News - February 2008

Originally enjoyed only by family and revered artist friends, Music Man's exceptional Ball Family Reserve instruments celebrate the company's most exceptional American artistry.

Designed specifically for working musicians, the XDS-PLUS combines the portability of a stomp-box device with the advanced sonic and RF performance of the company's XDR95 rackmount system by putting the receiver in a rugged metal stomp-box chassis.

Neutrik's OpticalCon, a complete fiber optic connector system, features an LC-compatible fitting that is housed within a roadworthy zinc diecast shell.

MY PRO M allows consumers to go online and choose from a wide range of Pro M components and a widely expanded range of finish options to create their own custom configurations.

The Audiotech line of instrument cables feature G&H gold plated connectors and quality Belden cable for lower capacitance, lower noise, higher definition and a crisp, clean and clearer signal path.

The unique DoubleH And Nerve electrics have caused impact with their classy style, light weight and heavy, clear sound.

he Randy Newman Songbook, Volume 1 is a collection of 17 songs from Academy Award-winning songwriter Randy Newman.

Veteran drummer, clinician, and instructor, DOM MOIO has just released a new drum instructional book and CD featuring play-along tracks by Dom Moio and the legendary groover, Steve Gadd.

Designed by noted amp builder James Brown, the 100-watt Double Cross boldly redefines high-gain guitar amplification with a broad spectrum of stunning new tones and user-modified features.

This long-requested feature is now available.

Minnetonka Audio Software, Inc. (MASI) announces Mac OS X Leopard support in their latest versions of AudioTools AWE and Master Bundle option for AudioTools AWE.

The new version 1.3 is a true surround reverb modelling multichannel early reflections and decorrelated reverb tails for a realistic spatial emulation.

Alien Alliance Audio Systems has introduced three new stock colors for their line of guitar and bass speaker cabinets.

Whipcrash™ cymbals feature an S-shaped array of hammered microcups which can be stick-raked hard or softly to create one hand crescendos and decrescendos.

vGuitarLessons.com is now offering 12 totally free video guitar lessons.

The new Active MixCubes each contain a separate 35-watt Class A/B amplifier with cooling handled by Convection/Heat Sink-Aluminum Fins.

The AudioBox USB is a USB bus-powered interface with 2 mic/instrument preamps with 48V phantom power, 2 balanced TRS outputs, MIDI Input/Output, and a playback mixer volume control.

The FireStudio Tube is a complete 24-bit/96k, professional, firewire recording system loaded with the perfect combination of inputs and outputs.

The WB-5 adjustable wall bracket, supplied as standard with all three new Impact series installation loudspeakers, has integral electrical connections built into it.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and NAMM, the International Music Products Association, are proud to announce the opening of submissions for this year's 8th Annual FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands, the country's biggest celebration of "musicians with day jobs."

Available in both standalone fuzzy and fuzzy/windscreen pairs, the Rycote windshield systems are extremely effective, providing 10-12db extra protection for Holophone's surround microphones over a standard windshield.

andy Jackson's Mastering the Groove DVD teaches the art of both thinking and feeling bass.

The iDR0 is a 2U rack unit that provides all the processing features of the iLive system for networked audio systems.

The Xone:42 incorporates a USB audio interface for easy connection to a computer and integration of digital media.

This self-titled DVD provides true insight into George Lynch's playing and highlights the many facets of his unique guitar style.

Alfred Publishing introduces an all-new songbook featuring favorite hits from the Academy Award-winning motion picture Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

The innovations of MusicReader make reading music easy and convenient in comparison to traditional music.

The AxeTrak 112 has many features that set it apart from other speaker cabinets and isolation cabinets on the market today.

Harley and Muscle is a collection of some of the finest Deep House samples created.

Electro Grime has been created for producers looking for totally fresh electro synths, basslines, drums and synth FX for dirty electro house and minimal house production.

VariSaturator is an audio effect plug-in designed to apply saturation effects over audio material.

Eric Clapton's "Blackie" and Gibson 335, Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Lenny," and the Edge's Les Paul Custom guitar will be displayed at Minneapolis Twin Cities Guitar Center on March 1 and 2.

In addition to this event, the Institute runs a wide range of summer school programmes for students of guitar, bass, drums, vocals and music technology.

Mike Lull Custom Guitars has introduced an Ultra-Vintage series of Jazz and P-style basses.

The four string CR4 Bass Cello offers authentic upright bass tone with a 34 inch bass guitar scale and standard bass tuning.

Sparrow Guitars is proud to announce a partnership with Trev Deeley Motorcycles to produce a limited number of custom-finished guitars.

