Mixdown Magazine #314

#314 – FEB/MAR 2021

A DAY TO REMEMBER

YOU’RE SO WELCOME THE WEATHER STATION BICEP, FARHOT + CLAUD 2021 NAMM WRAP-UP

FREE

REVIEWED: FENDER 75TH ANNIVERSARY ARTURIA POLYBRUTE ASTON ELEMENT & THE SHURE SM58!

Hand Made Effects Pedals | Akron, Ohio

Astral Destiny

An Octal Octave Reverberation Odyssey The Astral Destiny is a compact and powerful modulated octave reverb pedal that features 8 reverb modes with 8 editable presets, assignable expression control, tails for natural reverb decay when the effect is bypassed and a super cool stretch feature that doubles the length of the reverb while adding an adjustable pitch bending effect.

Available Now Yamaha Music Australia proudly distributes EarthQuaker Devices

earthquakerdevices.com

‘60s STYLE REISSUED FOR TODAY

S66

V90

The VOX Bobcat and Lynx semi-hollow body guitars were produced in the mid-‘60s with unusual pickup configurations and a distinct look, which we’ve revived in the new Bobcat V90 and S66. We’ve kept the historic design, but brought them up to date with improved playability for today’s players — controlling acoustic feedback, and raising the performance of the pickups.

The Lynx-inspired V90 is equipped with two soapbar-style pickups, while the S66 Bobcat reissue is equipped with three single-coil pickups and an independent volume control for the middle pickup so you can blend your tones — providing a wide tonal range that sets Bobcat apart from other semi-hollow models on the market.

Both models share a Maple ply top & body, with a weight-relieved, feedback-reducing Spruce centre block and a Mahogany set-neck with Indonesian Ebony fretboard. Aluminium knobs, fixed Tune-o-matic type bridges with trapeze tailpieces for easy string changes and opengear Grover tuning heads add to the package that’s full of retro style with modern innovation.

IN STORES NOW!

voxamps.com/series/bobcat FINISHES AVAILABLE

Yamaha Music Australia proudly distributes VOX

voxampsaustralia Black

Cherry Red

Sunburst

REIN V EN T ING T HE S TAGE KE Y B OARD

The YC Series features a newly designed Virtual Circuitry Modelling (VCM) Organ engine with physical drawbars, extensive real-time control and authentic Acoustic/Electric Piano and FM synth sound.

With three models to choose from, there’s a YC stage keyboard for every stage and every player.

AVAILABLE NOW!

FIND A DEALER

au.yamaha.com

yamahamusicau

Terms & Conditions: The prices set out in this advertisement are recommended retail prices (RRP) only and there is no obligation for Yamaha dealers to comply with this recommendation. *Errors & omissions excepted.

YC61 – $3,499* 61-key semi-weighted ‘waterfall’ action

YC73 – $3,799* 73-key weighted, balanced action

YC88 – $4,499* 88-key weighted, graded action with natural wood keys

DDJ-FLX6 4-CHANNEL DJ CONTROLLER

Merge FX Create huge builds and drops, and seamlessly switch music styles with one action Jog Cutter Easily make pro-sounding scratch effects, one-handed Full-size jog wheels Use track position display to keep an eye on the playhead position Sample Scratch Load sampler sounds from rekordbox onto the decks

Distributed by

www.jands.com.au

Plug and play Use selected performance features in rekordbox and Serato DJ Pro for free PIONEERDJ.COM

CONTENTS 8 10 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 30 31 32 33 50

Giveaways

PUBLISHER Furst Media Mycelium Studios Factory 1/10-12 Moreland Road East Brunswick VIC 3057 (03) 9428 3600

Product News A Day To Remember The Weather Station Bicep

PRINT EDITOR Paul French paul@furstmedia.com.au

Farhout Claud

A Day To Remember

Ironbark Drums NAMM Wrap-Up Guitar Column

PG .14

Bass Column Percussion Reviews Psychedelic Porn Crumpets

ONLINE EDITOR Will Brewster will@furstmedia.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGNER Erica May EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Andy Lloyd-Russell

The Weather Station

ADVERTISING MANAGER Paul French paul@furstmedia.com.au

PG. 16

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Patrick Carr patrick@furstmedia.com.au

/MIXDOWNMAGAZINE

@MIXDOWNMAGAZINE @MIXDOWNMAGAZINE MIXDOWNMAG.COM.AU For breaking news, new content and more giveaways visit our website.

Bicep PG. 18

CONTRIBUTORS Andy Lloyd-Russell, Nick Brown, Bridgette Baini, Brett Voss, David Tomisich, Benjamin Lamb, Liam Mcshane, Sam Mcneice, Adrian Violi, Alisdair Belling, Jack Swann, Lewis NokeEdwards, Phil Smith, August Billy, David James Young FOUNDER Rob Furst

ELECTRICAL SAFETY RECALL Line 6 Relay G10 Family of Products Yamaha Music Australia

IDENTIFICATION:

The product was distributed by Yamaha Music Australia and sold nationally in music stores between 29 March 2016 and 6 December 2019. The affected models are:

Line 6 Relay G10T Wireless Transmitter (Part No.: 98-033-0076) Line 6 Relay G10S Digital Wireless Guitar System (Part No.: 99-128-0301) Line 6 Relay G10 Digital Wireless Guitar System (Part No.: 99-123-0605) and Line 6 Relay G10T USB Charging Cable (Part No.: 98-033-0077)

DEFECT:

The transmitter’s internal battery may overheat or parts of the battery cover may separate while the device is being charged. Overheating or separation of the battery cover may lead to fire, burns, injury or property damage.

Custom cnc laser cut Custom handcrafted

HAZARD:

Risk of fire and injury

ACTION REQUIRED:

Consumers should immediately stop using the G10 Family of Products until a firmware update is performed. Instructions to complete the update can be found at www.line6.com/g10recall.

Consumers using the Line 6 Relay G10T USB Charging Cable should immediately stop using the charging cable and return it to Yamaha Australia for a full refund.

snare drums www.ironbarkdrums.com

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

sales@ironbarkdrums.com

See www.productsafety.gov.au for Australian product recall information

0409 301 299

For any queries concerning this recall please contact Yamaha Music Australia.

Call: 1300 739 390 or email: enquiries@yamaha.com.au

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Quality drum wraps

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GIVEAWAYS

JVB Strings Polymer Coated Strings Made in the heartland of musical instrument culture in the US for distribution in the Australian market, JVB Strings’ Polymer Coated guitar strings are perfect for players looking to enjoy a snappy tone without every worrying about snapping a string. They’re tough, feel great and sound even better, and we like them so much that we’ve got a whole box to give away to our readers for this issue.

Audio-Technica Creator Pack Pro Perhaps preempting the content creating craze that would sweep the world with the onset of COVID-19 last year, Audio-Technica’s Creator Pack was a massive hit upon launch, bundling a pair of ATH-M20X headphones with a microphone and desk stand for producers and podcasters to enjoy. They’ve now upgraded this bundle with the Creator Pack Pro, adding in a fancy new AT2020USB+ microphone to make your recordings even better still. Thanks to Audio-Technica Australia, we’ve got one of these killer bundles to give to one of our readers for this issue.

For your chance to win any of these prizes, head to our giveaways page at mixdownmag.com.au/giveaway and follow the instructions. *These giveaways are for Australian residents only and one entry per person. For full terms and conditions visit mixdownmag.com.au/terms-and-conditions

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TASH SULTANA STRATOCASTER®

The TASH SULTANA STRATOCASTER® in Transparent Cherry

©2020 Fender Musicial Instruments Corporation. FENDER, FENDER in script, STRATOCASTER, and the distinctive headstock commonly found on Fender Guitars and Basses are registered trademarks of FMIC. Yosemite is a trademark of FMIC. All rights reserved.

PRODUCT NEWS

Yamaha’s MSP3A monitors are the perfect home recording solution YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA | AU.YAMAHA.COM A successor to their popular MSP3 speakers, the new MSP3A monitor from Yamaha combines a 4″ woofer, 0.87″ tweeter and a 22-watt power amplifier to offer a sensational solution for bedroom producers. It’s also the company’s first studio monitor to feature Twisted Flare Port technology, cleaning up the definition of bass frequencies by minimising turbulent air flow at the front and back of the speaker port. Check them out in stores now.

Sterling by Music Man give the StingRay a short-scale makeover CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU Sterling by Music Man is now shipping their new short-scale take on the legendary StingRay bass, shrinking it down to an ultra-playable 30” all while retaining that iconic tone. With easier accessibility, a passive boost, a single humbucking pickup with higher output neodymium magnets and a 3-way rotary switch offering parallel, true single-coil and series modes for diverse tonal options, the Short Scale StingRay offers comfort without compromise, and is available now in Dropped Copper, Daphne Blue, and Olympic White finishes.

Meinl introduces new heavy cymbals to the Classics Custom Dark range

Gallien Krueger’s Series 4 Neo Bass Cabinets are coming soon

ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU

The new Series 4 Neo Bass Cabinet range from Gallien Krueger expands on the success of previous lines with an assortment of upgraded looks, construction and features. Constructed from lightweight plywood, each speaker box is fitted with damping material to absorb unwanted high frequencies, while custom Neodymium woofers make the tone of each cabinet far more punchy and efficient with greater power handling. They’re some of the most advanced GK bass cabs to date, and are slated to land in Australia midyear.

Meinl has continued to add cymbals to its popular and affordable Classics Custom range; Classics Custom Heavy Dark. The new line comprises six new models which are loud and heavy and perfect for drummers playing rock and metal. The new models are 14” Heavy Dark Hi-Hats, 16” and 18” Heavy Dark Crashes, 18” Heavy Dark China, 18” Heavy Dark Big Bell Ride and 20” Heavy Dark Ride, and should be arriving at all good Meinl Cymbal dealers in Australia in April 2021.

ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU

Fender unite with The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde on new signature Telecaster FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU

Kyser debut new Neon Capo collection CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU There’s no capo quite as malleable as the Kyser Quick-Change. For 2021, the Texas brand are spicing up their long-standing fretboard utility with the Neon Capo collection, adding four funky new neon models to their catalogue.

Available in Pink, Green, Orange and Yellow colours, all models are just as easy to use as Kyser’s regular Quick-Change line, and come with a signature lifetime guarantee to boot. Add one to your collection this summer.

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Marking their first Artist Signature model launch for 2021, Fender have officially released the Chrissie Hynde Telecaster, honouring the legacy of the Pretenders’ frontwoman. Based on her classic 1965 model, the guitar features an alder body and rosewood fretboard with vintage ‘50s-style picked and a six-barrel bridge, with modifications including a chrome mirror pickguard and locking tuners.

This one’s available now in the awesome Faded Ice Blue Metallic Road Worn finish - make sure to check it out!

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PRODUCT NEWS

Wavebone Studio Furniture introduce new products KOALA AUDIO | KOALAAUDIO.COM.AU Looking to upgrade your home studio setup this year? Wavebone Studio Furniture have unveiled a range of new products that’ll flip your home setup from project to professional in no time. As well as introducing a slick new white edition of their acclaimed Headquarter studio desk, they’ve also debuted the Gemini studio monitor desk stands, with their 360° rotatable platform and desk clamp offering both flexibility and sheer simplicity. Check them out today!

KRK embrace the bass with new S4 subwoofers

Audient spruce up the iD audio interface range

Audio-Technica launch the Creator Pack Pro

JANDS | JANDS.COM.AU

STUDIO CONNECTIONS | STUDIOCONNECTIONS.COM.AU

AUDIO-TECHNICA AUSTRALIA | AUDIOTECHNICA.COM.AU

Audient have upgraded their acclaimed iD14 and iD4 audio interfaces to a MkII format. In addition to their sleek black designs, these new models boast a dynamic range of 120dB and are now totally USB bus powered. Elsewhere, the iD14 MkII has received an additional headphone output and two more line outs, while the iD4 retains the single mic preamp and JFET DI of the original model. Find them at all good music retailers today.

A year after the massively successful launch of the Creator Pack - a bundle which obviously went bonkers over lockdown - Audio-Technica have doubled down on their winning package with the Creator Pack Pro. In addition to a pair of ATH-M20X headphones and a desktop boom arm, the Creator Pack Pro now boasts the AT2020USB+ microphone, offering a highquality upgrade to suit spoken and sung vocals alike. Grab yours today!

KRK Systems have launched the fourth generation of S series subwoofers for all you bass junkies out there. The new eight-inch KRK S8.4, ten-inch S10.4 and twelve-inch S12.4 subwoofers are expected to arrive in the first half of 2021, with new additions to the series including improved porting and low-frequency extension for superior phase response, plus a reduced overall size and enforced MDF enclosure to boot. Stay tuned to hear more soon.

JVB Polymer Coasted Strings are the sound of Australian music JVB STRINGS | JVBSTRINGS.COM.AU

Supro debut new Delta King guitar amplifiers DYNAMIC MUSIC | DYNAMICMUSIC.COM.AU A modified take on their recent Blues King series, the Supro Delta King range offers players with a choice of three small-scale valve amps, each voiced to output those classic gritty tones of the ’50s and ’60s. They’re wired with Class A circuity and each utilise a 12AX7 tube in the preamp section, with the Delta King 10 and 12 being fuelled by 6V6 and 6L6 power amp tubes respectively, and can be picked up in either black or tweed finishes.

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If you’re deadset on supporting Australian brands in the wake of the global pandemic, why not give JVB Strings’ Polymer Coated Strings a crack? These locally distributed strings are covered in a light layer of polymer to make them far more durable against corrosion, and last far longer without sucking the life out of your tone. Available in both acoustic and electric variants, get down to your local guitar shop to check out JVB’s string range today.

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A Day To Remember A Day To Remember solidified their place early on as one of the supreme rulers of the MySpace Emos.

Their rage-fuelled, angsty lyrics and super heavy breakdowns paired with pop-punk influences and catchy choruses meant their sound was accessible to an array of listeners.

As time has passed and fans have grown up, the band’s signature sound has become more refined and sophisticated, exploring different sounds and genres along the way and continuing to do so with their latest full-length record You’re Welcome.

Preemptively giving listeners the answer to their inevitable thank-yous, A Day To Remember’s You’re Welcome is the outcome of a gruelling writing process that just screams 2020. The genre bending album was supposed to be an opportunity for the band to showcase their talents and musical influences they’d picked up over the years.

It sounded great on paper, until the reality of the situation started to sink in. By recruiting a bunch of niche industry professionals for the mixing and mastering of the various songs, the usually simple forms of communication were forced into an online space and time slipped out from under them.

A Day To Remember vocalist Jeremy McKinnon recounts the frustrating process the band set for themselves with their new album.

“We had so many mixers for this record, because we’d bounce around genre wise so much with this album,” he explains.

“It made sense to go and find those people who excel at that type of music, but once again COVID hits and once again you’re talking to all these different mixers instead of just one. COVID just made everything take five times as long as it usually would.

“Normally you’re sitting with someone and you’re brainstorming, and you can be like, ‘yes, no, what

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about this?’ and it evolves, and you can find a solution immediately, as opposed to when you’re doing that over email, each individual idea or suggestion is an individual email. As you can imagine, when you add five band members opinions, multiple managers and record labels, there’s just a lot of people to go around to finalise everything, so it just added so much time.”

“There were no limitations to what we could’ve done, it was all just what we thought would be cool that day.”

The extra time spent was worth it: You’re Welcome is unlike anything we’ve heard from A Day To Remember so far. As we’ve seen so far from album singles such as ‘Resentment’ and ‘Degenerates,’ they still have songs with their iconic breakdowns and catchy choruses - a tried and tested formula. But listeners will be pleasantly surprised upon hearing the rest of the album; peppered throughout the track list are a number of truly special songs that drive the beloved band into exciting, uncharted territories.

“It was like, let’s write something that we’re influenced by, and if that’s a pop punk song then it’s a pop-punk song, and if it’s an acoustic ballad then it’s an acoustic ballad, if it’s a ‘90s praise song for Mexico then that’s what it is today,” explains McKinnon.

“So, it was very much like what were naturally inspired by that day and these were our favourites out of the 30 or 40 that were put together for the album. It was less based on this is what we needed to be, and it was more so what naturally happened and what were our favourites and that was You’re Welcome.

“Lyrically, it was just a mixture of whatever was happening that day that I walked into the writing session. When it comes to bouncing around genres, the idea of this record was, let’s just write a good song today.”

McKinnon compares the creative process of You’re Welcome to that of the band’s fifth album Common Courtesy - critically acclaimed as one of the band’s best records to date.

