MIXDOWN AUGUST ISSUE #256

M A D E B Y M U S I C I A N S F O R M U S I C I A N S

AUGUST 2015 #256

FREE! MIXDOWNMAG.COM.AU

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MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW

GHOST

THE PREATURES

PLUS: ART OF SLEEPING, OH MERCY, MELBOURNE MUSIC BANK, FICAN GUITARS, DISTURBED, THE RUBENS + MORE ROAD TESTS: YAMAHA PSR SERIES ARRANGER KEYBOARDS, SHURE PGA SERIES MICROPHONES, VOX VALVETRONIX AMPLIFIERS, TRUETONE JECKYL AND HYDE, AKAI ADVANCE 49 MIDI CONTROLLER, DIAMOND HALCYON ZB-FR, EASTMAN GUITARS MANDOLIN, NEUMANN TLM 102 CONDENSER MIC + MORE

COMING SOON - SEE ROAD TESTS THIS ISSUE

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CONTENTS GIVEAWAY

6

NEWS & TOURS

8

THE INDUSTRIALIST

10

PRODUCT NEWS

12

THE GETAWAY PLAN

18

GHOST

20

FORE WORD

THE PREATURES ART OF SLEEPING

22

OH MERCY MELBOURNE MUSIC BANK

24

FICAN GUITARS THE RUBENS

FOR BREAKING NEWS, NEW CONTENT AND MORE GIVEAWAYS VISIT

30

DISTURBED UNLEASH YOUR INNER ROCK GOD

34

ON THE DOWNLOW THE AMP DOCTOR

35

[D]IGITAL [J]OCKEY

36

HOME STUDIO HINTS WHAT’S MY RANGE AGAIN

37

MELBOURNE GUITAR FESTIVAL

38

& TIMETABLE ROAD TESTS

WWW.MIXDOWNMAG.COM.AU

32

WHAT’S THAT SOUND BANGIN’ THE TUBS

OH MERCY PAGE 22

28

BAHAMAS HELLYEAH

DISTURBED PAGE 30

PUBLISHER Furst Media EDITOR IN CHIEF Keats Mulligan mixdown@beat.com.au MANAGING DIRECTOR Patrick Carr EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Michael Edney PRODUCTION MANAGER Michael Cusack

50

PG.4 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

CONTRIBUTORS Augustus Welby, Rob Gee, Peter Hodgson, Christie Elizer, Nick Brown, Adam Norris, Nik Corbet, Lachlan Kanoniuk, James DiFabrizio, Phoebe Robertson, Elijah Hawkins.

COVER ART Michael Cusack GRAPHIC DESIGN Michael Cusack, Ruby Furst

ADVERTISING Keats Mulligan E: mixdown@beat. com.au Phone: (03) 8414 9704 MIXDOWN OFFICE Level 1, No. 3 Newton Street, Richmond VIC 3121.

Phone: (03) 9428 3600

When I was a small child I was deathly afraid of growing old without purpose. I remember a big fat bully telling me that I was a loser and that I’d always remain a loser when I dropped an easy mark out on the oval of Edithvale Primary School when I was in prep. Those words, though they came from the mouth of a small child, and probably without any thought, haunted me for most of my life, until today.

Today is a special day, because it marks my first day as the editor for Mixdown, and that fills me with a great sense of pride. Sitting at the helm of a magazine with a history as long and proud as Mixdown’s is an intimidating task, but it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to taking on.

I’m stoked to be able to bring you such an awesome issue in my debut as editor too.

On top of having some great road tests and interviews, this month we have some great Melbourne Guitar Show content and the debut of our new Guitar Amp maintenance column ‘The Amp Doctor.’

I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had making it.

KEATS MULLIGAN EDITOR IN CHIEF

www.mixdownmag.com.au

GIVEAWAYS GLX-D Digital Wireless Guitar System: With a new issue of Mixdown comes a new prize to give away to one of our awesome readers. This month we’re giving away the GLX-D Digital Wireless Guitar Pedal, courtesy of our friends over at Jands. If you’re sick of tripping over and getting tangled up in cables during shows, this pedal is a must-have addition to your pedal board. The in-built tuner is fast and accurate and can replace your existing tuner to free up some space. The unit is solidly built, and will survive any on-stage beatings you can throw at it. Furthermore, it actually does its job, and you’ll be hard pressed to tell the difference between this and a guitar lead on stage.

