acoustic treatment is all about improving the neutrality of the recording and mixing environment, so that you are actually working on your music, rather than the sound of your music in that specific room. It may appear costly at first glance, but it is an investment that you’ll use on every recording made in your studio and means you truly hear the sound of the equipment you own. MP

korg

m50

take a closer look.

If you’ve been admiring the incredible Korg M3 from afar, you’re about to get a lot closer. The new korg m50 offers a streamlined configuration and at a price well within your reach. with sleek, elegant design and rich, vivid sounds controlled via the best interface in the industry, the m50 has all the features you want in a workstation – and the performance you expect from korg.

At home or on stage, bring your music to life with your Korg M50. • Huge 256mB rom • Same EDS synthesis and effects as the m3 • Large, easy-to-use touchscreen • Drum track and dual arps • Available in 61 and 88 key versions (look for the 73 soon)

www.muSiciSkorg.com

w w w. k o r g . c o . u k / m 5 0

Planet Gear

SPECTRASONICS OMNISPHERE

After years of development and what seems like the longest pre-release campaign ever, Spectrasonics’ eagerly awaited Power Synth has finally arrived. John Cherry takes a test flight.

››

£299 Dolphin ID 38557 It’s not often that a software instrument inspires as much excitement and anticipation as Omnisphere has over the past 12 months. With a cleverly engineered series of ‘introduction’ videos appearing monthly on the Spectrasonics website, fans were given tantalising sneak previews of the instrument and its revolutionary new design and interface presented by the instrument’s creator Eric Persing. Among the exciting features unveiled was the new STEAM audio engine, capable of twisting sounds with breathtaking dexterity, using psychoacoustic techniques for recording and developing the sound library. Just these features alone were enough to induce a slight frenzy in even the most level-headed of synth enthusiasts.

FEATURES

➔ 50GB+ core sound library ➔ Cutting-edge psychoacoustic waveforms ➔ Full multi-effects rack ➔ 16-part multi-mode ➔ New STEAM audio engine ➔ Large array of presets ➔ PC- and Mac-compatible

Other stand-out features include a high-quality customisable effects rack, chaos envelopes and an innovative step-based arpeggiator (with drag-and-drop MIDI file capability). There is also a Live mode for quick access and playback of patches during a performance.

TOUCH DOWN

It’s hard to do an instrument as huge and significant as Omnisphere justice with the written word, as it truly is greater than the sum of its parts. All we can say is that this is hands-down the most fully featured and groundbreaking synthesizer we have seen or heard in many years. It raises the bar for other manufacturers to create something as compelling – and this can only be a good thing. With such an array of features and at such a reasonable price point, there really is no excuse for any studio to be without Spectrasonics Omnisphere. MP

TAKE OFF

After finding your way into Omnisphere’s slick packaging, installation is a lengthy process that takes over an hour on a Mac Pro, but is straightforward enough and well documented. This is hardly surprising considering that Omnisphere’s core sample library spans six DVDs and is over 50GB in size. After authorisation and installation of some patches and updates, everything worked perfectly and a quick glance through the pages of the interface left us with the feeling that real thought had gone into making things run smoothly. Patches load very quickly, considering the massive size of some of them, and the flow of pages is logical and intuitive. After only a short time we felt familiar with the layout and confident of the synth’s abilities.

MID-FLIGHT

In use, Omnisphere is truly impressive. Every patch we loaded was incredibly inspiring and many were sounds we’ve never heard emanate from any other instrument. The preset library is pretty vast, covering some familiar territory and some not so familiar. If you need a standard pad or retro analogue synth sound, you are sure to find it, but move into the territory of the psychoacoustic patches and you will come across sounds such as ‘The burning piano’, a patch actually manufactured using recordings of a piano being incinerated. The impressive core library aside, the sound manipulation features of Omnisphere are second to none. An extensive synthesis section featuring multimode filters, ring modulation, wave shaping and FM capabilities enables the user to shape presets and waveforms into their own bespoke creations. Either library samples or synthesizerstyle waveforms can be used to build your own patches, and anything you like can be saved in the extensive patch management system.

ACCESSORIES Essential add-ons

Novation Nocturn £79.99 Dolphin ID 35159 Automap Universal 2.0 software maps functionality to the eight touch-sensitive rotary encoders, eight userassignable illuminated buttons and smooth, pro 45mm crossfader.

Novation ReMOTE SL Compact 25 & Gig Bag £189.99 Dolphin ID 38931 This MIDI controller provides automatic, instant and intelligent control of all major sequencers and automatable plug-ins. Plus free gig bag.

➔VERDICT ● Inspirational soundset ● Easy to create custom patches ● Efficient use of CPU ● Clear and intuitive interface ● Perfect sound quality With a myriad of software synths currently available, Omnisphere stands head and shoulders above the competition. With astonishing sound quality, innovative features and ease of use, you really can’t go wrong.

››› BUY NOW


0844 248 8117 Or logon at www.dolphinmusic.com And enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left of the screen.


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In practice

HOW TO SOUND LIKE...

Jack Johnson

J

MusicPlanet’s acoustic man, Steve Harvey Harvey, presents an essential guide to sounding like Jack Johnson – one of the most laid-back and instantly recognisable musicians in the world.

ack Hody Johnson was born in Hawaii on 18 May 1975. Being the son of a famous surfer, he naturally paddled in his father’s wake, and by the age of five Jack too had become a surfer. A promising start to a surfing career ensued, but things came to an abrupt end when, at the age of 17, Jack suffered a nasty accident that left him needing more than 150 stitches to his face and mouth. While convalescing in hospital, Jack began writing songs on his acoustic guitar, having learned basic chords during his early teens. Recordings of Jack’s songs were passed around the surfing community where he built up a sizeable underground following. A chance meeting with singer/songwriter G. Love led to the two artists recording together. Thus Jack Johnson’s recording career was born. Fast forward to 2008 and Jack Johnson is one of the world’s most successful recording artists, having sold 15 million albums worldwide. Jack has recorded five studio albums – two of them have reached the Number 1 spot in the UK charts. His laid-back, smooth lullaby-esque songs are instantly recognisable and evoke images of long lazy days followed by bonfires on the beach as the sun goes down. Jack Johnson’s musical influences include The Beatles, Nick Drake, Bob Marley and Bob Dylan, and it’s not difficult to identify their individual impact on his songwriting. But just how do you go about sounding like Mr Beach Blues himself?

GEAR TO CHOOSE

For many years now, Jack Johnson has favoured using Cole Clark acoustic guitars from Australia. His model of choice is the Fat Lady 2. This all-solid guitar is a dreadnought body

shape with a Venetian cut-away for easier access to the upper registers. The tonewoods used by Cole Clark are exotic Australian timbers and not easily found in guitar shops today, but you can still emulate Jack’s sound quite accurately. The pickup used on the Fat Lady 2 is a dual system, where an under-saddle piezo is blended with a sensor attached to the underneath of the soundboard. To save you hunting high and low across the UK for a Cole Clark guitar, we’ve come up with a couple of alternative suggestions. For those on a budget, we’d suggest a Yamaha FGX720SCA (£249, Dolphin ID 18623). This fantastic budget dreadnought packs plenty of low-end punch while retaining a strong mid-range – perfect for accompanying vocals. The under-saddle piezo makes for a very Johnson-esque tone, especially when dropping some of the treble out of the onboard three-band EQ. The sycamore used for the back and sides also adds a touch of the exotic. Alternatively, for those whose budget can stretch a bit further, we’d suggest the Martin DC-16E Koa (£1,649, Dolphin ID 20115). The warm, complex tones of the Koa add a mysterious aura to this gorgeous guitar. Like the Cole Clark, the DC-16E has a blendable dual-pickup system fitted, featuring an under-saddle transducer and internal goose-neck-mounted mic. This allows for easy mixing of sparkling mid-range tones with warmer, mellow timbres. In practice, it’s the difference between the sound of Jack’s guitar on Angel and Same Girl from his latest album, Sleep Through The Static. Other essential components in Jack Johnson’s sound are D’Addario strings. For the most part, Jack uses acoustic light gauge EXP 13s. These excellent strings seem to last


MusicPlanet

FIVE-MINUTE GUIDE TO… JACK JOHNSON

Who is he? Hawaiian-born surfer turned singer/songwriter Influences The Beatles, Nick Drake, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan Discography Brushfire Fairytales (2001) On And On (2003) In Between Dreams (2005) Curious George: Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies (2006) Sleep Through The Static (2008) Collaborators Matt Costa, G. Love & Ben Harper Worldwide album sales 15 million and rising Standout tracks Flake (Brushfire Fairytales), Taylor (On And On), Better Together (In Between Dreams), Upside Down (Curious George: Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies), Hope (Sleep Through The Static), If I Had Eyes (Sleep Through The Static) If you like Jack, try... Matt Costa, Ben Harper, Corinne Bailey Rae

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➥ ➥

In practice

›››

ED ROOT JACK ALTERNATES THHE –PIACKSTYLE RIGHT NOTE WITH THE FIFTS’ MANUAL OUT OF THE BEATLE

Above right: the Fender ‘65 Twin Reverb is Jack’s favourite amp. Below: a Martin DC-16E Koa is good choice to emulate Jack’s blended dual-pickup sound. Below right: Roland’s Cube 60 is a lower-cost alternative to Jack’s Fender amp.

forever and respond well to the different tonal nuances of strumming and fingerpicking. When strumming, Jack uses a Fender Medium pick – choose your own colour, but we’d recommend green to fit in with Jack’s eco views! Jack’s amplification, both in the studio and on stage, throws up something of a surprise. You might expect him to plug into an acoustic amp – after all, he plays an acoustic guitar. But no, Jack’s amplifier of choice is a Fender ‘65 Twin Reverb (£1,199, Dolphin ID 32193). This classic tube amp is a two-channel 85-watt vintage re-issue designed primarily for electric guitars, but Jack proves it has plenty to offer gigging acoustic guitarists. As good as this Fender amp is, it’s not the cheapest. If your budget doesn’t stretch that far, you might want to take a look at the Roland Cube 60 (£148.99, Dolphin ID 12747), which comes loaded with digital amp modelling effects. The Tweed setting is closest to the Fender Twin sound and if you roll off any distortion, you’ll be in the right area tone-wise.

PLAYING TECHNIQUES

So now you’ve got the gear, what’s involved in actually playing like Jack Johnson? Thankfully, by his own admission he is not a complicated guitar player. His less-is-more approach to playing makes it comparatively achievable to actually play like Jack. Let’s first deal with his strumming technique. If you were attempting a song such as Upside Down from In Between

THE RIGHT STUFF

Getting yourself kitted out is half the battle in re-creating the JJ sound

Jack Johnson uses Cole Clark acoustic guitars from Australia, which are fitted with Cole Clark’s own dual-pickup system incorporating an under-saddle transducer and under-soundboard sensor. The signals can be blended to produce various sounds ranging from punchy scooped tones to rich, warm and mellow sounds. Amplification comes in the form of a Fender ‘65 Twin Reverb electric guitar amp. Strings are D’Addario EXP 13s and in the strumming hand is a Fender Medium pick. If you’d really like to go the whole hog in terms of mimicking Johnson’s tone, you’ll need to shell out on some Neumann microphones for your amps and Sennheiser microphones for your vocals. As you’d expect, Jack Johnson’s studio and on-stage equipment

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Dreams, be sure to hold your pick with a fairly loose grip and play just behind the soundhole – that is, strum the strings an inch away from the edge of the soundhole on the side nearest to the bridge. Perhaps a trademark Johnson-type strum is demonstrated on Hope from Sleep Through The Static. Listen carefully and you will hear his Bob Marley influences coming through with a lilting, swinging rhythm reminiscent of reggae strumming styles. Finally on the issue of strumming, listen to Adrift from Sleep Through The Static. Again, you’ll hear a very simple, flowing strum pattern that requires the player to really hold back and resist the temptation to fill in the spaces created by the andante rhythm. Jack does this well and it is this essential ingredient that gives his music a gentle, unrushed feel. Notice too how he alternates the picked root note with the fifth – a style right out of The Beatles’ manual. Jack Johnson’s fingerstyle technique also gives evidence of The Beatles’ influence, in particular Paul McCartney. A must for any aspiring fingerstyle player is Blackbird from The Beatles’ The White Album. McCartney’s technique is one favoured by Jack Johnson and it essentially involves two components. The first requires the thumb to play the bass note (usually the root note) while the finger (which finger depends on which of the treble strings is being played) plays simultaneously – as in the ascending phrase at the beginning of the song. The second component requires the thumb to play the bass note followed by a flick-strum of the finger, back and forth, using the nail for down strokes and the pad of the finger for up strokes. Jack also employs variations of these two fingerstyle techniques, such as the two-finger pluck, which syncopates with a root-note thumb. A great example of this is last summer’s smash acoustic hit by the Plain White Ts, Hey There Delilah.

THE SONGS

isn’t for those with a limited budget, but the good news is that you needn’t max out the credit card in pursuit of Jack Johnson’s tone. For those with less to spend, we’d suggest the Yamaha FGX720SCA (£249, Dolphin ID 18623) played through a Roland Cube 60 (£148.99, Dolphin ID 12747) with the digital modelling set to Tweed. If your funds allow more extravagance, we’d suggest the Martin DC-16E Koa (£1,649, Dolphin ID 20115). This versatile guitar features a dual-pickup blend system which has some similarities to those fitted to Cole Clark Guitars.


A song written in the style of Jack Johnson would need to contain at least some if not all of the following elements. First, use a descending chord phrase like that used on Better Together from In Between Dreams. Add in lyrics about parenthood, love or saving the planet. One of Jack’s gifts is being able to fill songs with long sentences and full lyrics, but phrase them in such a way that the song still feels uncluttered and uncomplicated. When speaking to Jack about this last year, he revealed that this is one of the most challenging aspects to performing his songs live – not just remembering the lyrics, but getting the breathing right to ensure that he doesn’t run out of puff before the end of the line. Anyone wishing to sound like Jack would need to master this skill, too. Lastly, aim to develop a ‘nursery rhyme’ style of singing. Jack never pushes his voice into a rasp – rather, he keeps it mellow and soft. This adds to the relaxed, calm mood of his music. Perhaps, to add that final authenticity, you should take up surfing too – but that might be going a bit far! MP

£500!