“We put out Common Courtesy in 2013, and I feel like that record had a similar response to how a lot of the songs on this are being accepted. I think Common Courtesy bounced around genres a little bit more than other records did. It was less of a breakdown in your face every song, and there were some songs on

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PAGE HEADER

there that were just songs and felt very much not like a normal pop punk song and could’ve tiptoed in more of a pop direction, and those happened naturally.”

“This record came about in the same way, like, let’s just get in a room and write whatever comes naturally to us because at the end of the day, that’s how the records that people know us for were created. There were no limitations to what we could’ve done, it was all just what we thought would be cool that day.”

Despite the band’s adventurous tendencies across You’re Welcome, McKinnon instates that A Day To Remember’s sound on the new record will still please old school fans, name-dropping a few influences that fed into the making of the new album.

“I never want to put together a record full of worse versions of songs we’ve already written, I want to write songs influenced by the same things that you haven’t heard us do yet. I think we still do that, like ‘Degenerates’ was a pretty normal pop-punk breakdown song but we used that EDM format where in the chorus the music kind of sucks out and builds to like a drop point, like a sub driving the melody of the music with the chorus and then it explodes into the riffy part. ‘Bloodsucker’ does something similar but it feels really heavy when it kicks in.”

As for the songs that stand out to McKinnon?

“I was always a big fan of ‘Resentment’,” he says. “‘Blood Sucker’ is also way up there for me, the way it fuses all the different elements of what we do is one of the best examples of it working very well—a rock band with the EDM format, but it’s a rock band.I think that was one of the songs where I think it flows and feels the best.

“We still very much have the same overall formula, which is A Day To Remember’s heavier rock sound mixed with pop elements, mixed with punk elements and we throw in a few other genres here and there every now and then too and that happens every album,” he says, “This album is very much still that, it’s just a few more different influences. For example, the song ‘Mindreader’ is more along the lines of No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom, like that type of punk instead of like, Rise Against. It still lives in the same world, it’s just not a song you’ve heard us play before.

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“My favourite song on the record would have to be ‘FYM’ or ‘Fuck You Money’. I’m a massive Tom Petty fan, and to me, that was my version of writing a Tom Petty type song but with modern production.

I’m really proud of that one.”

When the trajectory of our conversation started moving toward the inevitable subject of the pandemic and the state of the music scene, Jeremy’s carefree

manner dropped significantly. When asked if the band had any tours planned, his response was a simple, gut-wrenching negative. “No. Man. That is just so sad to say out loud.”

But where there may be heavy cloud of doubt, many of us have been able to find a silver lining and Jeremy McKinnon was no different. With a three-year-old daughter and a second child due in May, he found himself being able to spend time enjoying wholesome father and husband duties, rather than screaming his lungs out on stages across the world.

“It’s been a pretty big change. We had about half of last year lined up to be working so having that pulled out from under you is not advisable, but we had to adapt to what’s going on and, thankfully, this year already seems to be more hopeful, so hoping the world can get vaccinated and we can get back to some sense of normalcy,” he says with a hint of optimism.

“I’ve heard rumours of some kind of system to work on a scaled down version of shows that still keeps people safe, so we’ll see what that looks like.”

Who knows when the heck we’ll get international artists playing on our home turf, but for the time being A Day To Remember are fanging for our support on the new record.

“Check it out, share it with your friends, if you play music show us your covers of it. Share it however you want to share it, just participate. Get involved with a live stream that we do, anything helps.

“I think that the worst thing for any creative is just people not caring. So, any way you can show that you care, whatever that is to you.”

BY CIARA ALLEN

You’re Welcome is out on March 5 2021 via Fueled By Ramen.

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The Weather Station Ever since The Weather Station’s debut album, 2009’s The Line, Tamara Lindeman’s songwriting has sounded very assured.

But while no Weather Station record has been a disavowal of the sound of its predecessor, each has built upon the project’s folk roots in different ways.

The Canadian songwriter continues this trajectory on her new album, Ignorance – the most polished, rhythmic and poporiented The Weather Station record by a distance.

Through the rootsy acoustics of 2011’s All of It Was Mine to the full band drama of 2017’s The Weather Station, the kernel of appeal has been Lindeman’s complex, writerly approach to lyric composition. Past releases have centred on subjects such as faithfulness and faithlessness, feminist politics and the acceptance of love. On Ignorance, The Weather Station’s fifth album, Lindeman’s gaze turns to climate change and its entwinement with neoliberal economics.

“I used to think that I was settling on a sound that I would stay with for the rest of my life,” says Lindeman. “When I made All of It Was Mine, I remember turning to Dan [Romano, producer] and being like, ‘I’m going to do this forever now. This is it.’ But I think just each album needs to be different for me.

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“Most importantly, thematically it needs to be coming from a new place or else I just feel like I’m repeating myself. And then I think because each album comes from a different place emotionally, it makes sense to surround it with different music and a different sonic palette.”

A few significant events preceded the recording of Ignorance, which contributed to it being a more hi-fi, layered and sonically dense product. The success of The Weather Station meant that Lindeman had a bigger budget than on any previous project.

She was also writing songs on keyboard, not guitar, and created fleshed out demos before bringing the songs to a band.

“Even though the budget was small by international standards, to me it was just a little bit more than I’d ever had,” Lindeman says. “I actually did have a bit of a feeling of, ‘How do I know if I’ll ever have this again? I can’t just make a basement record with this money – I need to seize this opportunity and try to bring in musicians that inspire me and go for it.’”

It was still only seven days in the studio, but Lindeman didn’t fail to seize the opportunity.

She assembled a band of accomplished musicians including Kieran Adams from Diana on drums, Christine Bougie from Bahamas on guitar, Brodie West on saxophone and Ryan Driver on flute. The record also features long-time Weather Station bass player Ben Whiteley, Tegan and Sara keyboardist John Spence

and vital contributions from percussionist Philippe Melanson.

“I came up with a vision based on the rhythm and sometimes the bassline and aspects of the arrangement, then I started jamming with the band and shaped some of the ideas around them and some of the ideas I imposed on them,” Lindeman says.

“It was a really beautiful process of having a vision that was pretty complete and then putting the pieces into place to make it come true.”

A few tracks – namely ‘Tried to Tell You’, ‘Trust’ and ‘Subdivisions’ – were captured live in the studio with Lindeman singing with the band before adding a few select overdubs.

“I essentially had a core group – drums, bass, percussion, keys – that was very well rehearsed, we were ready,” Lindeman says. “And then there was a looser group that I layered on top of that – sax on one day, flute on another day and guitar on another. So it was a nice mix of people who I was asking to play a more rigid role in the record and then people who I was asking to improvise a bit more.”

After the initial seven-day tracking period, Lindeman and coproducer Marcus Paquin did a lot of subtractive editing where they would take out little pieces of what people played and leave other parts until they found the right balance. “I did some overdubs at home and then [we added] strings,” says Lindeman.

As beautiful and multifaceted

as the arrangements are on Ignorance, the standout components are Lindeman’s lyrics and vocal performances. None of the intimacy of her songwriting is lost in the bigger sound, but the stylistic shake-up did necessitate an altered approach to composing melodies.

On songs like ‘Robber’ and ‘Atlantic’, Lindeman’s lyrics are artful and sophisticated while also directly corresponding to the lives that we live. ‘Robber’ personifies industrialised society as a robber who has not just stolen our future, but also entangled us in the very material worship that has led to environmental destruction.

‘Atlantic’ centres on its narrator’s inability to enjoy a moment of pure beauty due to an awareness of the prevalence of brutality and suffering.

“I always feel more comfortable expressing a philosophical or emotional statement when I can pin it down to a moment,” Lindeman says. “‘Atlantic’ is pinned to a moment, just a moment of thought, and I think that’s my favourite thing to do because it feels like such a beautiful depiction of the way life is, where it’s like, a single moment can hold this enormous truth.”

BY AUGUST BILLY

Ignorance is out now through Fat Possum Records / Inertia Music.

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Bicep A global pandemic certainly doesn’t make for an ideal time to release an electronic record, but Bicep were never really ones to follow to the rules anyway, were they? With their new album Isles out now, we caught up with North Ireland’s resident rave lords Andy Ferguson and Matt McBriar to chat all things live sets, writing in the studio and their desert island synths.

You guys dropped the first single from the new album all the way back in April. Did you have to delay the album over the course of the year?

ANDY: The original release date was meant to be in September. As soon as we released ‘Atlas’, we kind of realised that we needed to rethink things, because a lot of the album rollout was based around our live shows, and if we didn’t have live shows, we really needed to rethink in terms of how well the release strategy would work.

MATT: But it was good on one hand, because we actually hadn’t fully finished mixing the album.

Are there any songs on the record that changed substantially in that kind of period that you had sitting on them?

MATT: Not really, but we did cut some. We’ve actually done remixes of a lot of the tracks on the album, so even though a lot of the songs on Isles are a bit more like broken beat, we’ve turned a lot of the tracks into techno versions for the live show. Most of the songs ended up having two versions: there’s the older album tracks, and then the club versions, which we’ll probably release later down the line.

Have you changed your live setup in the time between the last stream and this one?

ANDY: We’ve just added a couple more pieces to it.

You’re always tinkering with it, because there’s always one or two things you want to add. In the studio, we’ve got such a big chain of effects and compressors

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that we obviously can’t take on the road, and you need to kind of keep it as compact as possible.

For our new sets, I’ve brought out my modular stuff, and Matt’s got a couple more guitar pedals as well.

It’s sick how you guys rely on those old Boss pedals so much for all your live sets.

ANDY: They’ve got a vibe to them. They definitely are made for guitars, but then when you put synths through them, it gives them a bit of crustiness. They’re probably a bit too dirty for the studio, but it adds a nice gel to the whole live show.

Were there any other new pieces of gear that made it onto this album that weren’t there on the last one?

MATT: Lots. Deckard’s Dream, which we used pretty heavily for strings and stuff, as well as the Mode Machines ADX1, and there was a Jupiter 6 as well. We got the Intellijel Atlantis, which is kind of like a SH-101-style modular thing, and some filters which we used a lot on the drums. You ought to check our studio – we really need to start trimming it down. It’s gotten a bit out of control!

How much of what you’re doing is in the box? Are you guys just onto hardware now?

ANDY: We record everything straight in and do a little EQ-ing to clean stuff up inside the box, but we’ve started using hardware compressors a lot more. For this album, we tried to focus on

recording stuff pretty wet, and use big effects chains to get it right on the day, which is something we want to move towards so we don’t have to use anything in the box at all.

Fill me in on your writing process. Is it just you guys based around all the machines and going around sequencing things, kind of writing by just jamming on all the hardware?

MATT: Yeah, but we would often sit down with a piano and spend ages just getting a set of chords, and once we’ve got the chords we’ll move across to the gear and start sending it out to stuff. We’d try and sit down and write them as a musical backbone, and once we’d worked that out, we could write our bass lines around it.

Each day in the studio is different, but it’s nearly always based on the hardware. There’s two of us, and we’ve found that it’s a lot easier with two people if you’ve got something you can play with hands-on, rather than sort of hunched over a computer, you know?

Last question: if you had to be stuck on a desert island with a drum machine and a synth each, what would you choose?

ANDY: TR-808 and SH-101.

MATT: TR808 and SH-101, 100%. There’s no competition! You can literally put the 808 on any track - to me, it’s just amazing. And the SH-101 - we’ve got both of ours modded so they take MIDI, as well as an FM oscillator and distortion and drive, plus the pulse-width modulation has got loads of different extras added. Once you’ve got the pimped SH-101, it’s like having 40 synths in one.

Isles is out now via Ninja Tune.

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At Home.

Anywhere.

BUILT FOR BIG THINGS Jacob Stibbie | Lead Guitar | Abstract Feedback

INTRODUCING THE NEW ZOOM G6 MULTI-EFFECTS PROCESSOR With state of the art amp modeling, powerful multi effects, and a touch screen interface, the G6 delivers what you need to take your sound with you, anywhere you go.

We’re For Creators

®

Farhot Kabul Fire Vol. 2 is the new solo album from German Afghan producer Farhot.

It’s more than seven years since the series’ previous instalment – Kabul Fire Vol. 1 – which was Farhot’s debut solo album.

The Hamburg-based producer runs the corresponding Kabul Fire record label and publishing company and has produced tracks for artists such as Isaiah Rashad, Selah Sue and Talib Kweli. This has occupied the majority of his time in the years between albums, but Vol. 2 has been gradually taking shape.

The boom bap inspired ‘Pul’ was actually intended for inclusion on Vol 1.

“We tried a very spectacular rap combo on that song that didn’t happen,” says Farhot. “After that, Action Bronson took the beat and recorded to it and that didn’t happen. After that was Nas and I was very excited about that, but that also didn’t happen. I find that a little funny, but I’m very happy. To me that’s my favourite hip hop beat that I’ve ever made.”

Farhot’s production style take cues from expert beat makers Madlib and J Dilla as well as Portishead and Quakers’ Geoff Barrow and the sampledelic sounds of The Avalanches. But Kabul Fire Vol. 2 isn’t a wholesale immersion in hip hop to the exclusion of all else.

Farhot – whose real name is Farhad Samadzada – derives significant influence from the culture of his homeland, Afghanistan, which he left as a child more than 30 years ago. There are samples from numerous Afghan films on the album as well as various motifs inspired by Afghan modal concepts.

“What I released so far as Farhot was always like, ‘Okay I have that material on the side, I can put it out, it’s not that much of a big deal,’” he says. “I thought for volume two that was going to be the same, but it became a very personal album to me because I had time and was digging into Afghan film history and what I found there was gold.

“After I had that angle, [I was] digging deeper and trying to shine a light on art that has been there in the past, but people forget about – great films and great music. That was very inspiring to me.”

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Farhot and his family moved to Germany in the 1980s after fleeing the Soviet-Afghan War. Some of his extended family resettled in the US and it was during a trip to see them in the 1990s that Farhot was introduced to hip hop artists such as LL Cool J and NWA. Farhot has never been able to return to Afghanistan, but his connection with Afghan people and culture is strengthened through his artistic endeavours.

“Afghan language, Dari, is the first that I spoke,” he says. “After that German came and as a kid you realise more and more, ‘Okay this is two cultures,’ and you go through different phases. Sometimes you try to be something different, but you are different, people see you as different.

“With this album I was looking back and appreciating where I come from. I was trying to connect with people who made art in Afghanistan. I was very happy that I made personal contact with one of those filmmakers and he allowed me to use his films. It’s [about] reconnecting.”

Along with the sampled film audio, the album features guest vocals from rappers and vocalists JuJu Rogers and Nneka (‘Check’) and Tiggs Da Author and Maverick Sabre (‘Feel Ugly’). “‘Feel Ugly’, that song happened a couple of years back when Ms. Dynamite came. She brought Maverick Sabre to help her out on some writing and then he heard something that I made in ten minutes and he was so inspired

that he freestyled. So everything you hear on ‘Feel Ugly’ by Maverick Sabre is a freestyle and first take.

“Maybe a year later I had Tiggs Da Author from Tanzania, he’s living in London now. He heard it and he just fell in love with it. I’m very proud that I’m part of a song like that. I love how pure and honest they are on ‘Feel Ugly’.”

Both the Berlin-based MC Juju Rogers and Nigerianborn vocalist Nneka are Farhot’s close friends.

“Making music with [Rogers] is very easy. Nneka, I’ve been making music with her for over 15 years, but on all my artist projects she never was a part of [them].

I played her what I did so far with Juju Rogers, she jumped on it and loved it.”

Farhot’s methods for initiating a production vary. It could stem from a drum loop, a sampled vocal or a scratchy recording of some piano chords.

“I’m trying to find something that inspires me to continue,” he says. “Now that I have a kid, I’m spending more time at home so I play just piano and make iPhone recordings. Actually the album starts with an iPhone recording. So the piano you hear in the beginning [of ‘Bale Bale’], that’s recorded on iPhone.”

The track ‘Sampling Watana’ features a spoken word piece by fellow Hamburg-based Afghan artist Moshtari - one which perfectly surmises the magic of sampling as a sonic artform.

“She’s a visual artist and activist and she was helping me out a lot on Kabul Fire Vol. 2, helping me with the titles, with the transcriptions in Arabic language. On ‘Sampling Watana’, it’s the first time someone explains what I do with my music. That blew me away.

“This album pretty much is collaging, because I take bits and pieces from here, from there and I put them together. She sums it up really in a good way.”

BY AUGUST BILLY Kabul Fire Vol. 2 is out now via Caroline Australia / Kabul Fire Records.

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©2020 Fender Musicial Instruments Corporation. FENDER, FENDER in script, STRATOCASTER, and the distinctive headstock commonly found on Fender Guitars and Basses are registered trademarks of FMIC. Yosemite is a trademark of FMIC. All rights reserved.