Voice Thing! is a PC application that provides pro quality voice changing for online games, voice chat, podcasts, video production, and general messing around.

Shot live in Santa Cruz and featuring rock band "the Liminal," this DVD lifts the lid on what it takes to record a band in the 21st century armed with Cubase as your recording medium.

'Vintage Cymbals' is a single instrument collection containing 96 full stereo cymbal samples, cut to vinyl and re-sampled through valve processors to give a warm, vintage feel.

The single-rack-space PMD580 also adds balanced XLR I/Os, Ethernet and RS232 inputs, AES/EBU interface and 24-bit resolution.

Puremagnetik is a collection of instruments and loops sampled from the Roland® TB-303 synthesizer.

The Heavy Electronics Ascend is a refined one knob clean boost that is transparent and clear, yet powerful.

This pack contains over 299 files which have been meticulously designed and processed, allowing you to focus on writing great Electro & Electronic dance music.

In addition to "Guitar Accompaniment For Dancers", there are fifty newly added lessons for each level of guitarist which include the techniques and understanding of Arpeggio, Alzapua, Picado, Rasgueado and more

Metropolitan Drum Company debuted three new cocktail drum models this week, all based on a lush 16" diameter x 24" deep shell.

Visualizer is designed to allow access to a full range of audio analysis views via a single resizable interface.

All instruments were recorded in stereo, at 24 bit 96 khz to ensure a pristine recording of the very highest standard that will remain the benchmark for years to come.

The AMT Wi-5 complete wireless system is the newest in a professional grade woodwind and brass beltpack free instrument wireless microphone system.

Pitchwheel 1.00 is a live performance friendly pitch changing plug-in.

Tech Producer DSP is the Definitive Studio Pack designed for DJs, remixers, musicians, sound designers and for every kind of tech-based and electronic music production.

The ZED-12FX (6 mono + 3 dual stereo channels) and ZED-22FX (16 mono + 3 dual stereo channels) retain the same professional feature set as other models in the range with the addition of a comprehensive section of in-house designed effects.

TC Electronic announces that it has released version 2 of the Konnekt software package for Mac and PC.

This version 1.2 supports Syncrosoft, and features the VST, RTAS and AU versions for Windows and Mac OSX.

Chinee Suona VSTi provides composers and musicians with an extremely playable and authentic plugin.

An online service that has just launched, Styleflip.com allows users to customize their gear by creating their own unique skins.

iVideosongs is the new service that shows aspiring musicians how to play their favorite songs completely and accurately.

The new CS6 features Carvin's rapid play neck that has been designed with unique set-in construction featuring an exclusive "heel-less" design for uninhibited access — all the way to the 22nd fret.

Classroom Resource Pack is an integrated package that offers creative music education with Cubase 4 and Cubase Studio 4

Radiohead: In Rainbows includes lyrics, melody line, and chord changes with professionally arranged piano accompaniment.

In Contemporary Bass, Nathan breaks down his unique style of playing, demonstrating how he builds impeccable chops, creates solos and grooves, plays walking bass lines, and interacts with a rhythm section.

Despite fitting into the front pocket of an average bass guitar gig bag, the new Ashdown Little Giant 350 and 1000 bass amps punch out more than their weight.

The MKE 400 may be small, but its features are huge, including switchable sensitivity, wind noise filter, extended battery life and an optional, professional accessory kit

Presented by Apple Certified Logic Trainer and Logic virtuoso Doug Zangar, you'll get a behind the scenes look at how a true Logic master builds a song from the ground up in Logic 8.

The Jimmy Cobb Model designed by the Jazz Legend, Jimmy's model measures in between a 5A and a 5B in the grip.

The new, neoclassic RSM-8A has the unmatched warmth and natural sound of a classic Nady large ribbon mic plus the higher gain of conventional studio microphones.

For the first time ever, techno pioneers Eat Static open their sample vaults for a futuristic journey into world dance.

BTE Audio presents the BEQ2, a high performance digital equalization algorithm that simulates the sound and feel of the world-renowned British Mixing Consoles of the 1970s.

Developed by renowned guitar builder and master inlay artist Ron Thorn, the Dunlop Neck Cradle is a revolutionary bass and guitar setup and repair aid.

Wireless Workbench lets users of Shure UHF-R and U-series wireless microphone systems easily configure and control large installations of wireless microphones in performance venues, theaters, meeting facilities, and houses of worship.

Assuring optimum audio performance, the Square ONE Splitter features Midas XL8-inspired mic preamps, providing a dynamic range of >140dB and high CMRR to accommodate input levels up to +22dBu.

With Minimal Techno genre the German Sample company Ueberschall accentuates the resourceful minimalist approach to synthetic club productions.