! wainYamaha DGX-630

Competition

WORTH

Dolphin Music has teamed up with Yamaha to offer you the chance to win this superb portable grand piano with authentic feel and sounds

Y

amaha’s DGX-630 is the most authentic-feeling Portable Grand the company has ever made, and it’s packed with the kind of features that amply demonstrate the expertise the Japanese giant has available to draw on. With its 88-key weighted Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keyboard, the DGX-630 plays like a ‘real’ piano. But with over 500 onboard voices it not only sounds like most pianos you can think of, it can also reproduce a host of other instruments. The backup you need to play those virtuoso performances is provided by the DGX-630’s 160 preset accompaniment styles. Extra depth and flavour are provided by the 64-note polyphony and

onboard DSP processing effects to help you get great sounds like distorted guitar and rotary organs. To help integrate the piano into your setup, it features both USB MIDI and USB To Device for data backup, and there’s also an optional three-pedal unit to enable half-damper operation. Closing date 28th February 2009

AND THE WINNER GETS… Yamaha DGX-630: Dolphin ID 36586 To find out more about the DGX-603, visit www.dolphinmusic.com and enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left.

HOW TO ENTER

All you have to do is go to

www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/win/dgx630 For full competition rules and terms and conditions of entry visit www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/news/news-story/news_id/2323


MusicPlanet

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BILL KELLIHER - MASTODON MASTODONROCKS.COM

pacifica rocks "...and that’s the way I like it." The new Pacifica 112V is simply the best electric guitar in its class - solid alder body, custom alnico pickups and rock-solid hardware, all set-up to guitar tech standards. Experience it at www.play-harder.co.uk

players

iii

Pendulum: Swings and Roundabouts Are they an electronic band with guitars, or a rock band with PCs and synths? Robert Collins meets the genre-benders to discuss fame, festivals and plug-ins.

S

omething strange has happened in music. Because one of the bands of the year defies every piece of logic that the music industry has ever held close to its heart. Dance music is for dance fans, and rock music is for rock fans, right? Well, not really. The Prodigy proved that the handsin-the-air-crowd weren’t averse to a bit of moshpit action, while also amply demonstrating that metal kids would melt before the power of a great riff even if it wasn’t played on a guitar. But that was a long time ago. Things have changed since then. Or so we were led to believe. So when a faceless gang of studio bods from the far end of the world – Perth, Western Australia, no less – started

making serious waves with their second album, In Silico, and became a must-see act at the summer festivals (including the none-more-metal Download), the music business was forced to sit up and take notice. It turns out that Pendulum, the act in question, were no overnight sensations. They’d already proved themselves as one of the most popular and well-respected production teams in the world, producing a debut album, Hold Your Colour, which became the biggest-selling drum and bass album in history. It turns out that living in the world’s most remote city, while hardly an ideal base for a successful music career, isn’t as grim as you might think. Especially when


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➥ ➥

players

iii KeyKit

From the studio to the stage Now firmly entrenched in suburban London, Rob Swire’s home is also where the vast majority of In Silico took shape. His home studio is a chaotic combination of software and synths, speakers and guitars. At its heart is Steinberg’s Nuendo 4 (£1,349.99, Dolphin ID 33646) running on a PC. The band prefers its layout to that of Logic, while their huge number of PC-only plug-ins prevents them from ever switching to Macs. One of the biggest issues facing the band was how to incorporate guitars into what was essentially programmed music. The solution? Ditching amps and using IK Multimedia’s Amplitube 2 (£179, Dolphin ID 8091) and TC Electronics’ TC Thirty plug-in. The theme of synthesis versus hardware is echoed by

›››

the fact that Rob’s studio contains an OSCar synth, alongside his GForce ImpOSCar plug-in (£73, Dolphin ID 3371). Rob believes the actual synthesizer is good at bass sounds, while the software is far better for lead lines. When it comes to bass sounds, the ever-present standby for some suitably nasty noises is the Cakewalk Z3TA plug-in (£139, Dolphin ID 6298). Of course, taking PCs and synths around the world and sticking them on sweaty stages is an accident waiting to happen. Pendulum circumvent that potential disaster by loading all their sounds in Kompakt and sticking them on Muse Research Receptor Workstation Racks (£1,499, Dolphin ID 21972). According to the band, nothing reboots faster.

you start off as a rock band, and then go on to be a successful drum and bass act. “Drum and bass was very underground when we started,” recalls bass player and original knob-twiddler Gareth McGrillen. “I just noticed it on a trip to the UK. We’d heard it in its original form as jungle, but we didn’t like it. It was only when it became dark and twisted that it took on this new kind of energy. When I heard that I almost rushed back specifically to show Rob [Swire] and we both went out from there to a few drum and bass nights in Perth and downloaded anything we could get hold of. It was exciting because it was so new and interesting. It had that similar aggression that rock and metal had.” Getting into the music was one thing. Getting hold of the gear to make that music was a different thing entirely. “Getting equipment out in Perth is one of the hardest things about being out there,” laughs Gareth. “There were only two shops, at most, where you could get audio equipment and they were only on the consumer level. For pro audio equipment we had to order internationally or interstate. That was definitely part of the inspiration for moving to the UK. We’ve had moments since we moved to London where we’ve needed some obscure piece of equipment at 3am in the

they never fell out of love with the sex appeal that arrives when you strap on a guitar morning. We’d make a phone call and we’d have it at our house in half an hour.” It turns out that behind the electronics, Pendulum are just a regular band enjoying life like a regular band should. That shouldn’t come as a surprise. They started as a rock band, and even though they found their initial success as drum and bassists, they never fell out of love with the sex appeal that arrives when you strap on a guitar. It’s when Gareth and Rob realised that the two genres could coexist that things started to blow up.

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“The whole mixing-up-rock thing came a long time after we’d been together, when we were basically informed that we had been letting our rock influences into our drum and bass music already,” laughs Gareth. “After finishing Hold Your Colour we had a lot of people telling us that, even though it was purely synthetic for the most part, they could hear this live band kind of feel to it. I guess that was us subconsciously letting our rock background influence the energy and structure of the songs. “In retrospect what attracted us to drum and bass was the energy of it and how similar it was to rock and metal. It was the only really aggressive but palatable and danceable electronica around. The live show was a natural progression after Hold Your Colour, but we didn’t let the fact we were going or had gone into the live arena influence the making of In Silico.” There’s a lot of complexity to Pendulum’s music. As you’d expect, that involves a lot of equipment. “A lot of software is essential,” explains Gareth. “Sometimes for variety. Rob’s often come up with great new ideas as starting points for a new song just from playing with a new synth or plug-in. Or sometimes we get a new piece of outboard gear and we’ll go through beats with it and that can inspire the beginning of a whole tune. In those cases it comes down to the vibe of

the sounds and how they inspire the rest of the song.” This summer has seen Pendulum go from cult favourites to festival superstars. The secret for mainstream acceptance was winning over the rock crowd. Of course, now they’ve been truly converted to the Pendulum Way. But at the beginning, even the band weren’t sure if the kids would see the light. “Yeah, we didn’t know if they would be into it,” admits Gareth. “But we were into it and we’re rock kids as much as we’re dance kids. I think we were taking the gamble that what we like, they would like – and I guess we were right. If we’d been wrong, at least we’d have been making tunes for us and not just taking the obvious next step that most people assumed we would take with our sound after Hold Your Colour. Playing Download confirmed this in a big way.” Perhaps the rise of Pendulum is the beginning of a new era for what used to be called pop. After all, once upon a time The Beatles and The Rolling Stones would fearlessly chop between genres. They’d hear new music and work it into their music. Back then there were no such things as demographics to maintain. “I think 2008 has shown so many diversifications of so many kinds of music,” says Gareth. “If you strip down Timbaland and Rhianna, the biggest songs in hip hop and R&B sound like house and half-step trance tunes. And at the same time, bands like Friendly Fires and the Klaxons and Bloc Party don’t know what camp they reside in, because they’re

so indie yet deeply entrenched in electronica and don’t make a single move without a remix. I can’t really say if we’re having an influence on the wider community, but we’re definitely blurring some kind of line. You only need to look at our audience to see that.” The Pendulum swings on. Across America at the time of writing. They’re happy to be breaking all the rules. Genres mean nothing to these guys. So what’s on the tour bus stereo now? “We’re listening to Friendly Fires, a dubstep DJ called Excision, Cancer Bats and Metallica’s Death Magnetic. Out of curiosity, of course.” Of course. mp New Pendulum single Showdown will be released on 15th December 2008 on Warner

TOPTiPs

We Aren’t The Robots As arguably the most popular band in the world mixing electronics with live instruments, when Gareth discusses the key lessons to doing that successfully, it makes sense to listen. And take notes. “Timing is important,” he insists. “If you’re going to play live over the top of sequenced tracks, you’re not going to get


the timing right because it’s impossible. So our major task was freeing up all sequenced musical parts to be played by somebody. That way when you’re all working together in a human way, it gels much more. The second task was then fitting all those human-played parts together to sound like the original idea.”

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Planet Gear

YAMAHA TYROS3

Long gone are the days when a home keyboard meant compromising on sounds and features. Andy Wright is blown away by Yamaha’s Tyros3.

››

£3,190 Dolphin ID 38650

FEATURES

There was a time when to describe something as a ‘home’ keyboard was to suggest that it was less advanced than one billed as a ‘professional’ model. But times have changed and those playing at home or for audiences now expect the very best technology for their buck. Yamaha’s Tyros3 represents a significant upgrade from the previous model, adding – among other things – new DSP capabilities, a new keyboard and a much improved articulation technology for more realistic playing. Most importantly, the sound set has been refined and dramatically enhanced, putting the sounds on a par with, and in some cases beyond, those in the Motif range.

➔ More than 1,000 voices ➔ 450 styles ➔ 61-key FSX keyboard ➔ 80GB hard drive ➔ SA2 and AEM technology ➔ Large colour screen

NEW TYROS

Tyros3 is a solid, 61-key digital workstation with a large, 640 x 480 TFT colour display that can be raised and views very well from practically any angle. There are a fair few controls on the front panel and a great selection of inputs and outputs around the back, and everything is logically arranged and labelled. Inside, there’s a heavily revamped sound set and effects utilising new, powerful DSP processing to add stunning depth and clarity to the sounds. The instrument sounds, of which there are more than 1,000, are based on samples and use a technology called AEM (Articulation Element Modelling). As you play, Tyros3 selects different parts of samples from its huge pool of sounds and joins them seamlessly together in real time. The result is realistic, human-sounding playback with quirks and variations hard to tell from the real thing.

SUPER ARTICULATED

In addition, Tyros3 has Super Articulation 2 (SA2) technology built in. Working mainly on the wind instrument and voice

ONE MAN BAND

For those who enjoy being a one-man band, Tyros3 offers 450 incredibly involved and complex accompaniment styles using the new sounds. These are a far cry from the styles of old, covering a huge range of musical genres from jazz and latin to pop and dance, and all much more believable and powerful than you’d probably imagine. There’s a wealth of other features too, including sliders for real-time mixing and an 80GB hard drive for sequencing tracks and recording vocals directly into the keyboard. MP

➔VERDICT


Yamaha TRS-MS02 £199 Dolphin ID 30196 Listen to your playing with this great pair of speakers and subwoofer.

Numark HF125 £9.99 Dolphin ID 2636 Even the most accomplished keyboard players want a bit of privacy sometimes, and these comfortable headphones are ideal.

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patches, this lets you add expressive nuances to the way notes are sounded. For example, if you play a sax part and, before playing the final note, press one of the two SA buttons, the note will tail off and bend down at the end. Similarly if you hit the second SA button before starting, the first note you play will bend up. There are tricks like this programmed for many of the presets and you can view a menu for each that explains what effects the articulation buttons will have. SA2 also helps to make regular playing more expressive, varying sounds on-the-fly based on the velocity and style of your playing. And the sounds are truly stunning – some of the best we’ve heard in any workstation. Alongside drawbar organs and stately grand pianos there are lush strings, harmonicas and all manner of brass and woodwind, reproduced to an astonishing standard. Watch out particularly for the IrishPipeAir patch.


● Incredible new sounds ● Stunningly realistic playing with SA2 technology ● Powerful and complex accompaniment ● Great connectivity and storage Tyros3 is a serious investment, but also a serious instrument. With a vastly improved sound set and DSP capabilities, it produces sounds that are as close to the real thing as we’ve heard. It also has excellent connectivity and storage as standard.

››› BUY NOW



thenextgeneration

themostpowerfuleonever Introducing the next generation of EON. The EON500 series delivers more power, portability, and versatility than any other speaker in its class, raising the bar dramatically for advanced powered loudspeaker systems. JBL engineers designed the EON515 with a 15” Differential Drive® woofer, 450 watts of Crown’s Class-D power, an onboard 3-chanel mixer, and three full size handles in an extremely lightweight 15kg package. Giving you the power to take great sound everywhere. www.jblpro.com

Distributed in the UK by Sound Technology Ltd | 01462 480000 | www.soundtech.co.uk

N O V E M B E R

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Give the gift of Live Save up to 25% on Ableton Live 7, Live 7 LE or Ableton Suite.

D VALI ALSO R ADES PG E ON U LIVE LIT M E L FRO LIVE D N A

www.ableton.com/holiday-special

››› MUSIC CLINIC

Got a problem related to performing or recording your music? Then drop MusicPlanet’s team of experts a line and we’ll come up with a solution. To submit your question to MusicPlanet’s Clinic team simply email [email protected] with the word Clinic in the Subject line.