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Claud Growing up on the outskirts of Chicago, emerging dream-pop sensation Claud’s formative years were shaped by a slew of different musical genres and interesting people that clearly defined a path away from everyone else.

“My dad was super into rock, like The Who, The Rolling Stones and The Police. I gravitated towards that kind of music, and that’s what got me to pick up a guitar,” Claud says.

Claud’s love for creating happened a little differently than other artists, it happened back in school, as a “form of rebellion against sports.”

“I took a trial keyboard lesson, and the teacher showed me a Feist song, I fell in love with that song and that type of music, and then that was it for me.”

This vast love of acts from Feist to The Who is undoubtedly evident in Claud’s work on their debut album Super Monster, presenting 13 vastly different tracks that somehow weave into one another seamlessly to make for a sensational listen.

“When I was writing it, I didn’t have in mind I was writing a record until the very end,” Claud says of their unlikely creative process.

“What was really important to me about this record is that every song could stand on its own … I didn’t want to think about it as a

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cohesive process until the end.”

On top of this vast spread of influences, Claud also attributes a lot of their dreamy sound to classic coming-of-age movie soundtracks.

“I watched a lot of John Hughes movies growing up … We naturally gravitated towards watching them like Home Alone, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and The Breakfast Club of course. Those soundtracks had a huge influence on me for sure.”

The old school influences that informed Super Monster didn’t just end with the songwriting, with Claud describing the lengths they went to in the studio to encapsulate the nostalgic hues of the record.

“We used some older pianos, and a couple of cool vintage microphones. It was recorded in a modern way, but made to feel like you were listening on a record player.”

Super Monster also marks the first ever release on Saddest Factory, a brand new record label run by renowned singer-songwriter, Phoebe Bridgers. Despite Bridger’s own rising influence within the independent scene, Claud notes that there was a little bit of hesitation about moving onto a label.

“It wasn’t hesitation with signing onto Saddest Factory, it was hesitation with signing to a label in general,” they say. “I was really excited to sign to Phoebe’s label.

I still have full creative control, I was worried about losing that, essentially.”

“It took me two or three years to decide whether or not I actually wanted to sign to any label, and then when Phoebe reached out around a year ago, it felt like a pretty natural decision.”

Phoebe’s input into Super Monster wasn’t just on the business and A&R side, with Claud noting a number of creative contributions to the project as well.

“She definitely has a lot of creative input, but the record was pretty much completely recorded and mixed by the time I signed, so a lot of her help went towards visual roll out and stuff like that.”

In addition to spotlighting Claud’s own songwriting, Super Monster is jam-packed with cameo appearances from acts like Clairo, Nick Hakim and guitar virtuoso Melanie Faye, as well as Blu DeTiger, Noa Getzug, Josh Mehling and Jake Portrait of Unknown Mortal Orchestra. They were all involved in some way during the creation of the album, and brought in so they could each carry a certain flair in areas that Claud needs.

“I try to bring people in where I feel I’m lacking in, so if I start a song, and I just can’t get the chorus down, I’ll think, ‘Who’s really good at catchy melodies that I can all up?’ and I’ll get some help with that.”

“When I started the album process, I really didn’t know how to produce music that well, so a lot of my production was highly collaborated on. Towards the ends of the process, I was almost able

to completely produce a song myself!”

An artist born into and shaped by the digital world, Claud’s adaptation into an all-tech life in 2020 while preparing Super Monster wasn’t much of a big change.

“I have a lot of internet friends, so it’s pretty normal for me to have an entire friendship that just exists online,” they say.

“I think since the record is a collection of songs over the last few years, the pandemic affected the process, but I was so in it already that it just relocated me, it didn’t really stop my flow creatively. It actually made working remotely normal,” Claud laughs.

These “collection of songs” on Super Monster clearly means a lot to Claud, with the young artist describing exactly what they want listeners to get out of the album.

“For those who are going through heartbreak; it’s a little comfort and reminder that they’re not alone, and that my music is there for them. And for somebody that hopes to fall in love one day, who’s never found it yet, who knows it’s out there but is just waiting for it, I want to give them hope that it is out there.”

BY BENJAMIN LAMB

Super Monster is out now via Saddest Factory.

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SOUND EXTRAORDINARY A LEGEND THAT CUTS THROUGH THE NOISE.

SM58

Dynamic Vocal Microphone Made to handle voice with clarity and care, the uniform cardioid polar pattern reproduces every note as it was intended. And it leaves background noise behind. On any stage — from the club

Distributed by

show to the stadium — the SM58 delivers warm, crisp sound, time after time.

www.jands.com.au

FEATURE some restore jobs on friends kits and looked at re-wrapping but was shocked on the prices of wrap so I sourced wrap from china and built a CNC cutter, now I can provide the cheapest wrap around.

Fill us in on all the details of your drum wraps.

What materials and methods do you use to create them?

All our wraps are sourced from a china manufacturer that supplies drum companies in China. Its 0.5mm thick PVC drum wrap.

Tell us about some of the colours and finishes available from Ironbark Drums. Is there a set range of wraps to choose from, or do you offer bespoke designs for custom appointments as well?

Ironbark Drums Looking to give your drum-kit a bit of a facelift for the new year of playing? There’s no better way to go about this than with a set of drum wraps from Ironbark Drums - one of Australia’s best bang-for-buck custom wrap companies.

We caught up with founder Rob Barratt for a quick rundown of what’s on offer from Ironbark and exactly what is the deal with drum wraps in general.

Give us a brief rundown of Ironbark Drums.

What motivated you to launch the business, and what do you do with Ironbark on a day to day basis?

Ironbark drums is a drum wrap supply business, we custom CNC laser cut all wraps to customer requirements, we also make custom stave block snare drums. I started the business after doing

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We currently only have 16 different colours, mostly popular sparkles a few solid colours and some really nice wood grain finishes, we cannot reproduce or manufacture wraps.

How do you apply Ironbark wraps to your drum kit? Will the wraps be installed permanently on a kit, or can they be easily removed?

Wraps can be installed via two different methods. There’s Permanent contact adhesive, which is permanent and difficult to remove.

We recommend water based adhesive as some solvent-based adhesives may damage the wrap.

Otherwise, you can use double sided tape on the end of the wrap, this offers an easy installation method, can be placed over existing wrap and can be changed easily and wont risk damage to the plywood shells.

Ironbark drums does not install the wraps,

we cut and supply only, we do offer plenty of advice and tips to install them.

In addition to creating drum wraps, Ironbark Drums also builds bespoke snare drums. What kind of timbers do you like to work with for these kinds of custom jobs?

We build bespoke stave block snare drums, sizes can range from 12-15” width and 4-8” depth Timber choices I like to use are, Spotted Gum, Tassie Oak, Red Ironbark, Purple Heart, Jarrah and Black Butt.

Each timber has its own unique tonal voice and each has its pro’s and con’s to work with, eg, Black Butt and Jarrah has a lot of gum veins and Spotted gum and Ironbark is extremely hard timber. Prices can vary depending on hardware options.

How can we get in touch with Ironbark Drums to check out images of your wraps and find out more about what you offer?

Go to our website and check out the gallery page, there are plenty of customer’s kits on there.

To order, go to the online order page, select the type of drum, eg Bass Drum, then select color, sizing, drum type (single headed concert tom or standard double head tom), and double sided tape option. We also offer a replacement guarantee, even if you stuff it up on install we are happy to replace free of charge. Our aim is for each customer to look at their finished kit and say, “that’s what I wanted.”

Head to www.ironbarkdrums.com.au to get in touch with Rob and find out more.

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_PolyBrute A new kind of polyphonic analog synth.

Imagine a polyphonic synth with the Brute factor.

Imagine a sound existing in two states simultaneously within a single preset, seamlessly morphing between them with instant performance controls.

Imagine PolyBrute.

PAGE HEADER

THE

REPORT

EARTHQUAKER DEVICES

ASHDOWN ENGINEERING

Astral Destiny

NF-1 & NF-2 Monitors

Akron, OH stompbox scientists EarthQuaker Devices have debuted their first release of 2021 in the form of the Astal Destiny; an octave/reverb pedal with a tonne of modulation options under the hood.

Ashdown Engineering dipping their toes into the world of studio monitors might come as a bit of a surprise, but the iconic bass amplification brand’s awesome new NF-1 and NF-2 nearfield monitors certainly make it look like they’ve been in the game for years.

The unit features eight reverb algorithms - Abyss, Shimmer, Sub, Sub Shimmer, Astro, Ascend, Descend and Cosmos - that range from producing cavernous reverb trails through to shimmer-verb, upwards and downwards pitch bending, sparkling fifths and more.

The Astral Destiny also allows for eight presets to be stored onboard, letting you easily recall patches for use live in and in the studio.

Onto the knobs now can control the effect section of Astral Destiny by tweaking controls for Length, Depth, Rate, Tone and Mix, while

a momentary Stretch footswitch can be used to double the length of the effect and control the pitch of the signal.

Whether you’re using this to colour your guitar tone onstage or you’re treating it as a studio tool to mangle synths or samples, the EarthQuaker Devices Astral Destiny seems like an essential addition to any ambient setup, and we can’t wait to get our mitts on it.

Taking sonic and visual design cues from the BBC’s legendary Rogers LS3 and LS5 broadcast monitors, these new NF-1 and NF-2 monitors boast twin 120-watt Class A/B amplifiers with built-in optical compression and subsonic filters to protect the speakers from harsh noise peaks.

They promise to provide a full frequency response for use in small to medium control rooms, while their sealed construction should ensure these speakers sound great no matter where they’re placed.

RADIAL

SSL

JX42 V2, JX44 V2 & EXTC Stereo

UF8

For this year’s remote edition of NAMM, Canadian DI wizards Radial Engineering have announced a trio of pro audio products that should serve useful to any studio or live guitar setup. The JX42 V2 provides guitarists with a 1U rack-mount amp switcher, with four buffered guitar inputs, two tuner outputs and two amp outputs allowing for noise-free switching for use in live scenarios.

Oxford audio icons Solid State Logic have launched further into the world of digital production with the UF8; a sophisticated DAW controller to streamline your studio workflow.

Radial have also shared details of the JX44 V2, which adds two amplifier outputs, a master mute control, polarity switching, ground listing and a stereo effects loop.

This should prove perfect for any guitarist running a larger rig who just needs a few extra bells and whistles to get by.

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Last but not least is the EXTC Stereo, a twin channel re-amper and pedal interface that looks to streamline your re-amping process. It features stereo inputs and outputs with seperate gain controls for both inputs and outputs, and will please any seasoned studio hound.

With eight colour displays for channel and 100mm touchsensitive faders and encoders on each strip, the UF8 is also loaded with an array of assignable backlit buttons for uninhibited hands-on control.

Powered by SSL’s new 360 control software, the UF8 can easily be set up to deal with multiple controller configurations, as well as shortcut presets and more.

Users can scroll through five banks of eight user keys and three quick keys with a multi-purpose channel

Each unit is fitted with soft-dome tweeters and five-inch woofers – the NF-1 houses one woofer, while the suitably named NF-2 packs two – and forgo bass ports in favour of closed housings to minimise any build-up.

encoder for easy tweaks, while mouse scroll emulation should suit those who’ve spent years working inside the box.

What’s more, up to four UF8s can be chained up together to function as 32-channel SSL control surface, presenting a formidable working platform for any producer or engineer.

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VOX

ROLAND

Among a slew of new announcements from Vox this year include a run of updated Bobcat electric guitars, which feature Bigsby tremolo systems and slick finishes to offer a unique take on the tried-and-true semihollow format.

Combining a TR step sequencer with 16 MPC-style pads, the new Roland Verselab MV-1 offers both drum and melodic sequencing in a standalone groovebox format, with more than 3000 ZENcore drum, bass, lead and pad sounds included.

There’s two different models on offer – the soapbox-equipped V90 and the single coil S66 – with each model featuring a maple plywood body and spruce centre block, with other appointments including a mahogany neck and Indonesian ebony fretboard. Both new Bobcat models are available in Jet Black and Blue Sapphire finishes.

Users can stack up to four drum tracks, with the first three being dedicated to kick, snare and hi-hat and the fourth being allocated to the drum pads for further programming. For melodic tracks, users can layer a single bass track, two instrument tracks and an audio track designed for recording vocals or other audio sources, which can be recorded via the inbuilt microphone or an external model of your choice.

Bobcat Guitars

For single coil fanatics, the S66 features three pickups with

NAMM REPORT

Verselab MV-1

independent tone and volume controls, letting you tap into six different tonal possibilities: neck and bridge, middle and neck, middle and bridge, middle only, neck only, and bridge. Meanwhile, the V90 plays safe and offers two wide range soapbar pickups, with a three-way pickup selector toggle and two tone and volume knobs a piece.

There’s also a handful of effects like auto-pitch, harmoniser, radio and doubler to help colour your recordings should you please.

Other features include MIDI I/O, dual headphone jacks, stereo 1/4″ inputs and outputs and USB/ battery power.

ZOOM

YAMAHA

G6 Multi-Effects

YC73 + YC88 Stage Keyboards

Last year, Zoom launched a brand new multi-effects powerhouse in the form of the G11: a featurepacked modelling monster that sought to solve all your tonal woes.

Utilising Yamaha’s Virtual Circuit Modelling (VCM) technology to perfectly emulate the response of an organ, the YC73 and YC88 feature a healthy assortment of vintage piano models and modern synth tones alike.

Now, Zoom have revealed that their compact, feature-packed G6 Multi-Effects Pedal will receive a worldwide launch in 2021, with Australian players being able to get their hands on one some time this May. Users can access an impressive 70 impulse responses, 135 effects and 68 rhythm patterns, with sounds ranging from classic amp and effects models through to intricately mic’d cabs and beyond.

Controlled by a 4.3″ touchscreen with drag-and-drop signal chain, the G6 boasts room for 240 user

patches and features the nifty addition of an infinite looper with up to two hours of record time when using an SD card. Other features include a USB port for easy recording, plus wireless control via an optional Bluetooth adapter and more. We can’t wait!

AWM technology lets you easily tap into classic acoustic and electric pianos, plus strings, brass and analogue and FM synthesis, with two effects sections also on offer. Meanwhile, on the organ side, nine drawbars offer comprehensive tonal control, with a smattering of buttons letting you tweak percussion and vibrato to your liking.

Players can split the Organ and Keys sections to play two unique

PRS

STERLING BY MUSIC MAN

2021 SE Range

Mariposa

Once considered as the ‘budget’ side of the PRS family, the SE range has continued to get better and better on a yearly basis.

Back in 2019, Ernie Ball Music Man took the guitar world by storm with the launch of the Mariposa; an illustrious signature guitar crafted alongside revered At The Drive-In and The Mars Volta mastermind Omar Rodriguez-Lopez.

2021 looks to be no different for the SE range, kicking off with an overhaul of the long-standing Zach Myers signature model, which is now finished in the Myers Blue scheme and boasts and a figured maple headstock veneer in the same finish.

PRS will also update their beloved SE Custom 24 with a shallow violin body carve to make playing a little more comfortable, while the Custom 24-08 also makes its debut in the SE range, adding two

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toggle switches to coil-split the guitar’s humbuckers.

There’s also a bunch of new finishes available, namely Tobacco Sunburst to the PRS SE P20 Parlor acoustics and Faded Blue Wraparound for the SE Kingfisher bass. All in all, something for everybody.

For NAMM 2021, Sterling by Music Man - Ernie Ball’s budgetfriendly spin off brand - launched their own take on the Mariposa to appeal to those with a little less bread to bank on. Available in Dorado Green and Imperial White, these new Sterling models swap out the okoume body of the Music Man originals in favour of nyatoh, with a roasted maple neck,

patches simultaneously, and there’s even the option to plug in another MIDI keyboard to the unit for a two keyboard approach to performance. For those who prefer the feel of an acoustic piano, the YC88 is loaded with natural wood keys that feature triplesensor action and ivory key tops, whereas the YC73 presents itself as a versatile all-rounder with its balanced keys.

rosewood fretboard and vintage tremolo also being included.

The Sterling by Music Man Mariposa also features two custom-voiced humbuckers wired to two individual volume knobs, while a three-way toggle switch lets you flick between tones with ease.

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FENDER CUSTOM SHOP

AUDIENT

Fender used NAMM 2021 to showcase a bunch of new signature models, but nothing trumps the awe-inspiring Mike McCready 1960 Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster; a pinpoint recreation of the Pearl Jam lead guitarist’s own vintage guitar.