Last Month’s Giveaway Winner ULTIMATE PEDALBOARD

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY, SIMPLY FOLLOW THESE STEPS: So if you want to be in the running to win this awesome pedal, all you need to do is visit our giveaways page at www.mixdownmag. com.au/giveaways and follow the instructions. For full terms and conditions visit www. mixdownmag.com.au/terms-and-conditions.

ONE ENTRY PER PERSON. AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS ONLY. BEST OF LUCK!

*This giveaway is for Australian residents only and one entry per person.

For more awesome monthly Mixdown Giveaways, be sure to LIKE our Mixdown Magazine facebook page at www.facebook.com/mixdownmagazine and regularly check our Giveaways page on www.mixdownmag.com.au/giveaways for your chance to win.

This giveaway was huge! Thanks to everyone who entered, we really appreciate all the awesome entries we got. However, only one person can take home the prize, and that lucky person is Lisa Costa of Melbourne, Victoria. While there were some great entries, being able to incorporate every pedal in the 25 words (and making it hilarious) was a real stand out! We hope you have an awesome time with this awesome prize. This pedalboard features a Mooer Pure Boost [Jade Australia], Red Witch Ivy Distortion [Music Link Australia], Walrus Audio Mayflower Overdrive [Gladesville Guitar Factory], EarthQuaker Devices The Fuzz Master General [Global Vintage], Visual Sound H20 V3 Liquid Chorus & Echo [EGM Distribution], Hotone Harmony Pitch Shifter/Harmonist [Noise Toys Imports], MC Systems CGN Dynamic Delay [CMC Music Australia], Dunlop CBM95 Crybaby Mini Wah [Australasian Music Supplies], VOX VLL-1 Little Looper [Yamaha Music Australia], a Charlie’s Pedalboard C3 [Electric Factory], EBS Flat patch cables [Pedal Empire] and a CIOKS DC 8 Power Supply [Amber Technology]. What else could you possibly ask for?

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NEWS & TOURS Buried In Verona

Grenadiers

Little May

Jess Ribeiro

After facing oblivion at the end of 2014 and gaining three new members, Buried In Verona have a new look, new songs and are not going down without a fight.

With the release of their upcoming album Vultures Above, Lions Below nearing, the Sydney based band have announced 12 shows around the country. Written, produced and recorded entirely by the band and mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordstrom and Henrik Udd (Bring Me The Horizon, Architects, Soil Work), it is said to be their most powerful, honest and exciting album to date. Joining Buried In Verona on tour are Hand Of Mercy and Polaris.

Adelaide punk rock trio Grenadiers have announced an Australian national tour as a part of their ‘Grenabeers’ tour. After wrapping up their tour supporting British India, the boys of Grenadiers are ready to take centre stage and are sure to deliver their best shows to date in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Perth and Bunbury. The hard-hitting punk rock band is set to capture an audience as steadfastly as they captured the attention of Triple J earlier this year. Their title track ‘Summer’ was launched into heavy rotation, followed by their album securing the Triple J ‘Feature Album’ title.

More recently, Grenadiers have scored themselves a spot at Bigsound 2015.

For The Company is the new album from Sydneysiders Little May, which will be released on October 9 via Dew Process/ Universal Music Australia. The band is then set for a small Australian tour as a warm up, before heading off to play 25 shows in the US, UK and Europe, where they have only recently toured successfully, selling out shows in London and playing to packed crowds in Paris. The album was produced by Aaron Brooking Dessner (The National), who the band were “incredibly grateful” to be able to work with. “It was a dream of ours to work with Aaron Dessner… [he] captured the heart of what we are about, and we couldn’t be more thankful,” said the band. The recording process took place entirely in the US, where the band made their way to Upstate New York to begin the recording process wand finished it in Dessner’s garage in Brooklyn.

Melbourne Based Singer/Songwriter Jess Ribeiro has announced a national tour, and has released a second taste of her new album Kill It Yourself, set for release on August 14. ‘Hurry Back To Love’ is a standout from Kill It Yourself, and showcases Jess’ beautiful voice and her natural knack for melody. Developed and co-produced with Melbourne’s Mick Harvey (The Bad Seeds, The Birthday Party, PJ Harvey) and James Cruickshank (The Cruel Sea) ‘Hurry Back To Love’ is a tear jerker.