FREE TO ROAM

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Your studio may be in a box room, but there are ways to avoid ‘boxy’ recordings

Q

I have set up a studio in my spare room based around my new M-Audio ProjectMix I/O, Pro Tools 7.4 and KRK Rokit 5s. I mainly record guitar and vocals and hoped this new setup would make a huge improvement to my recordings and mixdowns, but it isn’t that much better than my previous £300 solution. What can I do to improve the stuff I’m recording and my final mixdowns? Harvey, Leeds

A

Although you’ve made a sensible long-term investment, you might need to look at the wider aspects of how you work, and the environment you work in, before you can expect any immediate improvements in the quality of your recording and mixing. Start by looking at your signal path – the journey sound makes from its origin to

ARC’s measurement mic can help improve monitoring

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Q

The time has come to finally fly the nest and I am getting my own flat. I have previously had a huge attic to house my studio, but I’m now faced with something not much larger than a shoebox, in which I need to get my Mac, MIDI keyboard, monitors, assorted rack gear and a bed! I’m trying to keep costs down, so could you recommend any decent units to put my stuff in, on or under? Spud, Middlesborough

A

When it comes to studio furniture, Dolphin offers a number of interesting options, which can help you squeeze your gear into a much smaller space. The ‘workstation’ approach is

Q

I host a small band/ karaoke night in a local pub, and quite like the idea of having some wireless systems for the vocals. Could you recommend anything suitable? And will I need some kind of licence?

your master. Although the preamps and A/D conversion might be improved by using the ProjectMix I/O, you don’t mention your choice of mic, which can have a big effect on your output. And your monitor speakers might have improved, but this may be highlighting other problems. One area that can be the principle ‘limiting factor’ of any home studio, though, is its acoustic characteristic. A vocal or acoustic guitar recorded in a boxy room will always sound boxy, whatever reverb or compression plug-in you treat it with. Poor acoustics will also have knock-on effects on your mixing decisions – something that can’t be rectified by even the best monitors. Thankfully, there are ways of addressing this. One solution is to use room-correction software or hardware – such as KRK’s Ergo (£449, Dolphin ID 35302) or IK Multimedia’s ARC (£399, Dolphin ID 34491) – which can help improve your monitoring, although it won’t improve the acoustics of your source recordings. Proper acoustic treatment, though, will address both monitoring and recording issues and needn’t cost the earth. Take a look at the Auralex D36-DST (£104, Dolphin ID 35735), which is a cost-effective foam-based solution for small studios like yours. Check out our feature on Acoustic Treatment on pages 25–28 for more information. AW

one popular solution, allowing the principle elements of your studio (computer, speakers, monitor, MIDI keyboard, and so on) to sit on a desk-like construction specifically designed for music production. There are various designs available based on your particular needs, although you’ll probably want to take a look at the Studio Desk Workstation 2 (£169, Dolphin ID 33102) given the equipment you’ve got. As for your rack-based gear, Samson manufactures some excellent floor-standing rack cases, which are available in four different heights. The Samson SRK 8 (£69, Dolphin ID 32066), for example, provides 8U of storage, which should be about right for a modest collection of rack gear. Alternatively, look towards

Simon Harris, Norwich

A

the bigger Samson SRK 21 (£85, Dolphin ID 32069) – which arguably doesn’t take up any extra space – if you intend to expand your collection of rack-based gear. AW

Sennheiser’s Freeport Vocal System sets the singer free


In the UK you can freely use the UHF spectrum between 863MHz and 865MHz, without having to apply for a licence. Most consumer wireless mic systems come preset to work in this spectrum, ensuring you need never look for a licence. However, this spectrum is limited in terms of simultaneous channels; it should be more than enough for most pub-sized setups, but you may find you need to look elsewhere for larger performances. For small bands and karaoke nights you’ll probably be able to get by with just a wireless vocal mic or two, for which we’d recommend the Sennheiser Freeport Vocal System (£109, Dolphin ID 7067). The Freeport systems can support up to four systems simultaneously. However, if you need more mics, Sennheiser also offers the EW Series, which can handle between eight and twelve systems simultaneously. Of course, it’s not just vocalists who can escape from the tethers of cables, guitarists too like to get up and walk around the stage (causing the sound man no end of havoc in the process). The AKG WMS40 Pro Guitar Bug Wireless System (£99.99, Dolphin ID 38820) works with both surface-mounted Gibson-style and

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›››MUSIC CLINIC GET KITTED OUT

Q

Go back to the 50s & 60s with Squier’s Classic Vibe range

STRAP ON A STRAT You don’t have to pay a fortune to get a guitar that sounds as good as it looks

Q

I have recently started playing the electric guitar and made the mistake of buying a ‘no-brand’ Strat. I now realise the error of my ways, and can’t wait to smash this on stage (or more likely in my bedroom!). My question is, what’s a reasonably priced replacement you can get for less than £250? Steve, via email

A

Well Steve, due to the vast improvements in Far-Eastern manufacturing over the past few years, it’s now possible to pick up a very respectable Strat-type guitar for £250. A good place to start is with Fender’s own budget brand Squier, which is

currently producing some of the best instruments it has ever made. The members of the new Classic Vibe range are particularly good, with the vintage 50s-style Strat (Dolphin ID 37687) being a real star. It’s got a two-tone sunburst finish, vintage-tinted neck, great playability, and all the chime and cut you’d expect from a classic Strat – plus it comes in at £224, so you’ll even have change from your £250 budget. There’s also a 60s-style model (Dolphin ID 37688) for the same price, and the more unusual Duo-Sonic (Dolphin ID 37686) that features two single-coil pickups, a shorter 24-inch scale length for a looser feel, and plenty of retro vibe – also for £224. See our review on page 57 for more details. Vintage is also a strong brand in this price bracket with several tempting offerings, especially the AV6S (£238.99, Dolphin ID 32251). But if you really want THAT name on the headstock then a Fender Mexican Standard Strat (£288, Dolphin ID 10591) might be worth saving up for. MC

Edirol’s R-09HR: quality recordings

A

recessed Fender-style jacks, and frees the guitarist while delivering the same tone quality as standard cables. MM

PORTABLE RECORDERS

Q

I am a little confused by the array of digital recorders out there – between Edirol, Zoom, Yamaha and Roland, there are about 12 products. I would like something to record acoustic sessions with a couple of vocals and an acoustic guitar, and also something I can use in uni for recording lectures. Which product fits the bill for me? Jean-Paul Lewis, London

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You’re not the only person to have struggled to make sense of the various portable recorders available at the moment. With so many different models, it’s hard to decide which one is best for you, and with each model offering a slightly different range of features it’s far more complicated than just judging on budget alone. One of our favourite pocket recorders for interviews and field recording is the Yamaha Pocketrak 2G (£215, Dolphin ID 35408), which is by some margin the smallest and lightest of the pocket recorders. The built-in features cover all the day-to-day requirements of a portable recorder, which means that – like a mobile phone – ours rarely leaves our pocket, except when in use. However, because it uses a built-in 2GB solid-state drive rather than CompactFlash cards you can’t expand the memory simply by using a new memory card. The Edirol R-09HR (£245.99, Dolphin ID 36261) is Edirol’s new flagship

Winter2008/9

portable recorder and as well as improving the sample rate and bit depth over the previous model, sees various physical improvements, including lower noise, making it more useful if you require the utmost of quality from your field recordings. Zoom’s H2 (£149, Dolphin ID 24689) is capable of four-channel surround recordings, which can come in incredibly useful in the studio for capturing a quick acoustic recording with reasonable isolation of instruments positioned around the room. MM

The Ludwig Accent: a sturdy set of pots and pans


Its time for me to buy my own pots and pans! I’m looking at a kit as an investment and want to keep this first acoustic kit for as long as I can, so no super-cheap fall-to-bits kit. I need advice on which drums to get and how to set them up. And also some advice on cymbals. I will be playing rock, nothing too specialist. What do you suggest? Nathan Brooke, Sheffield

A

If you can muster more than £300, buying a set of pots and pans will be a real joy. The quality of kits flooding the budget market never fails to amaze and, generally, if you stick to the big manufacturers you’ll bag a corking first set. Take a look at the Yamaha Gigmaker (£319, Dolphin ID 32947) or the Ludwig Accent (£369, Dolphin ID 26686) for starters. In both cases, good solid hardware surrounds a five-piece kit in a selection of colours that should hold up to punishment for years. If you’re convinced you’ll remain a bedroom basher, rather than a committed road dog, an electronic kit like the Yamaha DTXplorer (£499, Dolphin ID 6903) may be worth a look. More than any other part of a drum kit, you get what you pay for with cymbals. A top-of-the-range set will do hundreds of pounds’ worth of damage to your wallet. The budget packs that the big manufacturers sell can be a good compromise – Paiste’s 101 Brass Essential (£79, Dolphin ID 20455) or Zildjian’s ZBTC4P Cymbal Pack (£149, Dolphin ID 38478). They generally sound good, look good and won’t shatter like brittle plastic on first hit. How to set up a kit is down to personal taste, but a good first rule is to set your seat at a height where your thighs and calves are a little more than 90° to each other. Everything else should fall into place from there. OH

MORE POWER. MORE PLUG-INS. UP TO 10 TIMES THE POWER OF UAD-1 HURRY!

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Choose UAD-2 Solo, Duo or Quad cards for up to 10 times the processing power of UAD-1.

AN EVEN BIGGER CHOICE OF PLUG-INS New plug-ins coming soon from Moog, Empirical Labs, Harrison, Valley People and Little Labs.

FANTASTIC UPGRADE OFFERS All existing UAD-1 users can crossgrade all their authorised plug-ins to UAD-2 completely free of charge for a limited time. And registered UAD-1 owners will also be rewarded with bonus UAD$ vouchers up to UAD$250 for each registration of a UAD-2 card before the end of 2008.

uad-2.com For more information call 0844 248 8117 or visit www.dolphinmusic.com All trademarks recognised as the property of their respective owners.

Planet Gear

ROLAND HD-1 V-DRUMS LITE Don’t let the look or price tag fool you – V Drum’s baby brother packs a deceptively hefty punch. Owen Hopkin put it through its paces.

››


FEATURES

They say good things come in small packages, and this old adage rings true with Roland’s newest addition to the V-Drum family. It may be aimed at the beginner’s market, but the HD-1 packs enough impressive features to keep the most committed sticksmen happy.

SMALL AND PERFECTLY FORMED

Weighing in at just under 33lbs, and with dimensions to fit the smallest nook, the HD-1 isn’t anywhere near the intimidating techie carbuncle of some of its peers. Built around two sturdy central pillars, the kit is out of the box and making sounds in an instant. Horizontally swinging arms house the four drum and three cymbal pads, while the two pedals (hi-hat and kick) remain in fixed positions on the floor. Cleverly hidden cables give the kit a distinct air of Zen-like calm, but you’ll still want to grab your sticks and attack it with gusto. Its compact size and lack of pedal flexibility might give some of the more vertically challenged a few problems, but everyone else will find it a joy to get up and running.

PACKING IN THE FEATURES

Despite the wallet-friendly price bracket and the HD-1’s target audience, there are enough features on the kit to give players a tantalising taste of the top end. Nowhere is this more obvious than with the mesh-headed snare drum. A great feel and fantastic dynamic range really couldn’t make it any more lifelike. More surprising are the gum-rubber tom pads, which are incredibly satisfying to play and, like the two pedals, are optimised to emit the minimum of sound. It’s in the pedals, however, that one of the HD-1’s greatest downsides appears. With no discernible means of adjusting the pedals’ tension,

➔ 10 drum kits ➔ 70 sounds ➔ Built-in metronome ➔ MIDI Out connector ➔ ‘Mix In’ jack for CD/MP3 player ➔ Handy instructional DVD included


AKG K77 £25 Dolphin ID 36835 Good-quality phones that let you practise whenever you like without upsetting your housemates, parents or neighbours.

Roland TDM-1 £69 Dolphin ID 38479 This drum mat is specially designed for the HD-1 V-Drums Lite. It helps to reduce vibration and to protect against floor damage.

you’re stuck with an action that will be a little soft for the majority of players. Like most pedals, however, a bit of time spent with it will pay dividends. Sound-wise, it’s typically impressive and typically Roland. The ten drum kits on offer span a range of convincing acoustic kits, funky electronic sounds and a couple of fun SFX kits to let your imagination run free. A particular doff of the cap goes to the double kick set-up which, for aspiring metal maniacs, will provide hours of fun. Granted, the ten kits and 70 individual sounds are a little limited by today’s standards, but a MIDI Out will help cure all your triggering ills and prove particularly handy live or in the studio.

A SIMPLE MIND

The HD-1 is a ridiculous amount of fun to play and its genius lies in the fact that it’s incredibly easy to use and negotiate. As a result, you’re coming to the wrong place if you’re looking to tinker with its sampled sounds, MIDI information or any of the other high-end features some of its more expensive rivals offer. The brain, then, is as simple and basic as it looks. The buttons are big enough to prod with a drum stick and, past some very general volume/sensitivity parameters, that’s your lot. For the price tag, and with the quality that shines like a beacon from each of its other features, tech heads shouldn’t really be expecting much else, either. MP

➔VERDICT ● An ideal starter kit for budding drummers ● Low-end price tag with plenty of high-end features ● Small but incredibly robust ● Easy to assemble and huge fun to play The HD-1 is impressive: eminently portable, improbably small, ridiculously simple to use and incredibly addictive. It’s geared towards beginners, but there’s plenty to keep the most practised percussionist happy.

››› BUY NOW


0844 248 8117 Or logon at www.dolphinmusic.com And enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left of the screen. 46

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You know what your music looks like. Now find out what it sounds like. EXO.

MediaDesk.

Accurate, Full-range Monitoring on your Desktop.

Full Range Audio And Deep Bass From Your Computer.

MediaDesk. The first true 2.1 full-range professional monitoring system designed to produce a seamless spectral experience for computer audio recording and production, or listening to music without any compromises.

The powerful new EXO studio monitoring system from Blue Sky delivers true, full range sound, so you’ll hear every detail of your music. Thanks to a desktop remote hub, you can plug in your computer, your mp3 player and your mixer, all at the same time – and all without having to crawl around under your desk.

A powered system with a small footprint and a compact sub that fits under your workspace, MediaDesk uses 2-way satellite speakers with a dedicated 8 subwoofer. Blue Sky’s Bass Management System puts the full, articulate bottom end exactly where it should be.

It’s affordable, accurate audio monitoring that sits on– and under your desk.

Easily expandable to a 5.1 Surround system, MediaDesk brings professional grade monitoring to a whole new world of applications in your home, studio, production suite, or broadcast studio.

So when you’re ready to hear what your music sounds like, you’re ready for EXO.

System Prices MediaDesk 2.1

Professional loudspeaker system includes 2 x Satellite Monitor 4.0 plus one Subwoofer 8 ................................................................................. SRP

£ 586.33

inc. VAT

£ 1,173.83

inc. VAT

MediaDesk 5.1

Professional loudspeaker system includes 5 x Satellite Monitor 4.0 plus one Subwoofer 8 and the 3-channel amplifier upgrade kit ................SRP

Professional loudspeaker system includes 2 x Satellite Monitor plus one Subwoofer and wired remote controller ......................................... SRP

POLAR

audio

EXO 2.1

Intelligent Audio Solutions.

www.polaraudio.co.uk

£ 299.95

inc. VAT

Capture the

Season

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december

Open new doors in audio this winter ‘till you’re Blue in the face! Drawing on the rich heritage of Blue’s entire line of precisioncrafted professional microphones, our series of USB and iPod recording devices are the perfect way to record through those long winter nights. Whether you podcast from your snow fort or chill out with your guitar in front of a roaring fire, we’ve got a recording device for every cool occasion.