UK-based audio mainstays Audient have upgraded their acclaimed iD14 and iD4 interfaces to a MK II format, reinstating their status as a must-have for bedroom producers on a budget.

Mike McCready 1960 Stratocaster

A limited edition run that will consist of a mere 60 units, this Masterbuilt model is crafted by the Custom Shop’s Vincent Van Trigt, who meticulously recreated every single scratch, scuff and scrape of McCready’s own iconic instrument. The guitar features a flat-sawn maple neck with a 1960 ‘oval C’ profile and a flat-lam rosewood fretboard, with a Relic lacquer finish coating its twopiece select alder body.

Custom hand-wound Josefina pickups are wired to a five-way switch with a treble bleed tone capacitor, while a Callaham bridge block, bone nut, vintage synchronised tremolo and threeply vinyl pickguard round out this incredible instrument.

iD4 and iD14 MK II Audio Interfaces

These new models, which feature a slick blacked-out aesthetic, each boast an extended dynamic range of 126dB for DACs and 120dB for ADCs, which will improve both recording and output quality as well as making A-D and D-A conversion a breeze. Both interfaces are now totally bus powered, with the iD14 MkII and iD4 MkII making use of USB 3.0 and USB-C respectively, and ADAT and S/PDIF optical inputs are also bundled in as well.

PAISTE

PIONEER

Signature Cymbal Series

DJM-S7 2-Channel Mixer

Back in 1989, Paiste debuted the Signature Series of cymbals, utilising a specifically designed Bronze alloy known as ‘Signature Alloy’ to tap into a range of rich sounds for delicate and destructive drummers alike, finding fans in the likes of Slipknot’s Joey Jordison, Tool’s Danny Carey, Rage Against The Machine’s Brad Will and John Dolmayan of System of a Down.

The art of scratching vinyl mightn’t bear as much cultural gravitas as it once did, but that’s not to say that there aren’t a whole community of scratching DJs out there in need of a battle mixer.

After celebrating the 30th anniversary of the range in 2019 with a limited run of light cymbals, Paiste have now reintroduced the Signature series for 2021, bringing the classic tones of the range back for a new generation of players.

The range, consisting of the 19” & 20” Power Crash, 20” & 22” Power Ride, 14” & 15” Power Hi Hi-Hat and the 14” Heavy Hi-Hat, is also bolstered with the new addition of the 22” Mellow Ride, a larger version of their popular light ride cymbal.

Designed to be used with either Serato DJ Pro or Rekordbox, the Pioneer DJ DJM-S7 two-channel mixer features two USD audio interfaces to make battling and changeover swift and simple. A large Marvel Fader Pro crossfader sits pretty in the centre of the mixer to make all those scratching acrobatics a breeze, with its rigid build quality ensuring you’ll never cause any damage with your frenetic actions.

In addition to featuring a three-

KURZWEIL

MACKIE

K2700 Workstation

Onyx Analogue Mixers

Packing a mind-blowing 256 voices of polyphony and powered by an updated version of the brand’s Variable Architecture Synthesis Technology, the Kurzweil K2700 functions as an all-in-one keyboard to suit all sounds and styles.

For NAMM 2021, the brand have revealed a new run of Onyx mixers, updating them with a range of modern appointments to ensure their legendary status lives on.

The K2700 offers both virtual analogue and FM synth capabilities, with its 4.5GB sound library featuring 1,500 factory presets that range from classic pianos and synth models through to brass, strings, guitars, drums and more. There’s also an abundance of reverb, delay, Leslie speaker, chorus, flanger, distortion, compressor and phaser effects, while a global Master FX section

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allows for hands-on control with a three-band EQ and compression.

Elsewhere, the Kurzweil K2700 features eight trigger pads, nine sliders, nine knobs, ten buttons and a ribbon switch - all of which are fully programmable to your liking - while a 16 track sequencer lets you create elaborate compositions without even reaching for your mouse.

NAMM REPORT

The new range consists of four unique models – the Onyx 8, Onyx 12, Onyx 16 and Onyx 24 – with each number designating the amount of channels offered by each unit. All units feature a threeband Perkins EQ for each channel that’s modelled on classic British EQs from the ’60s and ’70s, as well as a collection of low-noise Onyx preamps with up to 60dB of gain on tap.

Users can record up to 24 tracks of audio at 24-bit/96kHz from the Onyx mixer series via USB, with

Elsewhere, the iD14 MkII has received an additional headphone output and two more line outs as well as its two JFET instrument and Class-A microphone inputs, making it suitable for stereo recordings. The iD4, on the other hand, packs a single microphone and JFET instrument input, as well as single headphone output.

band EQ, each channel on the DJM-S7 hosts a LPF/HPF filter and trim, with 22 Beat FX (with tap tempo) allowing for colourful transitions between tracks. 16 RGB-backlit performance pads (eight per deck) are included for you to assign hot cues, loops, rolls and samples, while a larger load button means you’re unlikely to ever fumble your way between tracks.

four additional channels also being able to stream back from your recording computer through an assignable return. You can even track a stereo mix directly to an SD card, and there’s also a bunch of onboard digital effects to assign to each channel, offering a perfect solution for performing, practising and podcasting applications alike. mixdownmag.com.au

PAGE HEADER

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COLUMNS

GUITAR

Creative Comping

Lead lines, bends and shredding are great, but as a guitarist, you’re going to spend a lot of time playing rhythm as well, and this is something that often takes a back seat when it comes to practice.

Guitarists may know a heap of ways to solo over a certain chord progression, but then they only know one or two voicings of each chord - what!?!

Learn more inversions Let’s take a G Major chord (Figure A). Most people will know the open G shape and possibly a G barre chord in the 3rd fret. How about the rest of these voicings though? Getting to know the notes in each chord (G B D in the case of G Major) and then knowing your notes around the fretboard gives the knowledge to find/create

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these all over the neck. Imagine the possibilities then when you work through Major and minor chords, and then extensions like dom7, min9 and sus4 e!

This means that the next time you have a simple song and you want to move away from the standard chord shapes you always play, you’ll have options that give you a different sound and perhaps inspire some different ideas. It might also fill some gaps so you don’t have to jump frets to get to the next chord - there might already be a voicing near where you are.

Furthermore, if you’re playing with two chordal instruments in a band you might want to split the parts into one playing lower big voicings, and the other playing

small higher sounds. This can create a nice contrast, you won’t step on each other’s toes and avoids the potentially super mushy everyone playing in the same range sound.

Figure B takes a common chord progression - G D Em C - with the first two bars using standard barre chords and 3 and 4 taking a smaller three-note approach.

These might feel a little skimp next to the barre chords, but can also sound punchy due to their simplicity. Next, try bars 5 and 6 for higher three-note voicings that sit above those barre chords - perfect for the two guitar band setup.

The next step would be then to create some rhythmic contrast.

Let’s make Figure C our first rhythm part with big jangly barre

chords played as minims, and then take our higher voicings and add some rhythmic ideas (Figure D).

Playing on the 2 and then on the 3+ works as a call and answer to the first guitar part (Figure C), and the combination of the rhythm and the higher voicings complements the first guitar part while creating contrast - add in variations, rinse, repeat. Now think how many variations you could come up with voicings and rhythm!

The moral of the story from these ramblings? Add some chords and chord voicings to your arsenal! It will give you options for different sounds. Next time we’ll stretch these ideas further!

BY NICK BROWN

mixdownmag.com.au

COLUMNS

BASS

Three Ways To Speed Up Your Progress

Many musicians cruise along doing whatever and just working on things here and there, and often get frustrated at a lack of progress and wonder why they aren’t improving. We all know there aren’t any real shortcuts when it comes to improving as a musician, but here are three great ideas that can help focus your playing and get quicker results.

Get some structure I’m all for digging deep musically and diving between as many styles as you like. However, sustained practice on a single area is one of the best ways to really achieve results.

This might include making a list with some practice topics and keeping track of your playing and time spent learning, while for others, it could be just playing the

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instrument for at least 20 minutes each day. Whatever it is, actually writing down this structure and making a plan can be enough to keep it relevant and in your mind.

Get feedback Yes, listening to yourself playing is good. Unfortunately, really paying attention is often harder than you think. Of course you can hear what you’re doing, but the reality is that it’s really hard to hone in on your technique with great detail whilst physically playing the instrument. ‘Feels and Reals’ is a term used in some sports coaching to differentiate between the ‘feel’ of what you’re doing and you are ‘really’ doing. Plus, as soon as you’ve played a phrase it’s often gone from your memory.

So, what’s the answer? Record yourself! It sounds so obvious, but

how often do you actually record yourself practicing and listen back with a critical ear? Time, articulation, tone - all of these are great to zero in on to hear if you’re sounding how you think you are when you’re playing It doesn’t need to be a pro level recording DAW setup to get it done: record practice sessions on your phone, set up a little rig for gigs, rehearsals, whatever. So many great players have done this as a way of analysing their own playing and then refining what they don’t like.

Be accountable A good teacher is quite possibly the best thing you could do for your playing. This is someone that can help with the previous two points, as well as giving you relevant material to work on and

be someone that can inspire your development.

I still think you can’t beat a dedicated teacher (in person or online) that you see regularly to make you accountable. Hopefully they inspire you to practice and you feel the drive to do the work for yourself. Share ideas with them, rehearse with them, share your practice routine and get them to check in on your progress. Having the extra push to do the work can make a huge difference. If the end game for you is to improve, put some processes in place to help it really happen!

BY NICK BROWN

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ADVICE COLUMNS

PERCUSSION

How Much Gear Is Too Much Gear?

I’m going to discuss a problem with you. This particular predicament of mine will apply to all musicians and not just drummers. How much gear is too much gear? Some would literally through the milkshake at me and say, “…are you serious? What kind of a question is that?”, which would indicate that no amount is ever too much. However, there’s another part to this predicament of mine that I wish to - unashamedly - drag you into. What if you’re not actually using any of the gear and crucially (but also, honestly) you don’t truly love it anymore?

But I actually need this…

Let’s take my current collection of gear and discuss this matter further. I’ve convinced myself that I need all this stuff by the way.

I recently sold a circa late 90s Premier Genista drum kit. It was a lovely silver sparkle six-piece with a matching snare. I bought it around seven years ago and the reason for this? A), it was a bargain and B), I needed a birch kit as everything else I had was maple. I needed the birch kit you see.

Did I?!? Absolutely not. I just saw the thing, remembered the brand and model from my childhood as being a pro kit that was awesome and therefore talked myself into it. I used it for a bit, got too used to it and then didn’t gig it again

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for years. When I moved to a new house, it transported it. I stored it and then stored other stuff around it and on it went.

I have a mid-late 2000s Japanese Yamaha Maple Custom six-piece.

Bought it blind! However, this was my gigging workhorse for many years but was never perfectly happy with it. I also have a 1998 Sleishman, which was my first real kit – a powerhouse thing with square sizes – 10x10, 12x12, 14x14 and a monstrous 20x20 cannon for a bass drum. I used it all the way through university until, the lack of factory designed hardware drove me insane as did the sizes and I bought the Yamaha, which had hardware designed for it until the bass drum felt too big for every gig. So, at one point it was the Sleishman, the Yamaha and then the Premier. None of them did it perfectly. I found a ‘60s Ludwig Super Classic and this fulfilled a desire for vintage that has worked.

As a session player, I convinced myself that snares are absolutely critical, so I bought a ‘60s, Ludwig Supraphonic, a ‘70s Ludwig Acrolite, two Ludwig Black Beautys, a 14x7 Yamaha Oak Custom - the list goes on. I had that matching 14x5 Premier too.

However, I reckon I’ve used my 14x6.5 Black Beauty exclusively on everything for the last two years and only recently have moved to

using the ‘60s Supra on the gig, with the black beauty in close reserve. The others have just sat there, occasionally coming out for a recording. Do I really need them all?

My cymbals are totally varied too. I still have the 20” Zildjian K Custom Ride I got when I was 16. I doubt very much whether I’ll ever use that cymbal again, but can I bring myself to sell it? I’ve got so many cymbals that don’t really get a run and yet, as every cymbal made is a unique object, it’s hard for me to move them on. Take my 24” Zildjian K Light ride for example.

It’s actually not that light, I had to specifically buy a 24” cymbal case and I reckon I’ve used it ten times.

So, what’s the solution?

Ok, so where is this going? Well, I’m confused. Hypothetically, if I was 19 again, I’d have one kit with one snare and a handful of cymbals. This would be my kit and I would gig with it. If you think about it, guys like Steve Gadd (I’m not comparing myself to the master here guys) would use the same kit/configuration and the same favourite cymbals for everything. Gadd has been quoted for using the same pair of hats for so long that he only retired them when they eventually key-holed from the clutch! Why do I really need five pairs of hats?

Weckl would use the same basic format/set up the majority of the time the same with Keith Carlock, or Vinnie – minor tweaks here and there of course, but their kit, their brand, their sound. Which brings me to the next point – my ears have changed. I now really dig the sound of the classic Ludwig and lighter, more responsive cymbals.

I like smaller sticks with ball tips for clarity. But now, I’m craving a little more projection so a newer Ludwig Classic Maple might bring the perfect balance of vintage and new. Here we go again. Maybe I need a Yamaha Recording Custom too! It’s birch you see… wait.

The thing is, I could have a kit that if chosen carefully, does the lot and I really wouldn’t need anything else – perhaps the vintage Ludwig for the studio. But then, I also have all the other kits and related gear that realistically, and probably 90% of the time, won’t be used. Or do I need all this stuff in case. I’m not recording every week though, am I? I know I’m small fry when it comes to this stuff. I’ve had friends with over 40 snares. The question is, would you or could you in fact, sell it all?

BY ADIAN VIOLI

mixdownmag.com.au

PRODUCT REVIEW / MI

ROCKBOARD

TRES 3.1 Pedalboard with ABS Case + Accessories AMBER TECHNOLOGY | EXPECT TO PAY: $269.99

Something that is often understated is the difference that an organised pedalboard makes on not just your performance, but also your creativity. The RockBoard TRES 3.1, with its incredible range of accessories, takes pedalboard efficiency to another level and is guaranteed to be a game changer.

The pedalboard range comes with an impressive selection of compatible accessories; such as, the MOD 1 and 2 V2 Patchbays, the MOD 5 cabinet simulation and direct input patch bay, LED Light, QuickMount Plates, The Tray Universal Power Supply Mounting Solution, Power Block ISO V10, flat cables, and of course, the ABS case.

your pedals, look no further than the QuickMount Plates. It includes replacement mounting screws and silicone adhesive pad for use with pedals without back plate screws or different mounting hole configurations, so there truly is no need for permanent modification. Something to be noted is the strength of these plates - many may say a “quick and easy removal”, and it may just be me, but I could remove it with my bare hands. I would certainly recommend getting the QuickRemoval tool they sell separately, but this could all simply be a testament to the strength and security of this pedalboard.

Starting with the board itself, it’s slick and sturdy, with a black powder-coated light aluminium body angled at ten degrees for nimble pedal stomping and a slotted design so that you can not only tuck away patch cables, but guide them into specific areas for ease of organisation. The TRES 3.1 in particular is 522 mm wide, 236 mm deep and 71 mm high when including its rubber feet.

On the topic of strength, the ABS case gives both durability and easy of transportation, as it is secure enough to travel with on tour but not as cumbersome or heavy as a flight case. It has its lightweight ABS shell to thank for its total weight of 3kg, it is reinforced at all supporting edges and comes with high density thick foam padding and thick foam rubber on the lid – which is detachable – making it no surprise that its maximum load weight is 15kg.

The board fits approximately five to ten pedals depending on their size, and RockBoard have ensured a QuickMount Plate to suit each possible size. The TRES 3.1 can certainly be used with conventional hook and loop tape and cable ties, but if you’re looking for a near unmovable, professional solution for mounting mixdownmag.com.au

Another thing that can change everything for board construction are the MOD 1 and 2 V2 Patchbays. The MOD 2 TRS, MIDI & USB Patchbay specifically designed for MIDI controlled amplifiers and devices, USB connections to a computer, or a

sound card/interface. The 4x TRS thru connections accommodate for true stereo setups with keyboards or synthesisers. The MOD 1 is a TRS & XLR, IEC & Barrel Patchbay best suited for guitar and bass players. Both of them can be used to run several pedals from your board through the effects loop of your amp, or simply as a central access point to your pedalboard via the TRS thru connections. For example, you could run your overdrive, distortion or modulation pedals to the front of your amp, and then delay and reverb through the FX send and return.

What about if you have a pedal that requires a different energy supplies? Fear not, it is a passthrough box, meaning you could run multiple power supplies straight though the MODs and only need one power cable.

Neat in every sense of the term.