Kill It Yourself marks a progression and change from Jess’ highly praised previous release, the My Little River LP. Jess Ribeiro will be performing a string of shows in celebration of the release.

TOUR DATES Sept 17 – Fowlers Live, Adelaide SA Sept 18 – Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne VIC Sept 19 – Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne VIC Sept 20 – Magpies, Canberra NSW Sept 23 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle NSW Sept 24 – Bald Faced Stag, Sydney NSW Sept 25 – Bald Faced Stag, Sydney NSW Sept 26 – The Brightside, Brisbane QLD Sept 27 – The Lab, Brisbane QLD Oct 2 – Elliot Street Bar, Bunbury WA Oct 3 – Amplifier Bar, Perth WA Oct 4 – YMCA HQ, Perth WA

TOUR DATES Aug 28 – Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne VIC Aug 29 – Newtown Social Club, Sydney NSW Sept 5 – Jive, Adelaide SA Sept 9/10 – Big Sound, Brisbane QLD Sept 11 – The Northern, Byron Bay QLD Sept 12 – Quicksilver Boardriders, Coolangatta QLD Sept 18 – Rosemount Four5Nine, Perth WA Sept 19 – Prince Of Wales, Bunbury WA

TOUR DATES Sept 18 – Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney NSW Sept 19 – The Foundry, Brisbane QLD Sept 24 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC Sept 26 – Jack Rabbit Slims, Perth WA

TOUR DATES Sept 4 - Red Rattler, Sydney NSW Sept 5 - Phoenix Bar, Canberra ACT Sept 11 - Trinity, Adelaide SA Sept 17 - Junk Bar, Brisbane QLD Sept 26 - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne VIC

Moses Gunn Collective

Tumbleweed

Safia

The Demon Parade

Brisbane outfit Moses Gunn Collective have announced the release of their debut album. The release of the album entitled Mercy Mountain comes hot on the heels of the release of the band’s current single ‘Back into the Womb’, which has been getting airplay on community radio as of late. To celebrate the release of Mercy Mountain, the band is set to embark on a five date east coast tour, treating audiences to a live show that has earned them a reputation as one of the most entertaining live acts in the Brisbane music scene. Mercy Mountain is out via Create/Control on August 7.

Tumbleweed has announced their ‘SuperGalactaphonic 20’ tour in celebration of the 20th anniversary reissue of their epic 1995 album Galactaphonic. The original release of Galactaphonic in 1995 launched the sound of Tumbleweed across Australia.

With a six week stay in the ARIA top 50, it is said to be one of the most loved albums of the era. Now, after 20 years, the album is set to be re-released on August 7, followed by a national tour. The reissue will feature the original 13 tracks as well as extras including 9 B-Sides/EP tracks, 9 unreleased tracks, five cassette demo recordings and alternate versions of ‘Hang Around’, ‘Gyroscope’ and ‘Round The Bend’ among others. The reissue will also see the album released on vinyl for the very first time. After the unfortunate passing of bassist Jason (Jay) Curely in 2014, the greatly anticipated Tumbleweed return is sure to be a powerful and emotional move for the band and their fans.

On the back of a run of sold out shows and their latest single ‘Embracing Me’, Canberra trio SAFIA have announced more dates for their national tour. Having sold out their Melbourne show in 48 hours, another show was added at the Corner Hotel, along with extra shows in Sydney, Brisbane and Newcastle. The tour is in support of the single Embracing Me, which has over 80,000 plays on Soundcloud.

SAFIA are no strangers to playing sold out shows and big crowds, with the new tour following two recent sold out shows in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as previous sold out tours and appearances at festivals including SXSW, Primavera Festival and Falls Festival.

Melbourne band The Demon Parade are set to head off on an east coast tour following the release of their upcoming EP Stone Circles. Differing from the band’s previous approach of a thick, layered production, The EP boasts a raw, minimalistic approach, while still displaying their trademark psychedelic sound. In celebration of Stone Circles, The Demon Parade are preparing to roar out of the garage and into their first tour of the year. In their time they’ve supported The Preatures, Something For Kate and British India, and the band boasts a electrifying stage presence. The Demon Parade’s Stone Circles is out August 7 on RiSH.