SignalScope's brand new interface places each signal analyzer tool in its own window, allowing users to multiple data displays simultaneously.

Funked Up Complete features all of the separate volumes in the "Funked Up" series plus an additional 35MB of funky drumloops.

Feature packed, yet simple and intuitive to operate, the SIG:X Three Channel Tube Amplifier produces an astonishing array of tones and textures.

Offered as an IDD-Instant Digital Download or on their new "Brainwerks" brand training discs, this eye-opening collection of video tutorials presented by FL Studio mastermind Andrew Rusnak shows you the things you want to know.

"Santa Fe Jose" From HeatseekersHeatseakers, the production team behind Samplebase SoundBlocks "Intense Heat", "Bailar Conmigo", and "Rhumba Blocka", recently added some Southwestern flavor to Samplebase.

The KikBrik KB20 drum damper greatly enhances the sound of 20" deep kick drums.

The Swamp Thang, Monster Factory's current flagship, is a beast of an amplifier with looks, attitude, and tone to spare with 120 watts of metal madness.

The Radio Havana Pedal breaks all the rules and provides a tone thats reminiscent of a small transistor radio.

A set it and forget it distortion rock box. Hwy-77 is designed to simply feed thick and meaty distortion into your amp.

Designed and crafted in the award-winning Peavey Custom Shop, the custom-built Peavey guitars feature the STIHL trademarked orange-and-grey color scheme, and mimic elements of the TS 420 STIHL Cutquik concrete saw.

Reverend Musical Instruments has released limited edition versions of their Volcano and Daredevil guitars.

The Golden Melody is a full range 50watt 2x12 combo featuring the same true "harmonic vari-tone" vibrato and reverb found on Victoria's renowned Reverberato unit.

Built around 1910, this unique instrument sports a vibrant, mellow and charming sound remeniscent of a vibraphone, glockenspiel, marimba and a piano — yet a sound of its own full of patina

Vocal Intensifier gives vocal tracks added punch and presence, to make them stand out in the final mix.

Syntheway Percussion Kit is a collection of percussion instruments designed for creating orchestral percussion, as well as auxiliary, latin, african and mallet percussion.

The Offline Editor, provides operators with an emulation of the Calrec console PC application on any other PC, such as a laptop which allows remote configuration of any Calrec console.

SurroundMonitor 11900 is an 8-channel measuring system that features the Surround Sound Analyzer, the SurroundMonitor 11900 is a universal system to analyze both digital and analog multichannel and 3.1, 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1 surround sound.

Based on the most modern hardware, the DSP 260 offers both tried-and-tested and brand new algorithms for the swift and simple construction of active multi-way systems.

The El Grande Bass Fuzz, the latest offering from MXR Bass Innovations, is a versatile and brutal fuzz designed just for bass. We took a classic 70's fuzz circuit, re-tuned it for more low end, and added a DEEP switch that delivers up to +15dB of monstrous bass that is internally adjustable between 87Hz-113Hz.

Delivering classic tones in a thoroughly flexible amp format, Crate's V100H head ($499.99 U.S. street price) puts a hefty amount of power and tonal options into guitarists' hands while still keeping the price point within their means.

Students of this seminar are purchasing a superb sounding, hand-wired Marshall JCM800 (2203) "style" headcustom amplifier kit, which they will build with hands on supervision.

In the Wave 2x10 cabinet internal sound waves are projected from the back of the speaker down to the bottom of the cabinet where another 45-degree panel projects sound waves towards the front of the cabinet so not only do you hear the sounds from the speakers, you also hear the sound normally "lost" inside your cabinet.

SM HS-S Master is based on the BSM HS-S model and is equipped with an additional volume control.

The Thinline is an offshoot of the HJG-1 "Halfling Jazz Guitar" which is the result of over 25 years of Tom Ribbecke's unique understanding of carved top design.

SoundTrek Drummer is an easy to use yet powerful and flexible MFX MIDI plugin that allows you to quickly create new and original drum beats in many different styles of music.

The Starball/Sunray LEDs are rotating spherical effects that shoot beams around a room like mirrorballs, but they're powered by cutting-edge LEDs instead of traditional halogen lamps.

This video is a 10-minute step-by-step tutorial showing Stylus RMX users how to combine a few simple techniques to create dramatic sounding affects, all of which can be controlled in real-time.

Guitar Chord Finder Pro, the guitar chord dictionary that runs on a cell phone, has been updated and is now compatible with an even greater range of mobiles, cell phones and smart phones, including new models from Nokia, Motorola, LG, Siemens, Samsung and others.