Although, the ISO Power Block V10 should be sufficient for most!

It has eight isolated 9v outputs at 150 mA and two isolated 18v outputs at 400mA. It’s slim, incredibly light weight and whatever your power situation is, The Tray should keep them all snug and safely secured to the bottom of your board.

Ever gone to a venue that just had the most atrocious backline available? We’ve all been there.

With the MOD 5, you can not only use it as a DI with its TRS inputs,

but also an Impulse Response.

It has a vast array of Cabinet Simulation sounds via their IR Loader Software, but it already comes with six of its own Impulse Responses already built into it too, you can replace any of these through the software and it is very simple to use. You can run it in balanced or unbalanced, stereo or mono, and it has a ground lift too.

There’s a headphone output with its own volume control, a USB port to update firmware. The sounds are incredibly pleasing to the ear, can go directly from. Your pedal board to the front of house and back to your monitors, or if you’re in a recording situation, straight into your interface. All of these MOD blocks make organising and snaking tour cables a breeze, they’re all lightweight and very versatile as you can remove the front plate and have it compatible with any pedalboard, not just the RockBoard TRES. Honestly, much more could be said about these excellent products. It makes pedalboard building so mess-free, organised and satisfying. The RockBoard TRES 3.1 and all of its accessories really is the best on the market at the moment.

BY BRIDGETTE BAINI

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PRODUCT REVIEW / MI

FENDER

75th Anniversary Telecaster & Stratocaster FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | RRP $1,699 EACH

The legendary Leo Fender started what is now known as the Fender Musical Instruments Company way back in 1946, making 2021 the 75th anniversary of the inception of what has become one of the biggest musical instrument producers in history. Alongside its US-made counterparts - a celebratory range that seeks to carry the torch and push forward as Fender do - this new Mexicanmade 75th Anniversary series seeks to pay homage to Fender themselves and acknowledge them for what they are: some of the most iconic electric guitars in history.

Both of these Diamond Jubilee guitars are refined versions of the distinctive, groundbreaking models that have come before them, with both the Telecaster and Stratocaster being wielded by many of the greatest musicians of our past, present and almost certainly the future. These guitars offer great playability and classic Fender sound and specifications, as well as classy engraved neck plate and a deluxe gig bag. These Anniversary models prove that even after 75 years and with such an endless list of body shapes, electronic circuits, models and construction materials coming and going within the industry, Fender is sticking to their roots, and still, they’re coming up strong.

In true Fender fashion, the 75th Anniversary Stratocaster is an alder-bodied instrument, complete with a gloss polyester Diamond

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Anniversary finish - a subtle champagne-leaning silver that’s incredibly pleasant to look at.

The pickguard is black, but the pickups and controls are a creamy parchment colour that’s offset really nicely against the maple fretboard - another hint at the Strat’s earliest history, as rosewood was only introduced in the very late ‘50s and early ‘60s (depending on who you ask).

The pickups are Vintage Style single-coils controlled by a fiveway switch, while the neck features a Modern “C” shape which sits nicely in the palm. Surprisingly, this neck handles like more of a vintage C or D shape, while also feeling modern without erring too much to the side of a modern SuperStrat shape. The pickups offer everything you need and expect from a Strat, from a bright bridge position to a warm, compressed neck position and everything in between, with positions two and four get you that out-of-phase spank and articulation, whole the master volume and dual tone controls help to refine the five positions even further.

The legacy of Fender’s original electric guitar is also commemorated in the form of the 75th Anniversary Telecaster, again with a maple neck and fretboard with its Diamond Anniversaryfinished alder body. This time, however, Fender have loaded the guitar with Vintage Style ‘50s single-coil pickup in the bridge and neck positions, harking back

to the instrument’s earliest days in the country, rock ‘n roll and blues scenes that would go on to change the world.

The neck, a maple assembly with a 25.5” scale length, is fixed to the body with a special edition 75th Anniversary engraved neck plate that matches every instrument in the range. The Telecaster features a Modern “C” shape as well, offering classic Fender feel with a modern slimness that is somehow familiar while feeling new and inspiring.

The ‘50s style single-coil in the bridge position offers bright, articulate tones for chords, whereas the neck position offers slightly warmer and cleaner tones, ideal for thick leads or jazzier playing styles, and of course, there’s that gloriously funky middle position. When pushed, both pickups handle distortion and grit with ease: the driven neck pickup just begs for indie licks or Midwestern emo riffing, while the screaming hot bridge pickup proves to be a mean companion for chugging rhythms and hot blues leads. The Anniversary Telecaster has just as much twang and bite as you want from a Tele, with the Block Steel Saddles assisting the string tones to resonate through the string-through bod, with those said strings being suspended by a synthetic bone nut and pulled to tension by standard Fender sealed tuners.

Of course, Fender are a company known for consistently pushing the envelope, but it’s also nice to look back at what they’ve created and remember how these instruments have influenced modern music.

While many specs seem similar, the songs and styles that they inspire couldn’t be more different, and the entire 75th Anniversary range demonstrates that.

The single-cut spank of the Telecaster has proved to be pivotal to the development of contemporary music and the sparkle of the sleek-contoured Stratocaster even more so. These new Anniversary models uphold the unparalleled legacy of both instruments by giving players what they want - classic, authentic recreations of the tools their heroes used to carve out their own niche in pop culture.

Sure, you could make do with just about any Stratocaster or Telecaster in the Fender catalogue, but hey: 75 years is a long time. It’s a milestone worth celebrating, and with guitars that feel and sound as good as these two do, you’d be crazy not to give one a go. Plus, that Diamond Anniversary finish is sure not to be repeated!

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

mixdownmag.com.au

PRODUCT REVIEW / MI

FENDER

75th Anniversary Precision & Jazz Bass FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | RRP: $1,699 EACH

As a music fan, you’d be hard pressed to find modern music without the presence of an electric bass. Loud guitars and drums are synonymous with rock and roll, but the difference between a good and a great band is the bass.

Audiences have been feeling the chest-pounding rhythms of Fender basses since their introduction to market nearly 70 yers ago, with the Precision and Jazz basses offering a variety of tones and retaining high-quality parts that are well-assembled for maximum resonance and comfort.

Prior to Leo Fender starting the company in 1946 and consequently the first electric basses having been built, upright acoustic basses and drums were music’s main source of bottom end - in short, the introduction of the electric bass changed everything.

As such, Fender has chosen to commemorate this anniversary with a commemorative 75th Anniversary Precision Bass, as well as a Jazz Bass, signifying the iconic status of each instruments and their bountiful contributions in shaping contemporary music as we know it today.

The entire 75th Anniversary series are finished in Fender’s new Diamond Anniversary finish, feature an anniversary engraved neck plate for their bolt-on necks and arrive deluxe gig bags. Both basses are an amalgamation of years of consistently more refined incarnations of both models. The

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75th Anniversary Precision Bass is an alder-bodied, four-string bass with a split pickup in the middle position, while the Jazz Bass features the classic bridge and middle single-coils for either the deep lows or punchy mids that Jazz Basses are famous for, or any tone in-between - a lethal combination that has been a go-to for players since the start.

instrument. A Vintage-Style ‘50s Split Single-Coil pickup amplifies the four strings, and is controlled by a master volume and master tone. Again, the body is alder with a gloss polyester finish, and the maple fretboard offers bright, articulate tones from the bass, while the standard four-saddle bridge controls the bottom end as the strings resonate throughout.

If we’re talking paying homage to Fender’s roots, it’s difficult to look past the Precision Bass (P-Bass).

While the first electric guitars are hotly contested as to who invented what first, the Precision Bass was undoubtedly the first of its kind.

The second act in the all-star lineup of Fender’s greatest inventions is the Jazz Bass.

Produced after the success of both the Jazzmaster and the Precision Bass, the Jazz Bass borrows the best of both, with its curved body and unique tonal ability ensuring it was a hit upon launch. This beautifully offset alder body sits comfortably against the player, while the Modern “C” shaped, 34” neck makes paying tribute to players such as Jaco Pastorius, Flea and Marcus Miller an absolute pleasure.

Produced in 1951, the P-Bass borrowed heavily from its six-stringed counterpart, the Telecaster, but instead featured two horns to improve balance overall. The P-Bass has been reinvented and refined over the last 70 years, ultimately culminating in the recent American Ultra and American Professional II basses as the flagship P-Bass for Fender, and commemorated here in this 75th Anniversary Precision Bass.

This P-Bass hangs comfortably across the body, and feels weighty but very well balanced. Even unplugged, the tone remains resonant, similar to even Fender’s top-tier instruments, thanks to the solid and well-crafted four-saddle standard bridge. It features all the specifications and appointments you’d expect from such a classic

Jazz Basses typically feature dual single coil pickups, and the pair of Vintage-Style ‘60s Single-Coil Jazz Bass pickups featured here are no different. With all pickup volumes set wide open, the Jazz bass offers a full, hum-cancelled tone that thunders in the bottom end and punches through in the highs with a subtle scoop in the middle. The middle pickups allows the Jazz Bass to break through more similarly to a P-Bass, whereas the bridge position provides a rich, deep and subby tone.

Independent master volumes and a master tone complete the electronics for this commemorative Jazz Bass.

Electric bass was an innovation that has influenced the trajectory of music more than we understand. Where would we be if bass hadn’t become easier to wrangle, if we were still struggling to fret notes on an upright, fretless, acoustic instrument?Would synthesised bass be different as well?

Where would funk and dance ended up if it weren’t for the boundaries that those early electric bass players broke down?

And who can we thank for kick starting this whole journey? Leo Fender himself, initially with the Precision, then the Jazz, with countless innovations since then, and now with the 75th Anniversary series outlined here.

These two basses are stellar examples of why Fender has remained a market leader in just about every facet of modern musical instrument production, and their influence is undeniable.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

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PRODUCT REVIEW / MI

NS DESIGN

CR6 Radius EGM DISTRIBUTION | EXPECT TO PAY: $6,999

There’s few names who’ve brought about as much change in the world of Bass as Ned Steinberger has. After designing the revered Spector NS-1 in the late ‘70s and radically challenging instrument manufacturing as the world knew it with his first run of headless guitars just years later, Steinberger has always been synonymous with innovation. The recent launch of the CR6 Radius - a premium model from the Steinbergerhelmed NS Design - only seeks to prolong that legendary status, offering up a meticulously crafted and feature-packed bass that represents the pinnacle of contemporary instrument design.

Built by an expert team of luthiers at NS Designs’ headquarters in the Czech Republic, the six-string CR6 Radius is a true monster of a bass to suit the needs of the most professional of players. It’s crafted from a deft chunk of maple and features a gorgeous flamed top that oozes class, with its slick contours and featherweight making for a comfortable feel whether seated or standing. The maple Fusion neck - defined by its wide, thin profile - and ebony fretboard of the CR6 makes for a superb sounding and feeling combination, and of course, neck dive is totally eliminated by that iconic headless design, ensuring you don’t pull up sore after a heavy night of tearing up those 24 frets.

For the CR6 Radius, NS Design have enlisted the services of 36

pickup gurus EMG to create two custom-voiced humbuckers that certainly don’t skimp on tonal versatility, even when plugged into the most punishing of setups. These two humbuckers are accompanied by a piezo system located in the bridge of the instrument to tap into an even broader array of tones, with four rotary knobs adjusting the Volume, Piezo/EMG Blend, Bass and Treble of the bass. There’s also another two three-way rocker switches above these knobs that function as a three-way pickup selector switch and piezo EQ respectively, and if that’s not enough, all of these electronics are fed into an inbuilt 18v preamp for ultra-high headroom and unparalleled tonal versatility.

One important thing to note about the NS Design CR6 Radius is the off-kilter - yet oh so functional headless design. Void of traditional tuning pegs, the bass is tuned by a series of self-clamping precision controls located past the bridge, with the ball end of the string being fed into the six slots that occupy where a headstock should be. This NS Patented Tuning mechanism might feel a little alien at first, and granted, it does make quick drop- tuning adjustments a little longer than usual, but the level of precision and tuning stability it provides is truly astounding.

At risk of sounding like I’m gushing for the sake of it, playing the CR6

really is quite an eye-opening experience - particularly as a bassist with a penchant for vintage spec instruments. This bass is a masterstroke of modern design, and really does pack everything you’d expect from the Steinberger hive mind into one be-all end-all of an instrument. The concave back makes sure the bass sits flush against your torso, while the longer top horn and beveled cutaway of the body make for both a natural balance and easy access to the nether regions of the fretboard - two design factors that are so often sorely overlooked by other bass manufacturers.

Despite its wide neck profile - a necessity to cater for its six-stringed design - the CR6 is incredibly nimble and ergonomic, and is far more inviting than you’d initially assume. Walking bass lines are a piece of cake, intricate chordal runs prove to be a breeze, slapping is made simple by that wonderfully spacious fretboard, and with pick in hand, the CR6 is an absolute weapon for pummelling down-stroke playing.

As vibrant as that flame maple top might sound when played acoustically, the CR6 Radius is something else unto itself when plugged in. The EMG humbuckers sound full and punchy when clean and absolutely blistering when driven, particularly when you’re slamming on that low B string with all pickups engaged. On the contrary, the piezo is a nifty

touch for bringing out some of that natural resonance, and when engaged with the tone of the 18v preamp rolled off, you’ll be able to tap into some warm, woody tones that’ll please any jazz purist.

Even the most funky of top-end runs on the high C string cut through without overpowering guitars or keys in the mix, The sheer sonic versatility of this instrument is quite amazing - at times, overwhelmingly so - and it’s here where the CR6 Radius proves its status as a bass for the most professional of players.

With such a sophisticated feature set and phenomenal build quality obviously warranting a sizeable price-tag, it goes without saying that this creation from NS Design definitely isn’t for everyone: it’s a bass that only the best of players will manage to conquer, and in unweathered hands, it’ll seem almost bewildering to some.

Nevertheless, in all my years, I’ve never played an instrument quite as well-built and versatile than the CR6 Radius, and I can confidently say that it’s bass in a whole league of its own. Buy one of these, and you’ll never need another bass again - or, at least, another year.

BY WILL BREWSTER

mixdownmag.com.au

PRODUCT REVIEW / MI

ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN

Bongo 4 HH CMC MUSIC | ENQUIRE FOR PRICING

When we think of consistent and reputable instrument makers, one brand usually springs to mind straight away, and that’s Ernie Ball Music Man. Their legendary StingRay has been a mainstay in the rock, funk and jazz scenes alike for the past half century, and has been donned by bass icons such as Louis Johnson, Gail Ann Dorsey and Bernard Edwards to name just a few.

While the StingRay may be the most popular MusicMan instrument out there, it’s by no means their only solid bass. In fact, since 2003, EBMM have been producing various incarnations of their quirky-looking Bongo bass: a comparatively lighter and differently contoured instrument than the StingRay, but with the same amount of that characteristic punchiness.

The Bongo represents everything a 21st century bass guitar should be: well balanced, comfortable, resonant, and easy to play. The double-cutaway Basswood body design is its aesthetic signature, along with a 24 fret finished maple neck which offers unrestricted access for bassists who enjoy a solo up on high. The new 2021 Bongo, decked out in a cool Harvest Orange finish, boasts two EBMM humbucking pickups, a 4-band EQ, neodymium magnets and an 18V active preamp that equips the instrument with its mixdownmag.com.au

gloriously resonant and percussive qualities.

The first thing that really struck me about the Bongo bass is how lightweight it is, so if you’re a gigging muso who spends a decent amount of time on stage with a strap hoisted over their nape, you’ll likely appreciate this instrument’s sheer portability. In terms of sound, the Bongo’s fourband EQ means that you have a world of sonic possibilities at your fingertips, saving you the hassle of trekking over to your amp every time you want to switch up your tone on stage. I started off with all the EQ controls at the centre detent, and as I became more familiar with the playability of the instrument, I began to experiment with the bass, mids and treble settings to great effect.

It’s no secret that Ernie Ball Music Man hold an untouchable reputation when it comes to crafting tactilely responsive instruments, and the Bongo is no exception to the rule. Even with a set of medium-gauge strings — which can sometimes be a tad slack depending on the bass — the Bongo’s set-up allows you to really dig into the strings to get the most out of those accents, or conversely, play lightly whilst still yielding a clear and even tone.

Moreover, the low end capabilities of this bass are an absolute gamechanger: for those who regularly

gravitate towards a P-Bass in order to cut through the mix, you’ll be delighted at how well the Bongo fares in this respect. On the other hand, if you’re aiming for a more trebly sound, grab a plectrum and enjoy the steely vibes this bass has to offer.