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Icicle Thus stylin’ new USB converter and studio quality mic preamp combo lets you to connect any XLR microphone (dynamic or condenser) directly into your computer via USB! The Icicle features 48V phantom power, fully balanced low noise front end, analog gain control, and driverless operation. Mac or PC, setup is a snap!

Mikey Mikey is Blue’s new iPod recording device that makes recording lectures, voice notes, live music, interviews and more simple and fun! Mikey features Blue’s superior quality stereo condenser capsules, 3-position user selectable gain settings, built-in speaker for playback, and unique user positionable head. Compatible with iPod nano (2nd, 3rd, & 4th gen); iPod (4th & 5th gen), and iPod classic.

Snowflake For amazing sound in a small package, check out the Snowflake, our cool portable USB mic. Its unique design allows placement on desk or laptop (Mac or PC) and is perfect for podcasting, voice recognition software, iChat, lectures, VoIP software (like Skype and Vonage), and more! The Snowflake features Blue’s superior proprietary capsule and circuit design, optimized for outstanding sound on the go.

Eyeball Blue’s revolutionary new Eyeball webcam pairs high quality audio and Super HD quality video in one neat little package. Great for instant messaging, video conferencing, social networking and more. The Eyeball features Blue’s superior quality condenser capsule, premium lens, Super HD video, camera off privacy position, and driverless installation.

Snowball

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The best-selling USB mic on the planet, the Snowball is a direct plug n’ play mic that connects to either a Mac or PC — no additional software is needed. With its dual capsule design and unique three-pattern switch (cardioid, cardioid with -10dB pad and omni), the Snowball can handle everything from soft vocals to the loudest garage band, and it’s ideal for podcasting.

www.bluemic.com ©2008 Blue Microphones. All Rights Reserved. Blue Microphones, Blue Oval, Eyeball, Icicle, Mikey, Snowball and Snowflake are registered trademarks of Blue Microphones, LLC. Macintosh, iChat, iPod, iPod classic and iPod nano are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Skype is a registered trademark of Skype Limited. Vonage is a registered trademark of Vonage Marketing, Inc. Options and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Combo round-up

Combo

group test Buying the right amp can make a world of difference to your sound. Martyn Casserly plays through a collection of beauties, and tries to stay friendly with the neighbours.

G

uitarists are notorious for buying and selling guitars in search of the perfect tone, but in this quest for sonic nirvana the humble amplifier can often be overlooked, which is a big mistake. A great amp, suited to the particular kind of tones you want, will be a player’s best friend and inspire you to create new songs and solos. It’s no great surprise that some of the biggest artists in history have stuck with certain amps throughout their career. Would Slash be Slash without the huge roar of a wall of Marshall JCM800s behind him? Could The Edge weave his tonal tapestries without his classic AC30s? And would Stevie Ray Vaughan have managed such an iconic bluesy breakup without his

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Behringer Dual A/B Switch £17 Dolphin ID 6385 This footswitch enables switching between two input signals into one output or vice versa.

COULD THE EDGE WEAVE HIS TONAL TAPESTRIES WITHOUT HIS CLASSIC AC30s?

legendary 1957 Fender Bassman amp going full blast? We think not. The problem is that with so many models available it can be a bit baffling which one to go for. So we’ve put together a range of amps to suit different situations and budgets. To get us started here are a few tips on choosing the right amp for you. First off, consider what you’re going to use it for. Do you want to gig with it, or will the amp be mainly played at home? This should help you rule out

Planet Waves Circuit Breaker £24.99 Dolphin ID 12795

models that are either too powerful, or too quiet. Also, what kind of sound are you looking for? Is it vintage crunch with lashings of reverb? Check out Fender, Laney and Vox. Or do you want heavy distortion for rock? Orange and Line 6 should do the job. In the end, if you love the core sound of an amp, you can always add effect pedals to open up a bit more versatility. Whatever you’re after, there should be something here that’s just right for you.

This 20ft instrument cable has a built-in mute switch to prevent loud pops and squeals when you change guitars.

Dolphin 6m cable 6.3mm Jack– Angled Jack £8 Dolphin ID 34983 One of Dolphin’s comprehensive cable range manufactured to the highest standards.

Laney VC30-112 £299 Dolphin ID 24876

British company Laney has been producing top-quality amps for over 40 years now, and the VC30 is one of their undoubted classics. Housed in an attractive black and charcoal grey cab, the VC30 looks both mean and classy at the same time. It’s very much in the vintage mould, with twin channels (clean and drive), reverb and a three-band EQ. As this is a valve amp there’s also a standby switch to protect against any power spikes when turning it on. The tone is bright and sparkly, with plenty of grit and bite when you dig in. Pushing the drive channel hard gives you a huge sound that retains its note definition very well – think of Pete

Townshend’s big chords for The Who and you’re in the right territory. With all that tight overdrive, fans of more modern bands like Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand and The Strokes will find much to make them smile. Laney also sells matching cabs, if you wanted to add to the 12-inch speaker and create a vintage stack.

➔VERDICT With solid construction, smart looks, and plenty of classy vintage tones, the VC30 is an excellent amp. It’s loud enough to gig, but can achieve great tones at low levels, and should record beautifully. All this and very affordable, too.


FEATURES ➔ Twin channels (clean and drive) ➔ 30 watts of valvey goodness ➔ Brilliant for home and gigging ➔ Onboard reverb

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Combo round-up

Fender Blues Junior £349 Dolphin ID 11430

FEATURES ➔ Simple controls ➔ Spring reverb ➔ Classic Fender tones ➔ Loud enough to gig

Coming from what Fender claims is the world’s best-selling range of amps, the Blues Junior is a pocket rocket that can cover various styles. The simplicity of the design and layout means dialling in a usable tone is easy. Three-band EQ, Master Volume, Volume, Reverb, and a Fat switch – that’s it. But that’s the beauty of this amp – there’s nothing to get in the way of your sound. If you want raucous bluesy/rock overdrive then turn the Volume up full, hit the Fat switch, and control the actual output via the Master Volume. Super clean? Master Volume up, Volume down. Pushed hard the Blues Jnr can give you a real angry,

snarling, rock crunch with enough volume to have the local villagers outside your door with flaming torches and pitchforks – so make sure you have an escape route. Simple, straightforward and with levels that work in the home or in pubs/clubs, the Blues Jnr really is a total all-rounder.

➔VERDICT A great amp for anyone who wants those legendary Fender clean and crunchy blues/ rock tones. It won’t do hard rock or metal by itself, but whack a distortion pedal on it and you’re away. A classic workhorse amp.

Line 6 Spider Jam £269 Dolphin ID 33458 FEATURES ➔ Simple but versatile controls ➔ Fantastic sounds ➔ Brilliant in any environment ➔ Distinctive Orange cab

Orange Tiny Terror Combo £439 Dolphin ID 36535

When Orange originally released the Tiny Terror, people went crazy for the little 15-watt valve amp head. Ten thousand units later Orange has put that head into a chassis with a 12-inch Celestion speaker and produced the Tiny Terror Combo. You might think that three control knobs (Volume, Tone and Gain) and no reverb would mean a limited palette of sounds, but the Tiny Terror is full of surprises. From its foggy clean tones that cloak any notes played with a sense of warmth, right up to the ballsy, out-and-out rock monster that 50

MusicPlanet

screams, snarls and dares you to go faster, this is a great amp. It even has the option to switch from 15 to 7 watts for those late-night noodles. The combo might not be as cute as the head, but it’s still a cracker!

➔VERDICT Great for home practice and a fantastic recording amp, when you’re done you can take it to the gig and deafen the audience too. The Tiny Terror combo is a real modern classic that should appeal to every player.

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If you find rehearsing by yourself at home a little dull – and let’s face it that’s most of us – then the new Spider Jam from Line 6 could well revolutionise your playing. The idea is a simple one: take a normal Spider amp from Line 6’s award-winning range, add a bunch of backing tracks to the memory, both full band and just drums, then give the player the ability to record riffs onto the backing tracks and play along with them. Simple and brilliant. Getting used to the controls is a doddle, and the tracks included with the amp are top quality and cover styles as wide as country, reggae, punk, metal and blues. It also includes the capability to record vocals, thanks to a mic input, and even to jam along with your MP3 or CD player.

FEATURES ➔ More than 100 built-in grooves ➔ Record your own riffs ➔ Ability to record vocals ➔ Great range of tones


➔VERDICT This is a damn-near essential purchase for any guitarist, which isn’t something you can say very often. The range of tracks available makes it an excellent teaching tool, but the real gem is being able to record your own songs over the drum tracks and then jam along. An excellent way to improve your playing – and lots of fun, too.

Combo round-up

VOX AC30 CC1 £519 Dolphin ID 10038

FEATURES ➔ Four channel settings ➔ Six onboard digital effects ➔ CD/MP3 input ➔ Headphone output

Line 6 Spider III 15 £62.95 Dolphin ID 15568

If you’re after a simple, low-volume amp for playing at home then the Spider III 15-watt combo should be at the very top of your ‘to-try’ list. Housed in the typical Line 6 rugged black case, the 8-inch customdesigned speaker is loud enough to wake the neighbours if pushed hard, but thanks to the digital modelling circuitry it’s also capable of terrific sounds when played quietly. There are four channel settings to choose from (Clean, Crunch, Metal and Insane), all of which can be fine-tuned via the three-band EQ,

and Drive controls. Add to this a load of effects (including Chorus, Phaser, Tremolo, Tape Echo and Reverb) and you’ve got everything you need to keep you inspired. There’s even an MP3 and CD input, plus a headphone output.

➔VERDICT For the bedroom guitarist who wants versatility and great sounds in an amp that won’t take up half the room, you can’t go wrong with the Spider III 15. A cracking little amp for silly money.

When it comes to classic combos the AC30 is a legend. Its chimey, open tones have been exploited by such diverse bands as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Queen, U2, Radiohead, REM, Oasis and The Foo Fighters. Central to the AC30’s sound is a jangly, clean tone that gets more raucous as the volume is increased, and it still sounds fresh and musical 50 years on. The CC1 features a single 12-inch Celestion NeoDog speaker, housed in the iconic black case with a brown/gold woven speaker cloth and gold trim. The Clean and Top Boost channels can be blended to achieve the VOX roar, and the master volume means you can get all those legendary sounds at more useable levels. It also features an excellent tremolo and spring reverb unit.

FEATURES ➔ 11 amp models ➔ Onboard digital effects ➔ Custom settings ➔ Tap tempo control


store them in onboard channels for quick access. There’s an input for a footswitch, so you can change settings on the fly. And a headphone output means you can practise late at night, or avoid distractions while composing your metal masterpiece. Plug it in, turn up to 11 and get thrashing.

➔VERDICT A smart little amp, loaded with features and enough gain to strip wallpaper. The design is compact and ideal for playing in the home, but still with enough volume to annoy the neighbours in classic metal fashion.

A true pro-level beast of an amp. It’s loud (very) and proud of its remarkable heritage, but still has much to charm the modern players. Beware though: this is no bedroom amp, it needs a stage to really show its class – and what class it is!

FEATURES ➔ Tremolo – with dedicated controls ➔ Spring reverb unit ➔ Twin blendable channels ➔ Iconic status

VOX AD30VT-XL Although VOX is mostly associated with classic rock and pop sounds, the new range of AD amps is designed for players who prefer the heavier stuff. If Metallica, Korn and Disturbed are your bag, then the AD30VT-XL may well put a smile on your face. Featuring 11 amp models that go from a glassy clean, right up to complete meltdown, and a whole bunch of onboard digital effects, this versatile little amp kicks out some serious noise. Thanks to a 12AX7 (ECC83) valve in the power stage it responds to playing dynamics like a real tube amp – but for a fraction of the price. The AD30VT-XL also allows you to set up two custom presets and

➔VERDICT

››› BUY NOW




MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9

51

HIT THE RIGHT NOTE THIS CHRISTMAS CELEBRATE WITH CASIO

SAVE £50 OFF DIGITAL PIANOS*

Available in Dolphin Stores Liverpool City Centre - Gateshead Metro Centre - Huddersfield Market Street 128 Note Polyphony Scaled Hammer Action Outstanding Expression Privia PX-120 Featured *Saving against in-store prices of PX-120, PX-320, PX-720, PX-720C and CDP-200 digital pianos. Offer not available online.

planet live

There’s a planetful of music out there, from one-man bands to arena rockers. We can’t cover it all – so here are just some of the best live acts around.

Lykke Li, Carling Academy 2, Liverpool While across town Oasis played to a sold-out arena, Swedish newcomer Lykke Li packed the more modest Carling Academy 2 in Liverpool with a stylish crowd more interested in pop’s future than Britpop’s past. Alongside Santogold and Ladyhawke, Li has injected new life into the music scene of 2008 with her debut album Youth Novels, making pop music that is catchy enough for Radio One and edgy enough to attract indie music fans. As soon as Lykke Li and her three-piece band arrived, it was clear it wouldn’t be an ordinary ‘pop’ gig: the drummer stood up, front right on the stage, banging tribal drums like a modern version of Velvet Underground’s Mo Tucker, while Lykke Li herself was brandishing a drumstick for most of the set, occasionally trashing the cymbals like a maniac. Despite singing some killer tunes that wouldn’t be out of place in a Madonna or Kylie set, the delivery was far from conventional pop, with

Outlaw with Alabama 3 Jamm, Brixton

Returning to their hometown of Brixton, Alabama 3 have started a regular monthly club night: Outlaw at Jamm – not far from Coldharbour Lane, the road whose name is carried on the band’s debut album Exile On Coldharbour Lane. The night was set up for the band to present their own acoustic set along with a selection of the band’s favourite local unsigned acts, including tonight the excellent Drunken Balordi, whose bizarre gypsy-punk mish-mash threatened to steal the limelight from a stripped-down Alabama 3. However, once Larry and Devlin Love took to the stage alongside guitarist Rock Freebase and harmonica player Harpo Strangelove, it was obvious who the crowd was there to see, with the back room of Jamm packed with fans. The acoustic line-up has a completely different feel to the regular show, with the band’s signature ‘sweet, pretty,

vocals full of reverb, sung using a loudspeaker or, on one occasion, fed through a DigiTech Whammy pedal. Many of her songs have interesting dynamics and seemed to climax before their end, with the audience often clapping in the middle of songs only to realise there was more to come. Her singles Little Bit and Breaking It Up were obvious highlights, but another great moment was Complaint Department , when the song breaks down into a sea of reverb, a sample of KRS-One’s Sound Of Da Police kicks in and Lykke Li runs off stage, then returns for the last chorus. The singer seemed to interact little with the audience to start with, but by the end the love was mutual, and everyone sang along to set-closer Can I Kick It? by A Tribe Called Quest, a song that steals from Lou Reed’s Walk On The Wild Side. It was a great set. Watch out for Lykke Li – her future will be bright. Review by Ivan Silva www.myspace.com/lykkeli

country acid-house’ replaced by a simpler country/blues. That said, the danceable nature of the songs remains and the unplugged set gave greater focus to Larry Love’s humorous tales of women, drugs and religion, as well as highlighting Rock Freebase as an under-rated exponent of Delta-blues guitar playing. The band’s more danceable hits such as Woke Up This Morning and U Don’t Dance 2 Tekno Anymore might not be obvious tracks to strip down to just guitar, harmonica and vocals, but with Devlin Love providing gorgeous harmonies to Larry Love’s south London cowboy delivery, even the most hardened acid-house fan would have to agree that there’s more to these songs than just a great beat. The night was capped off with an excellent DJ set by the Alabama 3’s own Rev. D. Wayne Love, and with more nights planned for coming months, Outlaw is sure to become


➥ ➥ MusicPlanet

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53

planetlive Way To See Things is more Clash than Canada. Apparently, they’re going back to Toronto for an Arctic winter. They’ll be back, though. Can’t be soon enough.

one of the best nights out in south London, drawing revellers from across the capital. Review Miguel Mascolinas www.alabama3.co.uk

Les Gars Metro, London

It says a lot about the British rock scene that a band who could potentially be one of Canada’s hottest prospects would re-locate to rainy old London to kickstart their career. Les Gars aren’t kids from Quebec looking to break into the lucrative English-speaking market either. They’re from Toronto, the same city that’s recently given birth to Arcade Fire, Crystal Castles, Fucked Up, Holy Fuck, Cancer Bats and Alexisonfire. The Canadian government even provides grants for promising bands’ international tours.