Boasts plenty of fuzz and sustain but allows tighter definition of chords and arpeggios.

The front panel of the FireStudio Tube is loaded with two "SuperChannels" featuring class A vacuum tube microphone and instrument preamplifiers along with full-featured analog limiters.

A remote controllable mic preamp coupled with state-of-the-art digital transport.

Both models feature Seagull's innovative Select Pressure Tested solid spruce tops, measured and tested to ensure optimal stiffness and rigidity for maximum harmonic vibration.

Two limited edition guitar amps with more than a nod to the legendary, early '70s Graphic amp often referred to as the "Pics Only."

The emphasis of Glitch Gumbo Vol 1 Download Pack is on experimental breaks and beats, while retaining a good dose of funk and groove.

The Merge 4 is the perfect MIDI accessory for anyone needing a hassle-free way to get multiple MIDI signals into your system.

The new Revo LED SYS incorporates 2 Revo Scan LEDs, 2 Revo Roll LEDs and an easy-to-use UC3 controller — all at an amazingly affordable MSRP of $1,359.95.

The Funkifying the Clave: Afro-Cuban Grooves for Bass and Drums DVD explores traditional Afro-Cuban rhythms and their application to funk, rock, and jazz.

Capable of providing both eight-ohm and constant-voltage outputs (70V and 100V), the 135MA and 160MA are easily configurable for a variety of uses, including paging, background music, music-on-hold, security use, and safety/evacuation announcements.

The Dunlop Jazz III is a key element in Eric Johnson's fluid and seamless style — its pointed tip and rounded edge give him greater control and speed than any other pick.

Tim's two latest releases are filled with fan favorites, both old and new. Greatest Hits, Volume 2 is the album-matching folio to Tim's 2006 release, and this is his ninth consecutive debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Charts.

The CM01 Video Camera/ Digital Recorder adapter is great for musicians who crave to upload video's of their band on You Tube, or prefer to use their own professional microphone stand for digital recorder use.

Get To Know Your Acoustic Guitar is any acoustic guitarist's guide to the inner workings of their favorite instrument, and a handy, money-saving guide to the many repair and maintenance issues that every guitar owner is liable to face.

The Monitor Station is the ultimate desktop monitoring and communications system for your recording studio.

Utilizing Lectrosonics' legendary Digital Hybrid Wireless™ technology, the new VRM WB extends the versatility of the company's Venue systems while offering greater functionality that enables today's audio professional to easily handle any wireless environment, making it the perfect choice for touring sound, installations, and all A/V applications.

The Two Timer, from BBE Sound Inc, was inspired by the long discontinued Boss DM-2, still fondly remembered for its warm, haunting reverb and tape-like echoes.

These basses are handcrafted in the Spector workshop and feature neck thru bodies with body wings carved from rare water cured redwood burl.

At the 2008 NAB Show, Zaxcom will display the highly anticipated Deva 16, a new 16-track hard disk audio recorder designed for use in film and television production.

General orientation of the Mimic One & Two presets: Lounge, Cool, Jazz, Rock-Pop, Mainstream, Downtempo, Film Scoring, Songwriting, Chill-out, World Music and some sweet electronics as well (Electronica, Ambient).

TuneStudio lets you create high-quality digital recordings directly onto your iPod.

Mackie's Hotwire VT12 is truly the next-generation tube guitar amplifier, combining authentic tube amp guitar tone and premium voicing with extreme sonic flexibility and customization features in a unit that weighs less than 25 lbs.

Combining high precision driver technology with cutting-edge high resolution digital signal processing, the AIR 12 defines new standards for performance and precision in 2-way powered monitors.

Experience Vir2 Instruments' Elite Orchestral Percussion, a premium 19GB library filled with an unparalleled variety of both traditional and unusual orchestral percussion.

The Linear Acoustic LA-5180 audio metadata frame synchronizer and generator is critical to the successful creation and continuity of metadata for proper audio encoding.

With the Scott Rockenfield DRUM TRACK BUILDER FOR KONTAKT you'll be able to create complete professional sounding drum tracks for songs using Drag & Drop MIDI Intros, Grooves, Fills, and Outros of many styles, variations, 70-140 BPM.

Mixcraft 4 introduces virtual instruments and MIDI sequencing to Mixcraft's already powerful feature set, enabling users to record, compose, edit, and mix music entirely within the Mixcraft application.

VERSIO VSS 15 is a completely digital system unit integrating a 15" subwoofer and three Class D amplifiers (1 x 750 W + 2 x 500 W) with a digital signal processor 24 Bit/48 kHz and a sensational light weight of 26 kg (57.32 lbs).