One of the nicest features of the Bongo is the control that lets you pan between the two pickups: the neck humbucker is a fair bit grittier than the bridge, and lets off an imposing growl that sounds otherworldly when treated with some fuzz or phasing. On the other hand, if you’re a slapper/popper looking for that clean, percussive StingRay sound, you’ll want to pan closer towards the bridge pickup. The Bongo’s exceptionally lightweight Basswood body affords it some serious sustaining power, no matter what register you’re playing in. This is perfect for bassists who adhere to the Leland Sklar school of ‘Less Is More’: that is, relying on fewer notes and really letting the harmony do the talking.

For the shredders out there, just switch over to that booming neck pickup and get stuck in.

Players who aren’t too accustomed with Ernie Ball basses may need some time to adjust to the fret size, especially if you’re coming from an instrument such as a Jazz Bass with a comparatively thinner neck.

However, the slightly larger frets

on the Bongo will almost certainly do wonders for your left hand agility in the long run, so just think of this as a technique bolsterer of sorts.

In terms of the aesthetics of the bass, some of the colour schemes on offer may not be everyone’s cup of tea, in which case you can always go for the classic Stealth Black design. Additionally, the contour and overall shape of the bass is fairly quirky, but I guess that’s just part of the left-field approach to guitar craftsmanship that sets Ernie Ball Music Man in a league of their own.

I’d honestly be hard-pressed to name another bass that’s as ergonomic yet versatile as the EBMM Bongo Bass HH. While it’s usually been associated with progressive metal bassists such as John Myung and Jari Kainulainen, I personally think that the Bongo has heaps more to offer across a variety of genres, and wouldn’t be surprised to see many a funk rocker sporting it in the not-toodistant future. At its current price point, the Bongo may be a bit steep for some; however, if you’re after durability, portability and purity of tone, then it may well be worth some serious consideration.

BY DAVID TOMISICH

37

PRODUCT REVIEW / MI

LONE WOLF BLUES COMPANY

Boogieman GUITAR BROTHERS | EXPECT TO PAY: $699

There are many joys of performing on stage, but there are few that offer more instant ‘wow factor’ than sharing the stage with a gifted blues harmonica player.

When balanced and treated correctly, a wailing blues harp melody or solo can provide the kind of raunch and gravitas that few instruments can match.

There are few dedicated stompboxes companies out there with the blues harp player in mind, but the legends of Lone Wolf Blues Company clearly understand the need for such pedals. Having worked closely with one of the worlds most raucous players Marko Balland, together they have created The Boogieman, and what a delightful box of blues it is.

Known for their array of harmonica specific pedals, Lone Wolf Blue Company are no strangers to the needs of blues harp players and the high demand for authentic blues tone. Pedals like their Harp Break, Harp Tone + and Harp Delay (to name but a few) have earned their way onto stages across the globe and for good reason. The Boogieman cleverly combines all of the aforementioned circuits together into one intuitive pedal that just erupts the sound of blues.

Any blues harp player worth their salt understands the importance of tone and attitude their harp needs to ooze with but sadly, this is often left up to an archetypal dynamic mic (or possibly a “Green Bullet” 38

style mic if lucky), plugged straight into a mixing console pre amp. At this point many may shrug their shoulders thinking “no biggy”, but listening back to any old blues records (think Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson II and alike) from the mid 20th century will reveal blues harp tones bursting with grit, vibe and dimension; not simply achieved by mere preamp colouration. That grit, dirt, break up and space is definitive of the blues harp sound and what makes us go back for repeat listens, but how is it achieved? Let The Boogieman do the talking.

Firstly, the break side of the pedal allows controls for both the Tone + and Break circuits. When engaged, sculpting the subtlest of drive tones to full screaming distortion can be achieved with the simple drive control, with the volume knob helping keep things in check.

Dialling in the perfect tone with the treble and bass knobs is easy and these controls allow for a whopping 20dB of potential gain, from rasping tops to bolstering low end goodness. This wide spectrum of tone and drive possibilities is massive and will find even the most distinguished harp players smiling from ear to ear.

The delay side of The Boogieman hosts controls which once again are simple, intuitive and provide just the right amount of tweak ability. The Delay knob controls (your guessed it,) the delay time,

with the Repeats (aka feedback) controlling the amount of delay repeats heard and the blend knobs allows for the perfect balance of wet and dry signal, a very nifty feature to have, which allows for lots of potential fun.

For first position players, the Boogieman serves as an awesome tone sculpting tool, adding a sense of experimental otherness to an otherwise stock harmonica part.

The delay in particular is awesome for tonal sculpting and texturing in the live domain, allowing sustained notes to soar with that same forlornness that has made delayed first position harp such a common flavour on so many country-folk records.

For crossharp players, the drive pot is your friend, providing ample raunch and grit where you need it most, while the handy two band EQ allows just enough control, especially of the all important high frequencies- a sore spot for the harmonica (and an area where you definitely don’t want to leave it to the front of house engineer.)

In terms of construction, The Boogieman oozes “Made in U.S.A” quality throughout, with high quality knobs, pots and switches upon the top face. Popping open the hood revealed a beautifully laid out circuit board boasting again, high quality components, meticulous soldering, construction and attention to detail.

All of this together makes for a rugged, gig (and studio) worthy tool for pro and touring players (if and when that happens again). The high impedance input ideally suits high impedance microphones (low impedance mics simply require an impedance converter).

The dual outputs make plugging directly into a mixing console (via XLR) or plugging into a guitar amp possible, giving a nice amount of control and alleviating the need for a DI box. The Boogieman runs off 18V, so you know there’s some serious juice under the hood.

Few stompbox companies know the demands of harmonica players like Lone Wolf Blues Company and The Boogieman is an absolute testament to that. The combination of drive, tone and delay controls in one box make for a unique pedal which all blues harp players can get around. Just the right amount of controls means users don’t need to be a pedalboard wizard to get great, authentic tones quickly, and the the clever design of two outputs, allowing for direct sound of the pedal, or the ability to blend this with a miked amp sound easy and will keep engineers happy. A truly well thought out harmonica specific pedal that I’d happily put in front of my singer/blues harp player any gig of the week.

BY ANDY LLOYD RUSSELL

mixdownmag.com.au

PRODUCT REVIEW / MI

ARTURIA

PolyBrute ARTURIA | EXPECT TO PAY: $3999

Arturia made their name designing software emulations of classic analogue synthesisers. Back in 2012, the Brute line began with the MiniBrute, and along with it, their production of tactile, affordable and distinct-sounding hardware.

The PolyBrute is Arturia’s first polysynth and in a world of emulations, clones and recreations, it stands centre-stage ready to build a legacy of its own. It’s a six-voice analogue monster with a myriad of expressive and unique modulation options, making it a suitable choice for anyone looking set to sail into uncharted sonic territory.

Flexibility is at the heart of the oscillator design, two wave shaping oscillators covering the ground from saw to triangle to square, as well as the spaces in between. VCO 1 has the wavefolding ‘Metalizer’ function from previous analog Brutes and VCO2 has a sub-oscillator instead. There’s oscillator sync that works in set stages or degrees of osc sync and a sweepable ‘FM’ which uses the second oscillator to modulate the first. Noise is another VCO sound source with an adjustable colour from red through to white, and also serves as a FM mod source for VCO2.

One of the most instantly recognisable sonic characteristics of any synthesiser are its filters, with the PolyBrute boasting two of them. There’s a Steiner Parker filter - the first commercially-available polysynth to have one. Their steep 40

12db slope gives a nice contrast to the second filter and their multi-mode flexibility are a sounddesigners dream. Sweepable from lowpass through notch to highpass through to bandpass allow such a wide scope for sonic manipulation, all of which can be fed some extra feedback via the Brute knob.

The second type of filter is a 24db low pass ladder design with distortion. Bass is often reduced as the resonance is increased in ladder filters but not here, where the bottom end holds strong which is especially useful if you’re using the filters in series. They can also be used in parallel and this is where the large Master Cutoff dial comes in handy, as well as the small buttons under each oscillator level, indicating which VCO goes through either filter or both.

Any knob-per-function style synthesiser begs to be touched and manipulated, but the PolyBrute goes a step further by adding a ribbon controller above the keybed and a capacitive wooden x/y/z controller called the Morphee. I was skeptical of the ‘Morphee’ when I saw photos, as it looks a lot like the back of a wooden phone case, but it’s so much fun. Having customisable control over three functions at once, so close to the keybed is a powerful tool. You can define not only the parameters but also the modes of the Morphee so it can tap, hold, scan or hold scan which adjust the release of the tactile modulation. The wood finish on

these and other synth details aren’t the clunky 1970s vintage synth style, but more of a luxury car interior vibe; silky smooth.

There are three envelope generators; a VCF, VCA and ‘Mod’ (which can be routed anywhere via the matrix). The first two have a dedicated velocity slider, while the Mod has a delay slider.

All three can be looped and within the menu you can load faster envelopes better suited for percussive sounds. Two of the three LFO’s are almost identical, except for a phase or fade in control, and have various flexible sync and retriggering options.

The third LFO can curve between logarithmic to linear to exponential shapes, its symmetry can be altered without affecting the rate, it can modulate LFO 1 and can even be a percussive envelope.

There’s an unassuming dial on the left-most of the synthesiser that reads ‘Morph’ and it controls one of the most versatile and unique features of the PolyBrute. Morph allows you to sweep between two patches but it’s not a simple crossfade between audio signals, it’s one patches settings morphing into another. This is a new feature we’ve never seen on an analogue synth, and we’re damn excited about it. The strange, left-of-centre sounds you find in-between two patches can be extremely inspiring. Coupled with the Morphee, you can find yourself in strange sonic landscapes where it’s no longer straightforward what

you’re hearing. Thankfully the software shows you an overview of modulation values to help you decode your own auditory mysteries. If you’re wondering if you can modulate the Morph parameter then the answer is a smugly assured ‘yes’.

The mod matrix is comprised of 96 squishy buttons that light up when in use - similar to the namesake matrix of the MatrixBrute, but with less buttons. It’s pleasingly efficient and immediate; you hold an ‘Assign’ button and turn the knob you want to modulate. The matrix also serves as an interface for the 64-step sequencer, which you can record to the metronome in real-time or in steps. There’s also an arpeggiator and a Matrix Arpeggiator which combines the two, allowing you to change the order, add slides or disable steps, while a modulation motion recorder lets you adjust the speed or loop.

Synths often get described as either ‘player’s synths’ or ‘programmer’s synths, and given the unprecedented tactile interaction options and the superb knob-per-function user interface of the PolyBrute, we’re confident you can call it both. Given the premier quality of its sound and the vast sonic scope it’s capable of, the PolyBrute is an obvious choice for anyone looking for a flagship synthesiser that will keep inspiring them for years to come.

BY DAN NICHOLLS mixdownmag.com.au

PRODUCT REVIEW / MI

RANE

Rane One Motorised DJ Controller DISTRIBUTED BY: ELECTRIC FACTORY | EXPECT TO PAY: $2499

It almost feels like there is a new portable controller being launched every other week, boasting the same basic set of features in a new shell. The motorised Rane One on the other hand is something genuinely new and exciting, bringing the kind of tactile functionality that Vinyl enthusiasts have been begging for since the controller movement began, by way of two in-built, 7 inch motorised turntables which feel as good as they look.

Rane has long been the turntablists’ choice for equipment from the 62 and 72 mixers to the relatively new 12. With the release of the One, Rane is about to dominate the professional mobile DJ market, especially for cats that like to scratch.

The build quality on this new installment from Rane is tight, with the full chassis made from steel, die cast aluminium platters and really solid buttons. I’m especially impressed by the start stop button which kicks in instantly and makes me genuinely forget I’m playing on a controller and not actually spinning records.

Using Serato DJ Pro which is free whilst the One is plugged in, there is close to zero input lag, which is really surprising for something hooked up through a computer.

Scratching with this feels very similar to my own turntables albeit feeling a little lighter. I love being able to back cue a track, tap the mixdownmag.com.au

platter to slow a track down and run my finger along the record to speed it up. The Start/Stop button kicks the decks into gear with ease and there is adjustable torque to dial in the feel you like. The pitch fader is solid and very comfortable to use.

For the crossfader, Rane went with the Mag Four XF which is an incredibly smooth experience.

It has a magnet in the bottom of the crossfader, and because there is no actual contact with the rail, there will be zero change in feel over time. It is also possible to adjust the tension but this requires taking off the entire front faceplate and is a bit of a pain to get to.

Loading tracks is done by clickable scroll wheels, one for each deck, no more loading a track on a channel already playing. Each deck also features hot cues, loops, rolls and a sampler all playable via the 8 touch pads under each platter. Slip mode lets you scratch on the track currently playing and once released will continue playing the track from where it would’ve been if you didn’t start scratching. This allows you to scratch without having tight crossfader work.

The One has six assignable effects through serato which can be turned on and off via the flick switch above each channel’s upfaders. I find these effects switches far better than just a button as it allows you to hold the

switch down for quick and tidy effect splashes or push it upwards to lock the effect on. In addition to this, three different effects can be turned on concurrently allowing for interesting end products.

Usually when playing records you have the ability to move the needle to the spot of the record you’d like to play or preview the track in your headphones prior. Rane solved this issue by adding a slider that allows you to search through the track which might take some getting used to for DJs coming over from the vinyl realm.

For people coming over from the world of CDJs, Rane have got you covered also. There’s a cue button to restart the track which stops the platter at the same time, which is a neat addition and you can also manually turn the platter motor off and push/pull the platter to jog the track in realtime.

Connectivity wise, the ONE is up there with the best of them.

All the standard DJ fare is here: three-band eq for each channel, upfaders and a crossfader with assignable curves, headphone outputs, master and booth out and two usb ports for hooking up your computer and a mates.

But wait, maybe you really like the scratching in Serato but want to mix from your other DJ equipment too? With the two channel inputs on the back you can plug in either CDJs or turntables with the

switchable phono preamp. Maybe you’d also like to have a mic or two for speeches or to ad lib over the top of your mix. Rane thought of that too, there’s two mic inputs with gain and two-band EQ included with the second mic line able to play an aux input as well.

All this doesn’t come for free though and in the case of the Rane One, it’s in the weight. The solid base and platters make the unit come in at a robust 10kg - still not as much as a pair of 1200’s and mixer (not to mention records), but considerably heavier than your average DJ controller, which is to be expected. Also worth noting is that The One needs an external power supply to run the internal platter motors which i see as a good thing as opposed to running off USB bus power which in my opinion isn’t ideal for a unit of this type.

Overall the Rane One is the top of its class in terms of vinyl mixing emulation in the controller realm and is streaks ahead of the competition for this kind of mix experience. Despite its comparatively expensive price point, the One is at the top of the heap for mobile Serato DJing or for anyone serious on feel and a pure mixing experience, with the flexibility of controller based workflows.

BY SAM MCNEICE

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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO

SHURE

SM58 Vocal Microphone JANDS | EXPECT TO PAY: $229 A microphone that needs absolutely no introduction would shurely (pun absolutely intended) be the Shure SM58. A dynamic moving coil mic with such a rich history both in its mechanical design and its wide range of applications and users - it has to be said, this was a joy to review.

Arguably the most popular and widely used live vocal microphone of all time, when most people think of, describe, or even draw a live vocal microphone, it’s the SM58.

With a history of almost 55-years, the SM58 is revered by both musicians and engineers alike. So what makes it so special and why in 2021 are we still reviewing , what is the most famous microphone of the last 50 years? The truth is it still remains largely unsurpassed as a stage microphone and here’s why.

Firstly a bit of history - the SM58 was first introduced in 1966, featuring the Unidyne III design (being the grand child of the Unidyne I, originally designed in 1937). The Unidyne I was the first unidirectional, moving coil microphone with a single capsule, quite the feat for its day and forever stamping into the history books. The Unidyne I made its way into the market in the Model 55 microphone, released in 1939. This mic went on to become famously used by Elvis Presley, who used the mic so much that it became affectionately known as “The Elvis Microphone”.

With numerous other mics being released by Shure in the years that followed (including the ubiquitous SM57), Shure was well on the path to becoming the largest microphone manufacturer in the world, but nothing could prepare them for what happened next with the release of the SM58 in 1966. This relatively simple looking microphone would propel the brand into the stratosphere.

Originally pitched at the studio and radio markets it was on the stage where the mic found its natural habitat. Its bombproof all-metal enclosure and ferociously rugged metal rounded windscreen made them an instant hit for engineers, venues and production houses, alleviating fears of failing microphones in even the toughest and most demanding of live environments.

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Racing forward to 2021 and the SM58 is still as popular today as it was in decades past. But the question must be asked, is this due to the age old “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” type mentality or does the SM58 genuinely live up to the standards and rigours of today’s stages and studios?