“Toronto has a great music scene,” confirms drummer Jon Hawkes before his band’s show at Oxford Street’s Metro, “but we thought it’d be really cool to move to London. And it has been.” Les Gars are no strangers to the Metro. It’s where they launched themselves on the UK music scene this summer with a month-long residency. From the moment they step on stage they’re totally at home. Singer and guitarist Vello Verder is a star in the making. “You’ve all come to party, right?” is a typical understated introduction to a Les

Gars track. It’s an appropriate preface too. Les Gars songs are of the wham, bam, screw you ma’am variety: raw, fast and loaded with hooks. Perhaps the move to Blighty was more than fortuitous. Because although Verder’s throaty voice is a throwback to the good old days of Kurt Cobain, there’s a certain British pop sensibility to Les Gars. Haircut And A Gun, an ode to the miseries of the minimum wage job, has a mobile bassline and backing vocals that echo The Libertines’ best moments. She Sleeps oozes Kooks-style radio-friendliness. Nice

Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip Stanley Theatre, Liverpool Electronic music can be a bit tricky to translate to a live audience, but thankfully for Dan Le Sac, Scroobius Pip was on hand to provide some Beastie Boys-style shouting and entertain the masses. The bearded MC/poet has charisma to spare and his witty lyrics are the perfect complement to Le Sac’s block-rocking, knowing music. The duo arrived to the Antiques Roadshow theme tune and got the crowd jumping and singing along to infectious single The Beat That My Heart Skipped, the most original and spot-on love song of recent times. You never quite knew what to expect – one moment Scroobius brought out a suitcase and drew a series of hats and specs in quick succession to impersonate different characters during a song. Then, in Development, he waved a periodic table to show the elements he was rapping about. A few moments later, Dan Le Sac announced he was going offstage “for a wee” and left Scroobius to perform some slam poetry on his own.

Proving that besides a good sense of humour they also have a heart, the melancholic Look For The Woman was one of their best moments. But the highlights were saved for last. Thou Shalt Always Kill is a caustic tirade against popular culture, and easily their best song: “Thou shalt not worship pop idols… Thou shalt not make repetitive generic music… Thou shalt not put musicians and recording artists on ridiculous pedestals… The Beatles – were just a band!” The set ended with the Radiohead-sampling A Letter From God To Man, an apocalyptic song where God wonders what went wrong, and blames man. Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip at their best are proof that there’s still intelligent life in pop. But tonight, they showed that food for thought can also be great fun. Review by Ivan Silva www.myspace.com/lesacvspip

Review by Robert Collins www.myspace.com/lesgars

REM Twickenham Stadium, London

Few bands reach the level of fame that has been achieved by REM, fewer still can stay together and remain as creatively important for as long as the current trio of Michael Stipe, Peter Buck and Mike Mills. The full line-up might have diminished since Bill Berry decided to retire in 1997, but the remaining three members have remained strong, and tonight shows the value of nearly 30 years of writing, recording and touring together. Opening with a barnstorming version of Living Well Is The Best Revenge from the band’s latest album Accelerate, REM have lost none of the impassioned drive of earlier years, with Wake-Up Bomb providing one of the night’s most memorable hooks. While the opening section of the set grabbed everyone’s attention, half an hour later the band seemed to lose focus. Rip-roaring punkrock tracks were followed by slower ballads and quieter more introspective songs. The set list veered wildly like a badly thoughtout mix-tape – you know which songs you want on it, but you can’t throw them on in just any order. While we may have had our doubts about the set list, the musicianship was of the finest order, both from the band themselves and the few extra musicians who were brought on from time to time. Michael Stipe led the stage with unsurpassed charisma, challenging the audience with bitter political speeches firmly backing Obama for US president and getting one of the biggest cheers of the night when he announced that this would be a good year as it would “get Bush the fuck out of office”. The encore brought some of the biggest hits of the night with fan favourite Country Feedback getting a rare live outing, alongside the more obvious hits Losing My Religion, It’s The End Of The World As We Know It and Man On The Moon. mp Review Miguel Mascolinas www.myspace.com/rem

54

MusicPlanet

Autumn2008 www.dolphinmusic.com Winter2008/9 www.dolphinmusic.com0844 0844815 2480888 8117

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A dream collection of legendary guitar tones, perfect configurations of ins and outs, and the lowest noise for the cleanest, clearest guitar tracks are just a few of the advantages of recording with POD Studio. Consisting of one of a rock-solid USBpowered hardware interface and POD Farm, the premium tone plug-in, POD Studio represents the future of guitar recording.

A FAmily AFFAir

The POD Studio family features an intuitive hardware interface. Each one of the distinct designs provides its own essential benefits while delivering the family advantages including the lowest noise for recording guitar and ToneDirect™ monitoring. latency: mind The Gap. Each POD Studio interface features exclusive Line 6 ToneDirect™ monitoring that reduces latency to an inaudible, infinitesimal amount. Also, by processing the signal at the source, the interface frees your CPU to run other applications. POD Farm: The Premium Tone Plug-in. From dark and smoky American combos to blazing, gain-crazed English stacks, POD Farm features the sounds of essential vintage classics and must-have modern monsters. Each model is fully adjustable and offers total tweakability. And hundreds of presets provide record-ready sounds in an instant. Drag and drop any model into the signal flow, pre or post amplifier. The carousel-style gear browser, displaying each and every coveted model, provides an experience that’s a dream come true. Creating classic tones or imaginative hybrids is incredibly fast and easy. POD Farm is Mac® AU/RTAS®/VST® and Windows® RTAS®/VST® compatible for seamless integration with all major recording software applications.

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features POD studio ➔ ToneDirect monitoring ➔ 44.1/48 kHz 16-/24-bit recording (88.2/96 kHz with sample rate conversion) ➔ Compatible with USB 1.1 and 2.0 POD Farm ➔ 18 immortal guitar amps ➔●24 guitar cabs ➔ 5 bass amps & 5 cabs ➔ 29 stompbox and studio effects ➔ 6 mic preamps

The ins AnD OuTs

POD studio GX ●● 1/4-inch guitar input and a volume knob. ●● POD Farm plug-in plus Ableton® Live Lite 8-track recording software POD studio uX1

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high-quality mic preamp

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recording software

●● Free FX Junkie model pack giving 35 more effect models

POD studio uX2 ●● Two 1/4-inch guitar inputs (normal or pad) ●● Two balanced XLR inputs with high-quality mic preamps, phantom power and trim knobs ●● 1/4-inch stereo monitor input ●● Two 1/4-inch line inputs ●● Two balanced 1/4-inch line outputs ●● S/PDIF digital output ●● 1/4-inch stereo headphone output with level control and a pair of assignable VU meters. ●● POD Farm plug-in plus Ableton® Live Lite Line 6 Studio Edition 16-track recording software ●● Reason Adapted production software ●● Free FX Junkie model pack giving 35 more effect models

➔highlights recording with latency is like driving with your eyes closed. exclusive to line 6, ToneDirect monitoring allows you to record and monitor a fully processed tone while virtually eliminating latency and taking all the guesswork out of recording great-sounding tracks.

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KRK’s superb Rokit 5 G2 powered monitors, along with a pair of Auralex Mopad monitor pads and a pair of Dolphin Music XLR cables to hook it all up. What more could you want?

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To find out more about any of these great studio products, visit www.dolphinmusic.com and enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left.

56

MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9


Planet Gear

SQUIER CLASSIC VIBE DUO-SONIC ’50s The new Classic Vibe range from Squier offers vintage-style models at prices anyone can afford. Martyn Casserly test drives one of Fender’s forgotten classics – the Duo-Sonic.

››


Back in 1956 when the electric guitar boom was just getting underway, Fender released the Duo-Sonic and its smaller brother the Musicmaster. These stripped-down models featured lighter bodies, shorter necks, and basic pickup configurations all aimed at making the guitars easy to play for beginners and younger players. It wasn’t only the newcomers who took to these guitars though, and over the years they’ve been seen in the hands of players such as Jimi Hendrix, Patti Smith, Johnny Winter and David Byrne. Now Fender has brought back the Duo-Sonic on its Squier label, so the rest of us can see what all the fuss was about.

BUILD THE THING

The first thing you notice about the guitar is the unusual colour scheme. Normally we associate Fender guitars with whites, reds, blues and, of course, black, but the Duo-Sonic has a cream finish with a retro-style gold anodised pickguard that immediately makes it stand out from the crowd. This vintage look is based very closely on the original 1950s models and gives the guitar both an original and classic look at the same time. The basswood body is basically the same shape as the more famous Fender Mustang, resulting in a guitar that’s very comfortable to wear as it weighs only 6lbs – terrific for long gigs, younger players, and anyone with any sort of back problem. When you consider the average weight of a Strat is about 8lbs, that’s a whole bag of sugar not hanging on your shoulders. Nice! Continuing the retro theme,

FEATURES

Construction ➔ Basswood body, maple neck ➔ Maple fingerboard ➔ 24-inch scale length ➔ 21 medium jumbo frets ➔ Dot inlays Hardware ➔ Vintage-style bridge ➔ Three barrel saddles ➔ Vintage-style tuners ➔ Gold anodised pickguard Electronics ➔ Two custom single-coil pickups ➔ Three-way selector switch ➔ Master volume and tone controls ➔ Fender Super 250L (09-42) string


Electro-Harmonix Little Big Muff £47.95 Dolphin ID 15701 Add the classic 70s sound of Muff to your tone with this compact die-cast effect unit from Electro-Harmonix.

Behringer Hellbabe £26 Dolphin ID 6365 Optical control frees this multi-functional wahwah pedal from the wear and tear suffered by most foot-operated offerings. Suits virtually all styles and sounds.

the two single-coil custom Duo-Sonic pickups are encased in cream covers, and the bridge is a hardtail, three-saddle design that should keep the instrument solidly in tune. Mounted on the pickguard are two knurled chrome knobs that control volume and tone, a sturdy three-way pickup selector switch, and an input jack.

PLAYING IT

The maple neck is a modern C shape that’s smooth, fast and would suit smaller hands. Squier has also given the Duo-Sonic a 24-inch scale length (as opposed to the standard Fender 25.5-inch), which means that the string tension is less and therefore easier to play – always a good thing. The neck itself is nicely finished, as are the frets, which isn’t always the case on lower-cost instruments, indicating that Squier has taken this guitar very seriously.

ALL ABOUT THE SOUND

With twin single-coils and a lightweight body you expect a bit of spring in the sound department, and the Duo-Sonic doesn’t disappoint. The neck is warm but not fuzzy and can pull off those Hendrix clean tones, plus, with a bit of reverb added it’s impossible not to play the James Bond theme! Selecting both pickups gives a grittier tone, especially when combined with some crunch, encouraging Rolling Stones riffs and even a few by the White Stripes. Moving to the bridge we have a rawer sound that has plenty of bite – great for Arctic Monkeys, Biffy Clyro and classic garageband punk. The Duo-Sonic may only have two pickups, and no fancy tone circuits or switching tricks, but that’s the real beauty of the instrument – it just encourages you to get on and play. Riffs are easy to coax out and the fluid neck allows effortless soloing. Top class at a great price. MP

➔VERDICT ● Great vintage looks ● Classic Fender single-coil sounds ● Easy to play ● Solid construction ● Lightweight body A great guitar for those just starting out. It’s lightweight, brilliant to play, and sounds excellent. In fact, why keep it for beginners? There’s plenty here for everyone to enjoy. Squier, it seems, are onto a winner.

››› BUY NOW




MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9

57

venues:Newcastle

ISTOCK.COM

VENUES on the scene in...

Newcastle

B

The Toon has re-invented itself as an entertainment-centred economy, and now offers many opportunities for touring bands. Most genres are catered for, from metal to electro house, as John Cherry explains.

rown ale, Shearer, Bigg Market stag nights, ships, coal and fog on the Tyne. If that’s your enduring impression of Newcastle then be prepared for a change of heart. It’s not so grim up north and Newcastle boasts an increasingly varied and vibrant music scene. Alongside the regeneration of the city from its industrial past to its service- and entertainment-centred future, the music venues of The Toon have kept up the pace. Successful music in the northeast is nothing new, of course, the region has contributed a number of chart-topping, million sellers from Sting, The Pet Shop Boys and Lindisfarne to Dire Straits. Following a slight decline in musical heroes in the 90s, cue 2008 and a raft of new bands such as Detroit Social Scene and Karoshi, alongside established acts such as Maximo Park and Kubichek. So if you’re looking to venture to Newcastle to play a gig or DJ slot, or just for a good night out, check out some of these spots.

luminaries as Kitsune stalwart Jerry Bouthier and Arcade Mode’s Strip Steve. The beers and spirits are not too fancy, and the prices are fair enough for a city centre bar. This 160-person capacity venue can get very busy, giving nights a really enjoyable, close-knit vibe. Often forgotten, but worth pointing out, is the attention and friendliness of the organisers here; they’re not just another venue, they truly aspire to be part of the scene.

or... Digital A big step up, but arguably the region’s leading club in terms of acts and the quality of the sound system. Digital hosts a range of dance nights from house to drum and bass. Past acts include Groove Armada, David Morales, Roots Manuva and MIA. For a smaller show, try the sister venue next door: The Other Rooms.

VENUEDETAILS The End

78 Scotswood Road T 0191 211 1938 www.myspace.com/theendbar E [email protected]

Digital

Times Square T 0191 261 9755 www.yourfutureisdigital.com E [email protected]

DJ/Electro

The End

The End

Towards the west side of town, a stone’s throw from the Pink Triangle, a relatively new bar is making waves in the city. Run by cheery staff, there is a genuine commitment to getting exciting music on as many nights as possible. The End puts a number of gigs on itself, ranging from local bands to much bigger acts. Get in touch with Cooper at the email address in the Venue Details panel. A number of affiliated promoters also specialise in particular genres, so the chance of a booking is pretty good. Underground acts such as Ratatat and Crystal Castles have recently graced the small but perfectly formed stage. Eat Disco and Paris Is Burning put on regular electro nights there and have recently featured such

➥ ➥ www.dolphinmusic.com 0844 248 8117

MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9

59

venues:Newcastle

Trillians

Head of Steam

Indie

Head of Steam

venuedetails Head of Steam

2 Neville Street t 0191 230 4236 www.theheadofsteam.co.uk e [email protected]

The Cluny

36 Lime Street t 0191 230 4475 www.theheadofsteam.co.uk e [email protected]

Trillians

Princess Square t 0191 232 1619 www.trilliansrockbar.com e [email protected]

Carling Academy

Westgate Road t 0191 269 2020 www.newcastle-academy.co.uk e [email protected]

This little gem, just across the road from the central station, is well known and respected on the local indie scene. Maximo Park launched a recent tour here, and for up-andcoming bands in the region, playing the Head of Steam is a rite of passage. Rarely dabbling in bigger touring bands, the focus here is firmly on home-grown indie and rock talent. An average week will see four or five live performances in the basement bar (one of few in the city). It is a lowceilinged and intimate affair, perfect for bands who would be overwhelmed in a larger venue. The crowd is generally quite young, and for many years the HoS has been a favourite student haunt. Promoters Too Far North organise many of the gigs, but the manager of the HoS also books bands directly. The décor and general vibe is arty, with exhibitions constantly changing. For beer-loving musos, the bar is well stocked with real ale and tasty continental lagers and boasts good pub grub, too. As a bonus you can also order take-home drinks to celebrate post-gig!

Sister bar to the Head of Steam located out of town under Byker Bridge. This larger 250-person venue caters for touring acts (such as Ida Maria) and local talent. Again, a respected joint with a loyal clientele. The Cluny is surrounded by other indie hotspots such as The Cumberland Arms and The Tyne.

Metal/Rock Trillians

Undoubtedly the metal and rock mecca of Newcastle, Trillians seems to have existed for as long as metal itself. Fittingly situated in a basement, the gothic surroundings and dim lights have played host to a range of bands both

32 First Avenue, Heaton t 0191 265 3879 www.firstave.co.uk e [email protected]

This is part of the nationwide chain and does its fair share for the metal crowd with monthly rock night Revolution, and the long-running weekly Bulletproof. Stage 2 hosts some local bands, while the main stage presents acts from Pendulum to The Scorpions.

Rehearsal studios Proudly Newcastle’s longest-established independent rehearsal studio, this former coach house is located in the leafy suburb of Heaton. In the east end and within easy reach of public transport, there are lots of local amenities, plus a pub right next door for post-practice drinks. The three practice rooms all have soundproofing, acoustic treatment, air con and heating. The prices are a bit more reasonable than most and cater for a band that brings its own gear, as amps and kit cost extra. A 300W vocal PA comes with each room and there are a few 4 x 12 cabs if bands just want to bring amp heads. The friendly staff have a nice laid-back attitude and can sell you a range of bass and guitar strings, plectrums, drum sticks and batteries to ensure that your rehearsal goes without a hitch. First Avenue also boasts a fully fledged recording studio, with a range of modern and vintage gear available at reasonable prices. The likes of Futureheads and Kubichek have graced the mics there in the past. mp

or... Elipse

Elipse

Carliol Square t 0191 260 2620 www.myspace.com/elipsestudio e [email protected]

MusicPlanet

or... Carling Academy

First Avenue

or... The Cluny

First Avenue

60

international and local. These guys are committed to the metal cause and feature three or four live shows a week, accompanied by some very favourable drinks offers. An annual Battle of the Bands competition is popular and they also regularly feature top-quality tribute acts – so if you’re the next Guns and Poses, get in touch. The best way to book gigs is via Steve at www.myspace.com/trillians. The stage is a good size, and the sound always ferocious. Trillians is the main beacon for all things heavy in The Toon, so the crowd should be appreciative. For those less musically talented, try the monthly Guitar Hero Sundays and play the game through the house PA!

Winter2008/9

First Avenue


This is a well guarded secret of a rehearsal and recording studio (until now!). Its history of work with bands such as The Animals, Lindisfarne and more recently Maximo Park shows some indication of quality. It is fully stocked with amps and a good drum kit all included with the standard per-hour hire price.

Thomas, BEHRINGER Germany Technical Director added the secret circuitry seasoning that has made the 2442FX a worldwide best seller.

Dian helps assemble the XENYX 2442FX at BEHRINGER City, our highly advanced manufacturing complex. Can she make one for you?

Axel, BEHRINGER Germany Systems Engineer, designed the five-star XENYX mic preamp from wholesome ingredients.

Every XENYX 2442FX is tested over forty times during the production process by technicians like Zhi Yong to guarantee that it’s really well done and free of defects.

Thomas, BEHRINGER Germany Software Engineer, brewed up the USB interface and ASIO drivers for the 2442FX. Bon appetite!

IRON CHEF

COOKS ‘EM UP

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CIRCUIT TASTER

BIT SLICER

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Hot mixer. tasty digital audio workstation program from… Norway? NO W IT H E

XENYX 1832FX

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©2008 BEHRINGER International GmbH. Technical specifications and appearance subject to change without notice. Mac is a trademark of Apple, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. XT Software, the XT Software logo, energyXT2 and the energyXT logo are trademarks of XT Software AS incorporated in Norway, and are protected under the laws of Norway, and are being used under license by BEHRINGER Holdings (Pte) Ltd and related companies. 985-00000-00000

W Free energyXT2 DAW software is also available on these tasty XENYX mixer models with USB interfaces.

designers and engineers who are BEHRINGER.

A smorgasboord of features including Audio & MIDI sequencers, built-in synth/sampler & drum sampler, time/pitch engine, internal mixer w/EQ, multi-FX, ASIO & VST support & more.

When we decided to blend even more value into our XENYX USB mic/line mixers, we looked to XT Software, a gang of brilliant programmers in The Frigid North. They cooked up energyXT2 Compact BEHRINGER Edition, a deliciously radical new approach to recording, sequencing and production. energyXT2 Compact loads in under 5 seconds, fits on a USB drive with room for multiple projects and moves ‘twixt Macs, PCs and Linux boxes without annoying registration codes or dongles. It’s a perfect side dish for the 2442FX. With 12 XENYX mic preamps, 2-in/2-out USB interface, four buses and 100 twenty-four-bit effects like reverbs, delays, phasing and flanging, you can’t find a more versatile creative tool. Learn more about the 2442FX and other XENYX USB mixers online or at your dealer. Then start serving up the music in your head through energyXT2 Compact BEHRINGER Edition.

www.behringer.com

So real you won’t believe it’s electronic. With real drum heads and electronic cymbals that use the same metal alloy as your favorite acoustic cymbals, the DM5 Pro Kit with Surge Cymbals delivers the feel of an acoustic kit with the flexibility of an all electronic kit. A dual-lzone snare pad and dual-zone ride cymbal gives you complete expressive control, and 540 killer drum sounds with effects can be combined in any of the 21 programmable drum kits. The DM5 also functions as an ultra–fast trigger– rto–MIDI converter with 12 trigger inputs, offering the first easily expandable electronic kit anywhere. In the world of electronic drums, this is as real as it gets.

alesis.com

Planet Gear

UNIVERSAL AUDIO UAD-2 QUAD PAK Universal Audio’s UAD system has become one of the most widely used PCI-based DSP mixing solutions. Andy Wright unlocks the power of the UAD-2 Quad Pak.

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£1018.99 Dolphin ID 38621

Universal Audio’s UAD-2 Quad is one of a growing number of PCI-based audio processing systems, including SSL’s Duende PCIe and, of course, TC Electronics’ PowerCore system. All cards contain one or more DSP processing chips (four SHARC processors, in the case of the UAD-2 Quad) used to run system-specific plug-ins developed by the manufacturers, or (in some cases) endorsed third parties. From a developer’s perspective, the cards provide an opportunity to design sonically effective plug-ins, rather than have to economise the code for fear that they won’t run on poorer-spec’d computers. For the user, these DSP cards potentially free up valuable CPU resources, allowing you to run more plug-ins, or better-quality plug-ins, without the worry of your computer grinding to a halt. UAD-2 Quad builds on the success of the original UAD-1 card. One of the most significant improvements is the increase in processing resources – up to ten times the power of the original UAD-1. We tested the biggest card – the UAD-2 Quad – but it’s worth noting that the UAD-2 also comes in two other slimmed-down versions: the Solo and the Duo. If you’re strapped for cash, these are excellent alternatives, especially given the fact that you can add further cards (PCI slots permitting) should your needs grow.

MIX ESSENTIALS

Out of the box, the system comes with a number of ‘mix essential’ plug-ins – including a software version of the Pultec equalizer, a 1176SE compressor, RealVerb Pro, and the CS-1 channel strip. Although enough to get you started, the mix essential plug-ins weren’t quite as exciting as the

FEATURES

➔ PCI Express (PCIe) card ➔ 4 Analog Devices SHARC processors ➔ Multi-card support ➔ VST and AU support

Channel Strip EQ & Dynamics Channel and Stereo Bus Compressor included on the Duende PCIe. However, once you start spending the included $50 voucher at Universal Audio’s online store – and therefore unlocking any number of the 30 or so plug-ins now available for the UAD system – you soon realise what a treasure chest of audio processing the UAD system has become.

PLUG-IN PROCESSING


Novation ReMOTE 37SL £319 Dolphin ID 8389 Two back-lit LCD screens and intelligent Automap mode to detect your instruments and logically map their controls make the ReMOTE 37SL a must-have.

Euphonix MC Control £999 Dolphin ID 35202 A superb control surface that combines motorised faders, programmable knobs and buttons, and a customisable touchscreen.

In use, the UAD-2 works a like a dream. The control panel software provides an overview of the authorised plug-ins, a view of the DSP usage (on the card, of course), options to globally bypass the plug-ins, and so on. Given the task of shuttling data between your DAW and the card, you’ll need to ensure you’ve enable plug-in delay compensation as part of your DAW’s preferences to account for any processing latencies. That said, it’s interesting to note that the system also includes a special LiveTrack Low Latency mode (available on each plug-in) that allows you to use the plug-ins for any live inputs in your session (although there is an increased drain on your system).

PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT

At over £1,000, the UAD-2 Quad is the ‘Rolls Royce’ of PCI-based audio processing. For existing UAD users, the Quad is easily the best choice for anybody wanting to increase their processing resources. For new users, it’s never been a better time to look at the UAD system and, in particular, its growing range of excellent plug-ins. Now included are an assortment of Neve-endorsed processors (including the 33609 compressor and 1173 EQ), and some of the best vintage-styled compressors you can buy in software. MP

➔VERDICT ● Plenty of processing resources ● Excellent-sounding plug-ins ● Can be used alongside UAD-1e cards If you’ve got a spare PCI slot and enjoy mixing in the software domain, then the UAD-2 system offers some of the finest plug-ins money can buy, with more DSP muscle than you could (almost) ever need!

››› BUY NOW


0844 248 8117 Or logon at www.dolphinmusic.com And enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left of the screen. www.dolphinmusic.com 0844 248 8117

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››› SIX OF THE BEST Digital pianos offer the sound and feel of a real piano, but without taking over your living room…

Korg SP-250


The classic looks of the SP-250 are complemented by its excellent RH3 graded hammer-action keyboard, meaning the key action is heavier in the bass and gets lighter as you go up the octaves. It has variable Touch Control to suit your playing style, 30 sounds including a new velocity-switched stereo grand piano, and onboard effects. Weighing in at an impressively portable 19kg, it nevertheless features two dual-cone speakers and a bass reflex speaker box. You even get a stand, music stand and damper pedal thrown in, making this the complete package.

Casio PX-410R £399 Dolphin ID 27916 Sporting a modern look, the PX-410R has an 88-note keyboard and an impressive 670 onboard preset tones including 50 drawbar organs, 128 GM tones and 20 drum sets. You can add up to 224 of your own User tones and there are also 192 built-in rhythms covering styles from jazz to pop. Sound is produced through the powerful two-way bass reflex speaker system and this is the perfect instrument for budding performers, featuring a microphone input jack, mic echo and an auto-harmonise function. There’s even a USB port and an onboard 10,000-note song sequencer.

Yamaha Arius YDP140


Understated but undeniably classy, the Arius YDP140 would look at home in any living space. Designed for budding pianists, it has graded and weighted hammer-action keys for a truly exceptional piano feel, and the built-in AWM stereo sampled instruments are accurately reproduced through the 20 watts-per-side amplification system. There’s 64-voice polyphony, a song-recording capability, four distinct voices, four types of reverb and MIDI connectivity for incorporating other music equipment into your setup. If you’re a fan of duets, there’s even a twin headphone jack capability so you can play together without disturbing the neighbours.

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››› Home Digital Pianos

Yamaha DGX-630 £459 Dolphin ID 36586 The DGX-630 reflects Yamaha’s long experience in piano design, with an 88-key weighted and graded hammer-action keyboard, 64-note polyphony, and excellent onboard DSP-processed effects to help you get great sounds such as distorted guitar and rotary organs. With more than 500 voices you’re sure to find the sounds you need and there are also 160 preset accompaniment styles to back you up. To integrate the piano into your music setup it features both USB MIDI and USB To Device for data backup, and an optional three-pedal unit to enable half damper operation.