Having used the SM58 extensively both as a musician and as an engineer, I can confidently attest to its quality, with the common phrase “built like a tank” being used to describe it’s construction.

Almost nothing can cause these mics to fail, whether it’s a mic drop (or throw) or a lead singer belting their head into it. Even dropping it from a helicopter at 200ft. Yep, that happened and it still worked.

This durability is why one is likely to find models in a mic case well over 20 years old, still sounding as good as their first day out of the box (although looking rather worse for wear it must be said.)

Aside from the robust build of the SM58, what’s really important is how the thing sounds.

Its humble frequency of 50Hz – 15kHz, gives a natural roll off on the subs and tops, helping keeps things in check before needing to reach for filters and EQ. There’s plenty of lower midrange weight, which can be too much for certain vocal types, but for others, helps fill out a voice and give it some more breadth; something other live vocal mics struggle to do.

Another defining feature of the SM58 is it’s stellar gain and feedback properties. Whether this is a product of design or a result of stage performers and console manufacturers adapting to its dominance in the space is a chicken and egg situation, whatever the magic behind it, the SM58 seems to feature a perfectly calibrated gain sensitivity-one that will always sit nicely at unity.

The other major advantage from an FOH perspective is their ubiquitousness in the field and the effect this has on performance.

Almost every vocalist grows up almost exclusively on 58’s, so their understanding of proximity effect, mic distance and distance from the monitor has been acquired through the lens of the microphone’s unique frequency

profile and tuning. This means that for a lot of singers, their live technique has been specifically developed to react to the SM58’s unique sensibilities, meaning a better, more natural performance.

Looking at the mics frequency response graph reveals a gentle presence boost starting at around 2kHz and rolling off after 10kHz. Despite this presence peak, the SM58 very rarely sounds harsh, but instead, full, rounded and present, pretty perfect for a vocal microphone. Its rather uniform cardioid polar pattern and great side and rear rejection is at the heart of the 58’s stellar gain before feedback properties; incredibly desirable for louder stages filled with blaring instruments and lots of foldback wedges.

There are fewer microphones out there that can boast the same level of history, prestige and longevity as the Shure SM58.

Despite the many technological developments in the mystical world of microphones over the decades since the SM58’s release, few have ever really come close to surpassing it as the industry standard live vocal microphone.

It goes without saying, no live or studio mic collection is complete without at least a couple of SM58’s. As a FOH engineer, I have no doubt I will be putting a couple up this weekend. It’s inevitable.

BY ANDY LLOYD RUSSELL

Aside from vocals, the SM58 is a wonderfully diverse mic which can be used on anything from drums, percussion, guitars, horns and many other sound sources.

Its natural and balanced sound is incredibly forgiving and nicely representative of what it’s pointed in front of.

mixdownmag.com.au

MD 445 and MM 445

Closer. More direct. More intense.

The most powerful version of our dynamic high-end microphone series enhances vocals with an unprecedented intimacy and range of detail.

At the same time, the high-rejection, super-cardioid pattern offers an extremely high level of feedback resistance.

Learn more about the MD 445 top-of-the-range microphone and the MM 445 capsule.

PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO

AUDIENT

ID14 MkII STUDIO CONNECTIONS | EXPECT TO PAY: $539

Affordable high quality recording equipment has become increasingly accessible over the past decade, leading to a saturated market of all things home studio.

The abundance of small format high–functionality recording interfaces has manufacturers fighting for your attention and ultimately, your hard earned cash.

In a dizzying market of desktop recording interfaces it’s easy to succumb to option paralysis when researching a new centerpiece for your home or mobile recording studio. Audient’s latest offering in the ID14 MkII may have just make that choice easier.

On face value the ID14 MkII looks as though it’s just another small offering in the way of desktop recording interfaces, though don’t be fooled by its sleek minimalistic design. Packed into its compact chassis is an impressive feature set which can serve as the centerpiece of any flexible home recording studio.

The ID14 MkII is a 10in/6out USB–C interface which includes two microphone preamps that share their design with Audient’s flagship ASP8024 heritage edition large format console.

These preamps offer a very strong likeness to the input stage of the ASP8024HE, providing a pleasingly transparent yet not sterile 58dB of gain.

Along with the two combo XLR/ TRS mic/line amplifiers are four

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line line outputs for your studio monitors or connectivity to an extra headphone amp, two dedicated headphone outputs via ¼ inch TRS and mini jack 3.5mm (extra handy for when you misplace those mischievous adaptors), JFET instrument input, and a optical ADAT/SPDIF input.

works as the mouse wheel in your session, simply mouseover the function you wish to adjust in the DAW, and scroll control gives you a more authentic tactile interface to change panning, EQ settings, compressor thresholds and even volume automation (DAW dependent).

The addition of the ADAT/SPDIF input significantly expands up the input abilities of this interface, allowing you to add up to eight more channels up to a sample rate of 48kHz. This will certainly come in handy for any mobile producer in need of a high-quality interface for on-the-go recording, with the ID14 MkII being easily expanded via ADAT to accomodate more inputs should the need to track a drummer or small live ensemble arise when you’re away from the studio.

The ‘ID’ button has further functionality which is user programmable via the included ID mixer software. This allows the user to Dim the monitors, engage the talkback function, sum the mix to mono, and sum the mix to mono with polarity inverse.

Perhaps the most clever feature of the ID14 MkII is the large rotary encoder dial. The primary function of the rotary encoder is that of your typical monitor controller.

Switchable between monitors and headphone outputs it gives you the ability to boost or attenuate the level of your monitoring system.

Complemented by the accompanying ‘ID’ button, it’s possible to put the encoder into Audient’s ‘ScrollControl’ mode which allows the user to use the dial as a tactile interface for changing values within the Digital Audio Workstation. This effectively

In use, the ID14 MkII ticks all the boxes for an interface of this calibre. The addition of the Hi-Z JFET instrument input on the front of the interface is a simple and effective way to track electric and bass guitars, with the clean nature of the preamp resulting in a crisp sound quality. There’s a tonne of headroom to play with here, and if you’re the kind of player who just likes to plug straight in and bring up a virtual amp emulator to lay down guitar tracks, this will suit your workflow perfectly.

On the inverse, the two XLR/ TRS combo inputs on the back of the ID14 MkII go above and beyond in regards to quality.

These preamps sound crystal clean and ultra quiet, ensuring that recording with either a dynamic or a condenser microphone - made possible by two switchable 48v

phantom power controls on the faceplate - works a treat. Should you please, you can also link up both preamps to use in stereo for recording electric keyboards or synthesisers, and the freedom of being able to record both sources simultaneously will be appreciated by those from the selfaccompanied singer-songwriter school of music.

The Audient ID14 MkII packs a real punch for an interface at this price point. Brilliant sounding microphone and instrument inputs, a transparent monitor path and loads of expandability options all put this interface in a weight class well above its small footprint.

Functionality aside the ID14 MkII is well constructed – the chassis is tough and feels like a high quality piece of kit.

The switches, dials and encoders all give a satisfying tactile response. It’s clear that Audient’s design team have thought beyond functionality creating a high quality and satisfying user experience. All in all, another hit for the Audient product range, and a clear indicator that this company are doing all the right things for the modern audio consumer today.

BY TOM GLOVER

mixdownmag.com.au

PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO

SENNHEISER

MD435 & MD445 Microphones SENNHEISER | EN.SENNEHEISER.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $799

The rich line of Sennheiser microphones needs no introduction, especially the coveted MD family, which includes the likes of the MD441 and MD421.

The new MD435 and MD445 are both moving coil dynamic mics boasting cardioid and super cardioid patterns respectively, with a frequency response of 40Hz – 20kHz. But as I was pleasantly surprised to find out, there’s a little more difference between the pair than just their polar patterns.

Putting these handheld dynamics through their paces, I instantly put them both up on stands and in front of a foldback monitor. I was immediately impressed with the amount of gain before feedback able to be achieved, which straight away showed the high calibre of their design. The 180-degree off axis rejection of the MD435’s cardioid pattern and the MD445’s 140-degree super cardioid nodes were tight, uniform and seemingly impervious to feedback.

Talking off axis and around each mics capsules revealed how incredibly unidirectional both mics are, with a massive attenuation from the sides and rear of each compared to other live handhelds I’ve used. Taking each mic off the stands and throwing them around in my hands showed how well isolated the capsules in both these microphones are. Handling noise was kept to a minimum, done so through the cleverly mixdownmag.com.au

spring-mounted capsule design, very useful for the more animated singer who like to move around stage.

I’ve found other Sennheiser handhelds to have a brighter timbre, so I was intrigued to find out if the MD435 and MD445 shared any of the same characteristics. Speaking and singing into both the MD435 and MD445 I was pleasantly surprised to find the the amount of body and fullness to my voice, flat with no EQ. Even when introducing a high-pass filter up to around 120Hz, I still found a nice amount of lower midrange weight, with a smooth detailed midrange and crisp top end. I found the MD435 to have bit more body and roundness compared to the MD445, with the MD445 having a nice amount of sparkle and detail in the top end, great for cutting through a dense mix.

I decided to put both mics up against my beloved tube condenser, which has a Telefunken 251 vibe about it, but at a fraction of the price of a vintage or new model. Although not having quite the same characterful spank in the higher midrange as the tube condenser, (something more unique to a tube mic design) I found both the MD435 and the MD445 to share an almost condenser like quality about them, with a fairly even response in the lows ands mids and a pleasingly

detailed top end, without being harsh sounding, but rather smooth ands crisp. Their whopping SPL handling of 163dB (max) allows for even the loudest of singers to belt into them, handling this with ease, without distortion from the capsule.

As with other handheld mics that are initially designed for vocal applications, they often find themselves pointed at other sound sources on a stage. I of course had to find out if the MD435 and MD445 would find themselves with similar qualities.

Put up in front of a Vox AC30, I found both mics to speak very nicely to the electric guitar barking at them. With a bit more body compared to other dynamics typically used for miking guitar cabinets and with just the right amount of presence in the upper mids, without being overly bright or bitey. I thought both mics provided a great capture of the electric guitar, probably (but only just) picking the MD435 over the MD445, with a bit more body and lower midrange oomph.

An unexpected but very welcomed application for both mics was on snare drum. I put up the MD435 first and was immediately impressed by its depth and body upon playback.

The upper mids spoke with clarity, and a slight duck in the cardboard-y midrange was a pleasant surprise, alleviating the

need for excessive EQ after the fact. I then put up the MD445 and was instantly smiling. Like the MD435, the MD445’s response to the body of the snare drum was great, with that 180Hz - 200Hz area represented beautifully, without the need for EQ boosting.

Where the MD445 really came alive though was in the upper midrange and top end, providing eons of crack and sizzle, again, alleviating the need for much, if any EQ. No cardboard like timbres here either, just sitting in the mix beautifully. I might be as bold to say that the MD445 could well be my new favourite mic for snare!

I think it’s safe to say both the MD435 and MD445 will earn their respective places on stage, being a worthy option for those engineers and venues looking for a great all rounder or an upgrade from other mics typical found in a live mic locker. Their robust construction, supreme gain before feedback and high SPL handling as well as the additional 5 included pop protectors (much needed in these trying COVID times) make the MD435 and MD445 a great package, being superbly designed and thought out microphones, sure to impress even the most discerning of ears.

BY ANDY LLOYD-RUSSELL

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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO

SONTRONICS

Podcast Pro DISTRIBUTED BY: FEDERAL AUDIO | EXPECT TO PAY: $269

As any microphone obsessive will tell you, some of the most interesting and cutting edge work gets done outside of music, with a plethora of awesome and fascinating mics specifically aimed at the ENG, Sound Design and Television/Broadcast markets.

Podcasts being the relatively new medium they are, are experiencing something of a boom period when it comes to their equipment with many prestigious and respected audio manufacturers coming to the party, lending their unparalleled understanding of transducer technology and hi-end studio nous, to the increasingly demanding technical requirements of the modern podcast. Enter the Podcast Pro from award-winning UK manufacturer Sontronics.

Featuring an eye-catching red finish (also available in a more subdued black) that contrasts pleasingly with the shiny finemesh grill, the Podcast Pro looks ‘the business’. They’re designed, developed and hand-built in the UK, which shows in the aesthetically-refined, physicallyrobust construction. It’s a good size and yet only weighs 310 grams working well with a desk stand or if it is overhead, it’s not going to cause droop and it’s not going to weigh you down if you’re travelling to interview on-location.

A tight super-cardioid polarity pattern refines the pickup to what’s directly in front, reducing 46

unwanted background noise with excellent side rejection-an absolute must for multi guest setups or for untreated acoustic spaces.

The internal pop-filter catches sharp plosives and helps control unwanted sibilance (to the point where you don’t even need an auxiliary pop filter at all) and with a frequency response of 50Hz – 15kHz it’s rolling off any other harsh highs and unnecessary air, so your voice can shine exactly where it needs to.

As is something of a Sontronics specialty, the aesthetic of the unit is uniquely retrofuturist, equal parts space race meets iron man, while also bearing the same side ported grille panel work that is so often associated with the current crop of podcast specific microphones.

The result is something that is sure to give sociologists and cultural commentators a field day, having such a retro styled mic for a decidedly internet medium - but in practice the Podcast Pro is actually quite easy on the eye, exuding a classiness that is all it’s own.

Setting up the Podcast Pro is in many ways even simpler than many music specific microphones, mostly thanks to the awesome ‘yoke’ style mount that comes directly attached to the mic itself.

Simply screw onto a mic stand and attach an XLR and you are ready to go. Some may want to go with a decent desk stand or sturdy

boom with the Podcast Pro, given the relative size of the mic and the extra weight of the larger moving coil (which to be fair, at only 356g is actually well below the average for this kind of mic.) In terms of physical footprint it’s equally lowkey, making it a great option for YouTubers and Video Podcasters or anyone who values direct lines of sight in the studio.

Sonically speaking, it records clean, detailed speech with a warm, broadcast-ready sound.

Leaning in provides a bassy yet malleable proximity effect, exactly the kind of low frequency reinforcement you would want from a microphone of this type.

Further back, you’ll get slightly more room sound but the tight super cardioid pattern helps restrain it.

Given the fact so many podcasters, gamers and voice over artists are working outside the context of a professional studio, minimising background noise is of high priority and the Podcast Pro performs particularly well in this regard. The tight supercardioid pattern does a great job of negating reflections at the sides and the low sensitivity promotes broadcast style nearfield micing from the on set, meaning you’ll find yourself naturally sitting about a fist away from the microphone (for any Rogan fans out there).

On playback, our recordings didn’t need anything in the way of EQ or

de-essing to sit nicely. Untouched, there was a professional presence and clarity throughout, with a level of diction and speech intelligibility, that was streaks ahead of what one would normally expect of a microphone at this pricepoint.

And that is one of the most startling aspects of the Podcast Pro. For a release by a brand as reputable as Sontronics (and for a microphone that has more in common looks/sound wise with the classic large diaphragm dynamic Broadcast mics, as opposed to the recent glut of consumer level Podcast mics) it’s an absolute no brainer in terms of price.

Sontronics are renowned for their Studio microphones and this, their first foray into the podcast game, its undeniably a success.

It’s a quality product that shares the same capsule as its more expensive sibling the Sontronics Corona, and it shows in the deceptively expensive sound of the recordings. Getting a UK-made dynamic microphone at this price is impressive enough and in a growing market, there are few others that offer a product (and warranty) as good as Sontronics and their Podcast Pro. Don’t be surprised to see this distinguished, metallic red casing in YouTube thumbnails everywhere.

BY DAN NICHOLLS

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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO

STUDIO CONNECTIONS

EVO 4 Start Recording Bundle DISTRIBUTED BY: STUDIO CONNECTIONS | EXPECT TO PAY: $375

Situated in a market that’s experiencing something of a renaissance, Audient’s EVO 4 SRB (Start Recording Bundle) is a stand out amongst the many home recording packages available today.

The bundle itself is a value-pack, put together with the kind of essentials one should expect, ie. an audio interface, condenser microphone, shockmount, XLR lead and headphones, each of which prove to be more than adequate in their respective categories, providing beginner users quick access to an overall quality recording experience.

Audient has centered this package around the EVO 4 interface. The 14x6.7cm black box distinguishes itself with a presentation and feature list that can feel a cut above, or at least unique enough, to similarly priced alternatives, with a singular, forward thinking aesthetic that more than separates it from many of its contemporaries on both a visual and workflow level.

and relative monitoring ease that comes with clean, distortion free, level matched recording.