Kurzweil MarkPro ONEi £899 Dolphin ID 38850 Kurzweil is a giant among digital piano makers, and the MarkPro ONEi certainly looks the business in its gorgeous ebony finish. With a graded hammer-action keyboard, it features 64 top-of-theline sounds including Kurzweil’s Triple Strike Grand Piano, Stereo Strings, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzers and many more such as organs and drum kits, all processed by the company’s latest digital chip technology. There’s full MIDI over USB functionality, an onboard song recorder, plus of course a stereo speaker system and multiple effects. This digital piano certainly sounds as good as it looks.

Roland RP-101E


Resplendent in a beautiful rosewood finish, the RP-101E has an 88-key alpha II keyboard with progressive hammer action for an authentic grand piano feel. It features varied touch resistance between the lower and upper ranges, and stereo sampled piano sounds that can be played expressively thanks to the three-pedal system of damper and soft with half pedal recognition, and sustain. There’s a built-in song recorder and sound is produced through a 25-watt stereo speaker system, and of course there are built-in effects, 17 tones and 64-voice polyphony.

››› BUY NOW




MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9

65

Planet Gear

MACKIE SRM450 v2 Mackie lightens the load on sound reinforcement with a new range of SRM series loudspeakers. Miguel Mascolinas readies himself for a barrage.

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£1,098 (pair) Dolphin ID 35798 Soon after its launch, Mackie’s venerable SRM loudspeaker range quickly became one of the most popular powered PA speaker ranges for small- to medium-sized venues and PA-hire firms, both as front-of-house speakers and as floor monitors. We’ve even seen a few used in studios, paired with a room mic to capture a real acoustic reverb, and on one occasion as an alternative to his main monitors by a dance producer. The SRMs’ great strengths are their neutral sound and strong low end – even without subwoofers – and their excellent build quality, which guarantees you can take them out on the road and rely on them to work night after night. With the first generation of SRM delivering such a strong performance and having such an established reputation, Mackie has taken something of a risk in redesigning the loudspeakers, changing the amp design, replacing the transducers and swapping out the power supply. So how does the newly revised version measure up?

FEATURES

➔ Two-way, bi-amplified powered loudspeakers ➔ 300W Class-D low-frequency amplifier ➔ 100W high-frequency amp ➔ Built-in phase-accurate active crossover ➔ Mic/line input

hear the sound in various places around the room when mixing. But the SRM450s’ sound was nearly identical in all locations. A few room modes caused a couple of problems, but these were problems with the room, not the speakers. This made mixing the event incredibly easy.

A WINNING PAIR

MOVING FORWARD

The first thing you’ll notice if you’ve had any experience of hauling the old SRM450s around is that the new models are much lighter. Mackie has managed to shave around 5kg (or 20 per cent) off the weight. This slimming down has been achieved by a switch in amplifier topology, from the original’s class-A/B design to a more power-efficient class-D design. This means smaller and lighter transformers can be used. However, running a few tracks through the SRM450 v2 speakers reveals very few changes to the sound of the speakers. The v2s instantly produce that Mackie sound we’re used to hearing from countless gigs using the original models. The low end is solid and responsive; the mids are clear, if a little hard; and the top end is smooth, if again a little hard. In our experience, this harshness is often present in new speakers and will tend to soften away as the speakers are broken in.

SOUNDING OFF

The speakers handled all the material we threw at them with ease, from the breakbeat electronica of Venetian Snares to the subtle African melodies of Toumani Diabaté. However, sounding great on prerecorded material is one thing, handling the rigours of a live performance is an entirely different proposition. Thankfully, we were able to put the v2s through their paces at a couple of gigs over our test period. The first gig was a predominantly acoustic event, and the SRM450 v2s behaved superbly. The uniform sound throughout the room was incredible. We’re used to having to walk into the crowd frequently from the mixing desk to


Dolphin 15m Cable XLR(m) – XLR(f) £13 Dolphin ID 34935 To connect your speakers to your mixing desk output, you’ll need two long male–female XLR cables. These are a great value option.

Samson LS2 Speaker Stands £24.99 (pair) Dolphin ID 12453 Telescopic steel tripod stands, adjustable up to six feet in height. Each stand can handle 25kg, and the 1 3/8-inch adaptor fits virtually all PA speakers.

For the second event we had a smaller room and much louder bands, but the new SRMs continued to hold their own. On the rear control panel is an EQ switch that adds a slight smile curve, adding a small shelving boost to the low end and top end. This is a pleasing sound, and for the more rock-oriented bands definitely brought out the best in the mix. The speakers performed exceptionally, providing a clear uniform sound, which made mixing incredibly easy and enabled us to spend more time working on the creative aspects of the mix, instead of having to battle with the speakers and the room. MP

➔VERDICT ● Great sounding ● Lighter, more efficient design ● Uniform sound distribution The SRM450 v2s have benefited from a comprehensive design overhaul and significant reduction in weight. But in terms of their sound and performance, the results are more a case of evolution than revolution, which will be a huge relief to the numerous fans of the original 450s.

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EDIROL PORTABLE FIELD RECORDERS NEW R-09HR : Handheld WAVE/MP3 recorder High Resolution 24-bit/96kHz audio quality Preview speaker & wireless remote control NEW R-44 : Compact 4-Channel Portable Recorder Up to uncompressed 24-bit/192kHz linear audio & BWF Support for high capacity SD cards (SDHC) R-4 Pro : 4-Channel Recorder with SMPTE Full SMPTE Time Code and WAVE Editor 24-bit/192 kHz resolution, 80GB hard disk drive

NEW EDIROL WELCOME TO NEW R-09HR AND R-44 Film, Broadcast, Radio, Music, Sound Effects, Sampling, Live Sound, Podcasting, Journalists. Whatever the acquisition task, Edirol have a thoroughly professional product to match. Take for example the new ultra-compact R-44 with its pro quality 4 XLR channel recording to large capacity SD cards, built-in high quality stereo microphones and monitor speakers, or the ultra-new, ultra-cool R-09HR handheld WAVE/MP3 Recorder which now boasts high resolution 24-bit/96kHz audio quality. Edirol’s new stunning audio tools join the established timecode equipped R-4 Pro recorder to form a family of high quality portable field recorders ideal for your recording needs. Get more info at your local Edirol dealer or log onto edirol.com/europe

R-4 Pro

NEW R-44

NEW R-09HR

t 0870 350 1515 c www.edirol.co.uk

In Brief

M-Audio ProFire 610 £279 Dolphin ID 38628

VOX JamVOX £149 Dolphin ID 37740

JamVOX is an ambitious product, which combines a mini USB-powered amp/speaker with an audio interface and a software application that provides amp emulation and effects. To use JamVOX you simply plug into the amp as normal and attach the amp to your computer via USB. The software then emulates the tone of any of up to 19 different amplifiers, and 54 effects units. Most interesting of all the tools in JamVOX is the new GXT Guitar Xtraction technology, developed by Korg, which enables you to isolate a guitar part from any CD or .mp3 track and solo or mute it, enabling you to play along with your favourite band, or focus on a part for learning purposes. The isolation tool is surprisingly effective, although it depends largely on the song in question. Once you’ve isolated a part (the software works

just as well for vocals as guitars) you can slow it down, or pitch-shift it into your singing range, enabling you to play or sing along with any tracks from your music collection, through almost any amp and effects combination. The USB-powered speaker isn’t ideally suited to guitar playing, although its size makes it ideal for practising, and should you need a bigger sound you can always route the outputs through a power amp. However, it is a shame that the mini amp doesn’t have a guitar amp output for connection through to a more conventional amplifier.

➔VERDICT Jam and sing along to all your favourite tunes with perfect tone to match. The JamVOX is a great learning tool for guitarists.

M-Audio’s new ProFire 610 audio interface packs a huge amount of I/O into a half-rack unit that could very easily be packed up into a laptop bag and taken out on the road. The front-panel houses two combo inputs with M-Audio’s flagship Octane preamps, capable of being used with either mic-level XLR inputs or instrument-level 1/4-inch inputs. Two further analogue line-level inputs are provided on the rear, along with stereo S/PDIF I/O, bringing the total up to six inputs. This is paired with eight analogue line-level outputs, which with the S/PDIF provides a total of ten output channels. By providing eight analogue outputs you can use the ProFire 610 to power a full 7.1 surround system. Or alternatively you could use the extra channels to run your mixes through an outboard summing mixer. Connection to your PC or Mac is over FireWire, with two ports on the rear enabling you to daisy-chain additional hardware, such as hard disks for recording. Once connected to your DAW, the audio driver software

SE Electronics SE4400a £389 Dolphin ID 38582

While many modern mics seek to copy the visual and sonic charms of studio stalwarts such as the Neumann U87, there are surprisingly few designs based on the Swissarmy-knife of studio recording – the AKG 414. SE Electronics’ latest mic – the SE4400a – is clearly inspired by

››› BUY NOW



both the look of the C414 and, even more importantly, its sonic flexibility. The SE4400a has a total of four polar patterns, bass roll-off, and a twostage pad, making it suitable for a range of recording tasks – from drum overheads to acoustic guitars. And as a matched pair, the SE4400a is one of the most effective solutions for stereo recording you can get for a little under £900. In use, the SE4400a proved a useful tool to have to hand. The sound, though not as flattering (or hyped) as some other large-diaphragm designs, is certainly accurate and honest, and testament to SE’s two years of testing to fine-tune its performance.


enables you to control the onboard DSP mixer, which is useful when using the interface as a standalone A/D or D/A converter or mic preamp. The ProFire 610 is a useful little interface, with two great-sounding preamps. If you’re looking for an interface to pair with your FireWirecapable laptop, then make sure the ProFire 610 is on your list.

➔VERDICT A great interface for mobile musicians, providing two of M-Audio’s best mic pre’s and a thorough selection of I/O suitable for a wide variety of purposes.

Like the C414, the Omni pattern has real ‘open’ charm to it, and could work wonders as part of a spaced array. Likewise, the small and discrete physical size of the mic, combined with the flexibility of the shockmount, makes the SE4400a an excellent choice where space is limited, or where the mic capsules need to be closely aligned (like a coincident pair, for example). If you’re after a microphone that’s going to be a trusty and flexible friend, the SE4400a is well worth investigating, and could easily become one of the most well-used mics in your studio.

➔VERDICT The SE400a is an excellent allround microphone that delivers an honest and accurate tone, rather than a hyped performance. Even better as a stereo pair.

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In Brief

M-Audio ProKeys Sono 61 £259 Dolphin ID 37678

The new ProKeys Sono 61 from M-Audio combines a 61-key USB MIDI controller with a simple two-in, two-out audio interface and a built-in sound library, including a full GM soundbank and a Steinway grand sampled by Digidesign’s AIR group. There is a definite advantage to fitting an audio interface to a controller keyboard, as both are necessary for getting the most out of software instruments. However, by including a soundbank, M-Audio has made it possible for users to play the Sono 61 even without a computer attached. The built-in soundbank is easy to navigate and is great for coming up with ideas quickly, but it isn’t a patch on many virtual instruments, even with the built-in reverb processor which can be used to bring a little life to some of the sounds. So when you get around to recording,

you can use the GM soundbank as a guide and then use your own VSTi’s to perfect the sound. The 61-note keyboard is a step up from many similar hybrid audio interface/MIDI-controllers, providing far more flexibility than a more basic two-, or three-octave keyboard. M-Audio has also included a version of Ableton Live Lite, enabling you to record and mix straight from the box. With a bundled DAW, built-in audio interface, MIDI controller and soundbank, the ProKeys Sono 61 is an ideal way of getting started.

➔VERDICT Bringing together everything you’re going to need to make music with your computer, the ProKeys Sono 61 is a perfect starter kit.

AKG K 702 £349.99 Dolphin ID 38967

At almost £350, these are a serious investment by anybody’s standards – so what’s so special about these ‘premium class’ reference headphones? The K 702 is an update on AKG’s respected K 701 headphones, with various tweaks – such as a detachable ‘mini XLR’ cable – to bring the design more in line with the needs of discerning engineers and musicians. The design is open-back, meaning it favours sound quality in preference to sealing off the rest of the world from what you’re listening to. This makes the K 702 less suitable for recording (where spill could be noticeable on an adjacent mic), but more appropriate for crucial monitoring

applications where you need an accurate version of the mix. Comparing the K 702s against our well-worn Beyerdynamic DT100s (which are closed-back), we immediately noticed some important differences in the frequency response. The K 702s seemed to display a natural ‘extension’ to them – with a clear and open top-end, and a bass response that leans towards accurate rather than over-pronounced. The mids felt slightly pushed at points, occasionally making guitars and vocals too prominent, although this may improve once the headphones have bedded in. Overall, the K 702s seem to be particularly good at

Focusrite ISA One £499.95 Dolphin ID 35160

As the name suggests, Focusrite’s ISA One is a single channel version of its ISA range of preamps that are derived from the revered circuitry and design of Focusrite’s legendary Forte console. Like many Focusrite products, the ISA One has a keen eye on the needs of the contemporary musician, combining a range of flexible tools to provide the perfect bridge between your microphone (or instrument-level input) and your DAW. First of these is an impedance-switching preamp, which is also accompanied by an independent DI channel complete with two outputs: an XLR feed to your DAW and a split TRS feed to your amp. Other practical features include the provision of a cue mix input (for zero latency monitoring), as well as an optional digital output card (£249). Having used the excellent fourchannel ISA428, the ISA One more than delivered on the exceptional audio performance we’d expect

from Focusrite with plenty of gain, low-noise operation, and a slightly larger-than-life sound. By freeing itself from a conventional rackmount design, we also felt the ISA One could easily adapt to a variety of different applications, such as perching on top of an amp as a high-class DI box, for example, or in situations where you want to keep the preamp as close as possible to the microphone. For many, the added cue mix feature could also be a real lifesaver, providing an easy-to-use, latency-free monitoring system without having to utilise any complicated mixing software or additional hardware.

➔VERDICT The ISA One is an excellent single-channel preamp, with a superb range of functional features including cue mix provision, and studio-grade audio performance, all for a little under £500.

picking up flaws – conveying every last detail of an over-compressed, distorted recording, for example, but also highlighting important qualities like transient detail and separation when the mix is right.

➔VERDICT AKG’s K 702s favour accuracy and honesty over a more flattering performance. The midrange takes a little getting used to, but the K 702s are an excellent choice for the more discerning.

››› BUY NOW




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Top Five Best Sellers Do you know what you need to complete your studio or gigging setup, but are struggling to decide on a specific model? Well, this guide is designed to show you what other people are currently putting their trust in. This is Dolphin Music’s Best Seller charts…

MIDI Keyboards

USB Microphones

Headphones

Gifts

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3

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4

5

Dubreq Stylophone £10.99 Dolphin ID 33986

VOX Amplug AC30 £29.95 Dolphin ID 34288

Fender Mini Deluxe Amp £24.99 Dolphin ID 38490

Vintage Ukulele £19.99 Dolphin ID 34193

Auralex MoPADs £34 Dolphin ID 2331

A retro classic, reborn with extra features. As used by David Bowie, Pulp and Kraftwerk. Great fun for the kids, too!

Classic sounds in your pocket! Plug this headphone amp into your guitar to enjoy serious tones, fast! Other models also available.

Like a Hot Rod Deluxe that’s been shrunk! This model has a level of detail unmatched by any other mini-amplifier.

Available in a great new range of fun finishes! Includes a carry bag, pitch pipe and felt pick.

Instantly improves the accuracy of your monitoring system. Find out what your recordings really sound like! An essential speaker accessory.

Sennheiser HD25-1 mkII £139 Dolphin ID 1916

AKG K 141 MK 2 £79 Dolphin ID 36937

Beyerdynamic DT 150 £104.99 Dolphin ID 3624

Sennheiser HD202 £16.95 Dolphin ID 3172

Behringer HPS5000 £26 Dolphin ID 5116

Closed-back, purpose-designed, professional monitoring headphones offering high attenuation of background noise.

Newly updated version of the AKG legend, featuring XXL transducers with Varimotion technology to deliver greater dynamic range.

Dynamic studio headphones for when comfort and performance are primary requirements, featuring excellent ambient noise isolation.

Comfortable dynamic headphones, ideal for DJs: balanced sound image, slight emphasis on bass response, and ambient noise attenuation.

For the most discerning audiophile, providing an ultra-wide frequency response, well defined bass and super-transparent highs.

Blue Snowball £59 Dolphin ID 35872

SE Electronics USB1000A £95.99 Dolphin ID 31156

Rode Podcaster £129 Dolphin ID 15449

Samson C01U £46.99 Dolphin ID 6948

Blue Snowflake £39.99 Dolphin ID 36374

Finally, a USB mic that’s easy to use, and sounds as good on your desktop as in a professional recording studio.

This mic offers great recording quality due to its chip and software set, which deals with both noise and software drivers.

This microphone offers an endaddress configuration, ‘On’ LED, low self-noise and clear, tailored-forvoice frequency response.

Works on any computer, with any DAW software. A simple, affordable way to capture high-quality vocal and instrument performances.

Professional USB mic, with plugand-play simplicity. Podcasts, web conferences, or adding voiceovers to video take on a new simplicity.

M-Audio Oxygen 8 v2 £50.99 Dolphin ID 8558

Akai MPK49 £279 Dolphin ID 28890

E-MU Xboard 25 Pro £79.99 Dolphin ID 5612

Novation ReMOTE SL61 £365 Dolphin ID 8392

Edirol PCR-500 £157.95 Dolphin ID 22294

Perfect for composing on the go or performing live bass lines and pads, firing samples, or triggering audio and/or visual effects.

It represents a new era for controllers, with a high-quality, 49key, semi-weighted keyboard with aftertouch and MPC drum pads.

Pro model with full-size velocitysensitive keys with aftertouch, programmable controllers, editing software, and over 1,000 sounds.

The SL shines a light on the world of MIDI control, providing two giant, brightly lit LCD screens and an intelligent Automap mode.

A solidly built controller optimised for both production and live performance, with more physical controls than previous models.

MusicPlanet

Winter2008/9


Saxophones

Acoustic Guitars

Guitar FX

Bass Guitars

Electric Guitars

FireWire Audio Interfaces

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Apogee Duet £325 Dolphin ID 33457

M-Audio Profire 610 £299 Dolphin ID 38628

Focusrite Saffire LE £199.99 Dolphin ID 13662

MOTU 828 MK3 £544.95 Dolphin ID 35224

PreSonus Inspire 1394 £95 Dolphin ID 7768

Portable interface with amazing sound quality and control functions built directly into Apple’s Logic Pro, Soundtrack Pro and GarageBand.

This flexible unit facilitates the needs of musicians and producers, and uses many of the elements found in the flagship ProFire 2626.

Great sound quality, intelligent front end and a one-click GUI solution combine to guarantee an intuitive and trouble-free experience.

MOTU’s most advanced FireWire interface raises the bar with innovative new features, superb sound and reliable performance.

The smallest, most flexible and affordable computer recording studio ever. Featuring pro-quality A/D conversion and software.

Yamaha EG112 Ltd Edtn £69.99 Dolphin ID 38734

Fender Standard Strat £288.99 Dolphin ID 10595

Ibanez RG350DX £282 Dolphin ID 15328

Squier Mini £75 Dolphin ID 10417

With matching headstock and gigbag, this guitar plays, sounds and looks great. A true gem, with an unbelievable price tag.

Our most popular Stratocaster, and for good reason. Affordable price, comfortable neck and fast action. The Fender tradition lives on!

The weapon of choice for visiting sonic mayhem on the metal masses, the RG has rocked its way to classic status.

This 3/4-sized Strat makes an ideal travel guitar for players of all ages, or a first guitar for kids. But it’s no toy and sounds as cool as it looks.

Vintage V100 ICON Lemon Drop £239 Dolphin ID 20028

Squier Affinity P Bass Pak £194 Dolphin ID 21388

Ibanez EWB205WNE-NT 5-String £279 Dolphin ID 24535

Vintage EST96 ActiveSeries £149 Dolphin ID 14249

Fender Standard Jazz Bass £339 Dolphin ID 10654

Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass Fretless £195 Dolphin ID 17422

An exciting alternative to traditional acoustic-electric designs, with a larger body for better low-end tone.

Active bass inspired by the MusicMan models, with chunky Wilkinson pickups.

Classic model updated with bi-pole pickups, giving you the best of both the vintage and modern worlds.

Disciples of groove will dig this elegant bass, fusing the voice of an upright with the attack of an electric.

Boss TU-2 £54.49 Dolphin ID 12711

Dunlop Original Cry Baby Wah-Wah £59 Dolphin ID 8151

Zoom G1 £49 Dolphin ID 21990

Line 6 Pocket Pod £59.99 Dolphin ID 29947

With 54 effects, tuner and tube amp simulation, you can explore the tonal possibilities of your guitar and develop your sound.

Don’t be fooled by the smaller package – it features more than 300 presets created by some of today’s hottest rock stars!

This package from Fender gives you everything you need to jump into bass playing, including amp, strap, cable and the bass itself!

Electro-Harmonix USA Big Muff USA Pi £52 Dolphin ID 7677 The world’s favourite fuzz pedal: from White Stripes to U2, everyone loves this pedal’s meaty tones.

Legendary stage tuner in a convenient, easy-to-use design, for accurate tuning in low-light settings or under bright stage lights.

The world-standard wah pedal, used to create many classic rock sounds by many rock’n’roll greats.

Ibanez V50NJPNT Jam Pack £69 Dolphin ID 15961

Fender CD-60 Acoustic Pack £84 Dolphin ID 33285

Acoustic guitar with spruce top for fantastic tone. Package includes an electronic tuner, gigbag and strap.

Yamaha YAS275 Alto £519.17 Dolphin ID 29439 Perfect introduction to the world of sax, at an affordable price. Highquality features for students and experienced players alike.

Squier SA105 Folk Guitar £49.99 Dolphin ID 38731 Affordable acoustic with laminate spruce top, laminated back and sides, and a rosewood fingerboard. Great value for money.

One of the coolest Les Paul-styles, at any price. Aged looks, reversefitted neck pickup and lots of mojo.

Taylor Big Baby £319 Dolphin ID 10342

Vintage V300 £84.95 Dolphin ID 14261

With features you’d expect in dearer instruments, this has a spruce top, mahogany back and die-cast tuners.

Larger version of the increasingly popular Baby Taylor ‘travel’ guitar, with full-sized fret scale and satisfying acoustic guitar tone.

Guitar Magazine awarded it Best Acoustic Guitar Under £100. It has comfortable neck, good dynamics and powerful volume.

Stoelzel Arnold Alto £299.99 Dolphin ID 37970

Yamaha YTS275 Tenor £599.99 Dolphin ID 29440

Artemis Alto A1 £275 Dolphin ID 31490

Stagg Eb Alto £299.99 Dolphin ID 37962

Whether you have recently decided to play saxophone, or your child is interested in the instrument, this is a great first sax.

Tenor sax offering high-quality specs. This instrument will suit both students and more advanced players. Quite simply, a bargain.

Good-quality beginner’s instrument that comes professionally set-up and regulated to ensure it will play straight out of the box.

Colourful sax in ABS case – mouthpiece included – that features rocker-style octave key mechanism. Comes in red, blue or black.


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© KIM WATSON

CREDITCHECK

The White Stripes Elephant 2003 (V2) Raw, rockin’ and radical, this was the album that put Jack and Meg (and Liam) on the global map. Huge in every sense of the word. The Kills Keep On Your Mean Side 2003 (Domino) 2003’s other minimal rock male/female duo didn’t make quite as big a splash as Jack and Meg, but it was just as fiery. Stars a pre-Kate Moss Jamie Hince. The Cribs The Cribs 2004 (Wichita) Recorded in a mere seven days, The Cribs’ eponymous debut was the world’s raucous introduction to the Brothers Jarman. The Zutons Who Killed… The Zutons 2004 (Deltasonic) This wasn’t actually recorded at Toe Rag, but follow-up single Don’t Ever Think (Too Much) was. And it sounded so good they immediately stuck it on the subsequent re-issue of the album. Pete Molinari A Virtual Landslide 2008 (Damaged Goods) Liam speaks highly of this well-travelled songwriter raised on the sound of vintage American folk music.

IN WITH THE NEW Not everything at Toe Rag is vintage analogue gear Liam does use digital technology in the form of an HHB BurnIt Plus CDR-830 and Sony CDRW33 to burn masters. And several of his mic collection are still available: Audio-Technica AT3032 (£137, Dolphin ID 19941), Electrovoice RE20 (£349, Dolphin ID 27883), Shure SM7B (£380.35, Dolphin ID 28477), and the ubiquitous Shure SM58 (£74.50, Dolphin ID 2022). His collection of studio amps also includes a couple of vintage VOX models that are still available in modern form: VOX AC30 (CC2, £549, Dolphin ID 10037) and AC50 (CP2, £739.57, Dolphin ID 31776).

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UNSUNG HEROES

Liam Watson

What? No computer! Good musicians don’t need one, says engineer Liam Watson. Robert Collins meets the king of analogue.

I

n 2002 Liam Watson suddenly became the most famous studio engineer in the world. As the man behind the controls for Elephant, The White Stripes’ critical and commercial knockout punch, for a while everyone was talking about Liam and his Toe Rag Studios in London. But much of that discussion was based on misinformation. Because it was alleged that The White Stripes’ crowning achievement was recorded with analogue equipment all made before 1963. Liam’s Toe Rag Studios may be allanalogue, but it’s definitely not all vintage. “It was completely fictitious,” sighs Liam. “A lot of the equipment I have is old and the way I work is a little bit old fashioned compared to a lot of other people, but it’s nothing to do with nostalgia. I’m not into re-creating the past. I want stuff that I can use.” Let’s get this cleared up, too. Liam and Toe Rag aren’t all-analogue because he thinks it sounds better than digital. He just believes that the less technology you have between the musicians and the recording, the better. His studio appeals to a certain type of musician, which is just the type of musician Liam likes working with. “The only time I feel I really need digital technology,” he explains, “and sometimes I wish I did have it, is when I’m working with an artist or band where perhaps the level of musicianship isn’t quite there. Most people will comp in a vocal, and of course you can do that on analogue machines, but it takes so long. On a digital format it can be done infinitely, but if someone is so useless that they can’t sing or play two bars without having to resort to some sort of computer technology – I don’t want to work with people like that. “One of the good things about making some famous records is I’m in a position to pick and choose who I work

››› Winter2008/9

with. There are certain things you have to do to pay the rent, but it’s much better to work on stuff you really believe in. Far from many of the records I do are big commercially, but it’s the artistic side that’s important to me.” There’s a refreshing honesty to Liam’s words, and his work. That’s why he’s continually in demand from bands that want to sound like bands. That was his motivation when he started his sonic career.

GETTING STARTED

“I was in a group when I was a teenager and we were looking in the music papers to find a studio to do a demo,” he recalls. “We found one, made this demo and I remember thinking: ‘That’s not right – that doesn’t sound good. I’ve got to find out more about how you’re supposed to record.’ That was 1985, which was the time of enormous processed drum sounds and even guitar bands sounded like Frankie Goes To Hollywood. I didn’t want to make records that sounded like that. That got me interested in production and recording in general. I picked up stuff as I went. I started off by getting some domestic semi-pro bits of recording equipment and set up a little recording studio in my flat.” But Liam’s advice to people starting their own journey in recording isn’t what you might think. “I would suggest that one of the digital formats would be a good way to learn. I’ve heard Radar is even better than Pro Tools. If you have an idea of what you want to achieve sonically, you’ve got to keep going for it any way you can. Once you have equipment that you’re not fighting against, the equipment is irrelevant.” You can see more details of Liam’s studio magic at www.toeragstudios.com. MP

“IT’S NOTHING TO DO WITH NOSTALGIA. I’M NOT RE-CREATING THE PAST. I WANT STUFF I CAN USE”


The legendary Fender Princeton Reverb Amp of the 1960s was small, light, and moderately powered. Though originally intended for practice situations, the Princeton was capable of big tube tone, and countless guitarists chose it as their go-to studio amp. With a simple mic’d-up Princeton and a stomp box or two, signature sounds flowed onto recording after recording. Our world-class Reverb and built-in Vibrato effects were the icing on the cake.

RebiRth of a Legend new! Vintage Reissue ’65 PRinceton ReVeRb amP ®

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Output: Speaker: Controls:

© 2008 FMIC. Fender®, Stratocaster®, Strat®, and the distinctive headstock and body designs of this guitar are trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.

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15 watts into 8 ohms 1 10” Jensen® Special Design C-10R speaker Volume, Treble, Bass, Reverb, Speed and Intensity Reverb, Vibrato 3 12AX7, 1 12AT7, 2 6V6, 1 5AR4 Rectifier tube

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P U N CH

Servo-feedback controlled Neodymium woofer with 3-inch voice coil

Music Planet Issue 2

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