The intuitive and organic way in which the ‘Smartgain’ feature actively promotes good audio practice, carries with it a unifying influence, really going a long way towards setting novice engineers on the right path (whether they are aware of it or not). I’m sure many a mix engineer will welcome the emergence of ‘Smartgain’ with open arms.

In contrast with the periphery of alternative audio interfaces, many comparable in size and pricing, the EVO 4 features a unique construction that may prove more intuitive to some: up-top surface controls, complete with an LED display function, monitor outputs and inputs (USB-C, XLR combo ports) in the back, and headphone and instrument input out front.

Nowhere is this more evident in the EVO 4’s super intuitive single knob functionality, which is also home to the oft mentioned ‘Smartgain’ feature (which automatically sets input gain levels in relation to the volume of the miced source or DI’d instrument.)

Being small and easy to manage, the EVO 4 encourages versatility and portability, as capable on the go as it is as a studio fixture. In terms of physical footprint and flexibility of workflow, you’d be hard pressed to find an interface that can do as much, with as little, with the single knob functionality and minimal enclosure taking up little in the way of prime desk real estate.

Suffice to say, this is a feature designed to make everyone’s life a little easier and there is something incredibly novel about sitting back and letting it do it’s magic, while enjoying the audible benefits

Contained in a sleek matte black presentation-looks wise, the EVO 4 is both minimalistic yet delightfully subversive in that it doesn’t really look like audio equipment at all, bearing more than a passing nod

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to the ‘Smart’ school of product design.

It’s an aesthetic that is sure to earn the EVO 4 many fans, especially amongst engineers who don’t want to share their living space with usual visual cacophony of cables, knobs and faders that are usually part and parcel the average home recording setup. By contrast, the EVO 4 is unobtrusive, stylish and self-contained.

For the itinerant musician, or for anyone looking to record a podcast or demo on the fly, then look no further. As far as audio quality, useability and portability are concerned, the EVO 4 ranks highly across all three and is a perfect option for anyone looking to record on the move.

A personal favourite feature of the EVO 4 is the Loopback function.

If you’re wanting to use the EVO as a way to record podcasts over Discord, or maybe gaming content for YouTube or Twitch, it is so easy to get your computer audio routed through alongside your microphones Despite the EVO 4 being the star, there is a consistent quality in the additional elements that make up the rest of the bundle.

Headphones can often be expected to take a hit in quality when it comes to packages such as these. Surprisingly, this isn’t the case here. The included closed back SR2000 Headphones deliver, and even after hours

of frequent use, prove to be comfortable and light. In terms of isolation they also perform far and beyond expectations, attenuating outside noises while keeping headphone bleed to a minimum.

Likewise, the SR1 Condenser Microphone is a further testament to Audient’s overall consistency across this particular offering.

The mic itself is both useful and useable, ensuring high quality recordings, with a nice upper mid-range bump that makes it a natural fit for capturing the precise detail sought by vocalists and podcasters alike. It’s relatively tight super-cardioid pattern works nicely in cahoots with the enclosed headphones so as to not leak any noise and affect the final product.

The entry level price tag by no means should be taken interchangeably with the notion that this may be exclusively for those within the beginner margin.

The bundle performs cohesively and results in a clear sound and quality recording experience.

Audient’s EVO 4 SRB ticks the boxes when it comes to an affordable pricepoint, making it ideal for those just starting out, or for any looking for a quality home recording or auxiliary, portable setup.

BY JACOB TYLER

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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO

ASTON MICROPHONES

Element LINK AUDIO | EXPECT TO PAY: $369 Pro Audio very rarely caters to the everyman. For those new to the world of recording, whether aspiring recording engineers, hobbyists, or musicians trying to record a demo to attract the attention of a label, quality microphones appear to be both exclusive and expensive. The other side of the coin is that affordable ‘studio’ microphones tend to be anything but flattering, with harshness, hissiness and all round unpleasantness the norm. Aston’s latest offering, ‘the Element’ aims at deconstructing the limitations placed on home recordists, paving the road for affordability and inclusivity in the realm of high quality recording equipment.

As a company, Aston are not one to skim over the critical research and development stage and in the case of the Element, it’s etched into the fabric of what has makes ‘the Element’ such an excellently designed and likeable microphone.

The product of an industry wide survey in which over 4000 producers, engineers and musicians, gave their feedback after a series of blind tests, listening sessions and peer reviewed A/B shootouts with the very best of the competition, it was only after 18 months of critical listening tests, data collection and voluntary feedback that the final design and voicing of ‘the Element’ was settled upon.

The result is one of the most forward thinking Studio mics i’ve ever encountered, regardless of pricepoint. It’s a microphone that couldn’t be better suited to the modern guerilla style of recording, with its novel Ridyon™ capsule technology, intriguing powered moving coil topography and Robin Hood pricing.

In case you don’t speak fluent mic nerd, to put it simply, the Element is a rare beast that combines elements and design tropes from all three main mic categories and combines them into something that is both unique and extremely well suited to non treated spaces (and does so at a price well below what you would expect to pay for a microphone with this many tricks up its sleeve.)

An active, large diaphragm moving coil (not ribbon) cardioid microphone with just enough HF response and transient accuracy

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to rival most condensers, The Element is the first of its kind (and something of an anomaly in the space, at least at this point in the evolution of mic design.)

The Element shapes up to be an excellent all-rounder microphone with a very even frequency response, capable of recording just about anything- from vocals and electric guitar, acoustic instruments and even drums.

Aston’s dedication to the people is obvious upon opening the box; the microphone comes with a shock mount and a sleek magnetic pop shield. A seasoned collector of microphones may have an appropriate mount and pop shield when they purchase a new microphone, but one who is purchasing their first microphone will find the inclusion of these very thoughtful. A LED logo in Aston’s signature purple lets you know when the microphone is receiving phantom power, a useful feature for those who have read Mixing With Your Mind and appreciate the added ambiance of singing in total darkness but still want their voice to hit the microphone on-axis.

The microphone is encased in a matte black metal body, with a 360-degree elastomer suspension system safely housing Aston’s Ridyon™ capsule tech. The quasicardioid polar pattern resembles a seashell, a quick test confirming that the Element has respectable off-axis rejection, particularly for its price point. With a maximum SPL rating of 132dB and an equivalent noise level of 3.8 dbA (A-weighted), the Element can handle both ultra-loud and ultraquiet recording scenarios without introducing noise or distortion.

The capsule in the Element is significantly larger than most moving-coil capsules, having more in common with Broadcast style large diaphragm dynamics like the SM7b and RE20, than it does something like a handheld dynamic. Being an active microphone means, that unlike those aforementioned mics, it relies significantly less on preamp gain whilst also hinting at a slightly lighter moving coil and better transient response (Aston are keeping pretty tight-lipped regarding exact diaphragm sizes and the inner workings of ‘the Element’-and rightly so!)

The Element shows its all-rounder nature in its awesome approach to proximity effect, being able to comfortably capture the sub-bass of a bass guitar or a baritone voice in a way that many microphones in its price bracket could only dream of doing (again very much a trait of a Large Diaphragm Dynamic). This also means that it lacks the uppermid chirp that often accompanies many of the well known snare and guitar cab mics of yore, but is absolutely perfect for offsetting bright snare drums or single coil guitar pickups, which it pairs with extremely well. This flatness at the most audible frequencies only further cements ‘The Element’s role as crowd pleaser by doing away with a lot of the frequency pile-up that often comes with recording multiple parts of a track with a single microphone.

The Element also maintains its frequency response well into the high end of the audible frequency spectrum, with a surprising amount of definition and air at 5k and up (again another indication of a fast reacting diaphragm).

edge designs and best-in-price performance. While an obvious choice for a first microphone due to its all-round performance, the Element is also a boon for any studio, no matter how small or large; a go to choice for recording toms, brass, or practically anything due to its democratic frequency response. It’s unique topography, ability to tame harsh rooms and flattering but detailed frequency response means that it is sure to be seen as a highly influential, evolutionary cornerstone, for years to come.

In a product category that often fetishises the classics, there have been only two microphones in recent history that have made me sit up and take notice as something genuinely new and cutting edge. The first was Austrian Audio’s incredibly powerful OC818 and now (thanks to it’s excellent capsule design and dedication to the Vox Populi) Aston’s Element.

Top marks all round.

LIAM MCSHANE

The Element represents a great advancement in microphone technology, and maintains Aston’s reputation for delivering cutting mixdownmag.com.au

PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO

PRESONUS

Revelator USB Microphone & PD70 Podcast Microphone LINK AUDIO | EXPECT TO PAY: REVELATOR $299, PD70: $249 The content creation space is evidently growing by the millisecond, with the demand for content bursting at the seams and creators having to keep up with the ever expanding scenes.

From podcasting, live streaming, gaming (amongst the myriad of other platforms) taking up such vast space in the way we keep entertained and consume information.

Manufacturers across the world are working harder to keep ahead of the curb as this rapidly paced space continues to evolve, from plug and play type devices to affordable “broadcast quality” mics. The demand for equipment that is both high quality and compatible for use across multiple platforms is ever increasing and a clear leader and innovator in this space is Presonus, with two products that are absolute standouts in this arena, the Revelator and PD-70.

When it comes to USB mics, it really feels like we are experiencing a period of maturation within the product category and nowhere are these new design considerations more present than in something like the Revelator.

More than just a plug ‘n’ play simplicity for online good times, the Revelator has some incredibly clever tricks up its sleeve, not only in the unit itself, but also the intuitive control software app software.

On the surface, the Revelator looks every bit a textbook example of how far USB mics have come in recent years, with its sturdy desktop stand, stylish silver grille and with general level of build quality and finishing that is really a cut above what one would generally associate with a USB condenser.

Connections on the bottom of the Revelator are a 3.5mm headphones output and the USB-C connector which feeds to a computer-nice and simple. On the front panel are three controls.

Up top is the Preset button, which when pressed switches between the four inbuilt voice presets, each represented with a different colour-indeed a nice touch.

The monitor button below has three different functions. By mixdownmag.com.au

default, it controls the headphone level, but when pressed once it illuminates a brighter blue (which is mirrored on the volume knob below) which controls the monitor level. Where things get really nifty is when the button is held changes to control the mic gain level, and if the mic input is clipping it’s indicated by a red light on the volume knob below, very cool. All these multiple modes become very useful when quick adjustments to any of these sources is required on the fly. Lastly the volume knob works in conjunction with the monitor knobs and controls the level of whatever the mode the monitor button is set to. Also pressing this knob mutes the microphone entirely (indicated by a red light), great for change overs or transitions in a podcast, performance or live stream. I found all of these controls incredibly intuitive and easy to use on the fly and the visual cues kept me from forgetting what I was monitoring or what preset I had selected.

The Revelator’s control software app, Universal Control is where things get really exciting. Even for those not accustomed to dialling in or adjusting things like high pass filters, compressors, gates and reverb setting will find the layout of Universal Control very user friendly. Presets are found on the top left of the app screen and selecting these via the app or physically on the mic itself clearly indicates the different settings, from broadcast, special effects and singer type presets. For those wishing to tweak further can open up the expanded window for compression, EQ and more.

Very useful for refining and saving presets for different applications such as a simple voiceover through to a music performance.

The faders labelled Playback, Loopback 1 and Loopback 2 are where things get really clever and the routing options on the Revelator are no doubt one of it’s strong suites. The Playback fader can be configured for example, to have music playback from a computer to be faded in or out, say at the top and tail of a podcast.

The loopback faders can be configured to receive audio from a DAW for performances requiring backing tracks for example, or to

bring in a Zoom or Skype call of a guest on a podcast, then simply blending all the audio streams into the main mix and outputting to the live stream platform of choice.

Normally this sort of routing and monitoring would require a lot more setup and tweaking but the Universal Control app takes care of all of this incredibly well indeed.

A welcomed feature for any users requiring plug and play ease of use.

The Revelator very much lives up to its rather fitting name, being quite the revelation in the content creation space. Easy and intuitive to use both on the physical unit itself and within the Universal Control app domain, the only thing I found to be missing was a USB-C to USB-C cable (a USB-A to USB-C cable is provided) for use with compatible computers but a minor gripe considering most will be a spare one lying around anyway. Safe to say, expect to see (and hear) more and more Revelators popping up in Youtube videos and Twitch streams, moving forward.

Just as we have seen a maturation in the world of USB mic, Podcast mics too are having their day in the sun, any Presonus’ PD-70 dynamic mic can stretch with the glut of awesome Pod mics out there at the moment.

With its rugged construction and arm attachment making it perfect for broadcast studios or podcast setups alike, the PD-70 is built to last, with its strong robust chassis, giving the impression of being able to take a knock or two without incurring much in the way of major damage. After all-we all know how passionate broadcasters/ podcasters can get!

On spec, the PD-70 holds its own with a broad, full band frequency response of 20Hz – 20kHz and a nice presence lift from around 2kHz to 10kHz, keeping the voices spoken or sung into it clear and defined. Its cardioid polar pattern keeps things focused, boasting an incredibly tight unidirectional pickup and outside noise to a minimum. There’s nothing worse than listening to a podcast where the external noise is almost as loud as the voice itself, which not only is horrible to listen to, but sounds unprofessional and DIY, and not in a good way. Thankfully the PD-70 takes care of this with ease and produces a professional sounding capture of the sound source placed in front of it, with all the nice proximity effect and low end reinforcement you would want out of a microphone of this type.

It’s easy to say that the PD-70 is one of the best value for money microphones of its kind. The initial costs of setting up a content creation space can be daunting, wanting to get professional results without breaking the bank.

For podcasters, broadcasters, voiceover artists and radio hosts the PD-70 is a solid option producing the expected results of a microphone of this style, smooth, clear and crisp, and for some voices, the exact special sauce required.

BY ANDY LLOYD-RUSSELL 49

MY RIG:

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets A prime example of Perth’s penchant for fuzzed-out sounds, festival favourites Psychedelic Porn Crumpets have spooned up another big dollop of freaky psych-rock jams on their latest album SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound. It’s a record that sees the band tighter than ever and adventuring far into the nether with obtuse guitar tones, bizarre effects and plenty of cosmic fuckery, and we’re totally hooked.

To find out more about the making of SHYGA!, we linked up with the band’s frontman Jake McEwan for a chat about his favourite pieces of gear that made it onto the record.

Guitar Rig Easily my favourite piece of software ever created, and absolutely shits all over Photoshop.

Every PPC record is plastered with effects that I’ve either built

from an existing preset or I’ll build from scratch with all the available components - it’s basically like owning every amp ever made.

I run all my vocals through the program too. There’s such a raw tone when you turn off all the cabs on the amps. I do the same with the bass and guitars as well, only running the heads straight into Ableton. Unless you have a big enough budget for buying decent mics to capture a warm amp tone, then DI is definitely the way to go.

I’m a massive advocate for DI’ing everything.

Ableton Live I get that most studios prefer using ProTools for its ease of multi-tracking, but because I record most of the Crumpets stuff from home, I find Ableton is way more user friendly and idiot proof. The whole of SHYGA’s glitch guitar sound came about by accident through Ableton - I was quantising some guitar parts and thought I’d transpose the take up an octave while in beats mode, and the shimmer that came out sounded magical. I started using

the technique on every song and have since been diving deeper into Ableton to see what other anomalies I can find.

MI Audio GI Fuzz This was Sam Ford’s great find.

While I was recording some guitars at Tone City he showed me this Sugar Army track he’d recorded a few years back, I was immediately struck by one incredibly fuzzy guitar that sounded like it was a synth. He told me it was the GI Fuzz and I spent ages looking for one. I eventually stumbled across one in Japan when we were on tour and had to grab it. It’s sprinkled lightly throughout the record to create a stronger impact when you hear it.

Aclam Dr. Robert This was another pedal I found in Japan. I was instantly drawn to it as the artwork features John Lennon dropping a tab of acid into a cup of tea, and it’s drawn by Klaus Voormann, who created the Revolver album artwork. I would have bought it just for The Beatles

MI Audio GI Fuzz Aclam Dr. Robert

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memorabilia but when I plugged it in I felt complete. It’s basically a Vox amp emulator, but really packs a punch when it’s cranked. I took my Blues Driver off my board and replaced it with this puppy, along with the GI Fuzz, and I’ve never been happier with my tone.

Mellotron Another one of Sam Ford’s doings!

At Tone City he’s got a Mellotron sitting by his desk. We first used it on ‘My Friend’s A Liquid’ while recording Whatchamacallit, and since then I’ve been hooked on that violin and flute patch. Sam gratefully lent it to me for a few weeks while I was working on SHYGA!. It’s such an awesome instrument, I definitely need to get one at some stage. My life has been missing without it…

SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound is out now.

Mellotron

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