TOUR DATES Aug 15 - The Northern, Byron Bay Aug 21 - Shebeen, Melbourne VIC Aug 22 - Goodgod Small Club, Sydney NSW Aug 28 - The Brightside, Brisbane QLD Aug 29 - Sol Bar, Maroochydore QLD

TOUR DATES

TOUR DATES 21 Aug – Corner Hotel, Melbourne VIC 11 Sept– Manning Bar, Sydney NSW 18 Sept – Rosemount Hotel, Perth WA 19 Sept - Fowlers Live, Adelaide SA 26 Sept – Waves, Wollongong NSW

PG.8 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

TOUR Hitting WA, NT, VIC, NSW, QLD, SA and ACT throughout August and September. See mixdownmag.com.au for the full list of dates.

Aug 13 – Southern Cross Arts Festival, Lismore NSW Aug 14 – Quiksilver Boardriders, Coolangatta QLD Aug 14 – The Northern, Byron Bay NSW Aug 15 – Trainspotters, Brisbane QLD Aug 21 – Old Manly Boatshed, Manly NSW Aug 22 – The Standard Bowl, Sydney NSW Aug 23 – Frankies Pizza, Sydney NSW Aug 28 – Yah Yahs, Melbourne VIC

www.mixdownmag.com.au

INDUSTRIALIST 43% OF AUSSIE INTERNET USERS DOWNLOAD ILLEGALLY

A study commissioned by the Federal Government found that between March and May 2015, 43% of Australians who access the internet downloaded pirated material. This amounted to 254 million music tracks, 95 million movies, 82 million television programs and 9 million video games. Of the 2630 Australians surveyed who admitted to accessing pirated content, 48% pirated for movies, 37% for music, 33% for TV programs and 22% for video games.

Only 21% said will stop if they got a warning from their ISPs, leading consumer rights group Choice to point out that the upcoming ‘three strikes’ law is pointless. In other findings, 39% would stop if content was cheaper, 38% if more content was available, and 38% if these were available in Australia at the same time they were released overseas.

The study also proved what the digital industry has been saying: that Australian infringers consumed a mix of legal and illegal content to test what to buy in the future, and that during March to May, tended to spend more on content than those who only bought legally.

FRONTIER #1 AUSSIE, INDIE, PROMOTER IN WORLD

Michael Gudinski’s Frontier Touring was Australia’s most successful promoter between November 2014 and June 2015.

Billboard magazine’s mid-year touring report put it at #3 in the world, behind massive promoters Live Nation and AEG Live. In this time, Frontier toured Foo Fighters, Ed Sheeran, The Eagles, Drake, Kylie, Rod Stewart, Chet Faker, Billy Idol and alt-j. Australia’s Dainty Group was at #7 with a gross of $45.5 million, and Nine Lives at #10 with $26 million. Gudinski said being an independent promoter was tough but “we’ve never been so busy and our team has never worked as hard.”

PPCA DEADLINE APPROACHING

The PPCA’s deadline for current distribution is August 31. If you are an Australian recording artist whose music is being broadcast or publicly performed, or you hold the copyright in recordings

being played, you may be eligible to share in licence fees collected by the PPCA from over 70,000 businesses across the country that played recordings and videos. Last year the PPCA collected almost $33 million for registered artists and labels. For more info visit www.ppca.com.au.

APRA’S $120K PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS

The Australasian Performing Right Association’s Professional Development Awards (PDAs) are back. Eight winners will get $15,000 worth of career support each. Sponsor Audio Technica is also giving away a mic and headphone pack. The eight will be chosen from six categories: popular contemporary (three), country, jazz, classical, film & television and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Applications close at 5pm on August 25. For more information visit www. apraamcos.com.au/pda

FACE THE MUSIC BACK FOR 8TH YEAR

Melbourne music summit Face The Music returns for its eighth year on November 13 and 14 at the Arts Centre Melbourne. Aimed at a grass-roots audience, it drew a record 850 last year, with an awesome program which included a thought-provoking keynote from Steve Albini. Its first program announcement and general tickets are on sale on August 26.

DUNE RATS LAUNCH LABEL

Brisbane garage stoners Dune Rats have set up their own label Ratbag Records, distributed through Warner Music. They declared that it’s “the Dunies way of giving the bands they love a leg up. They want to pull the bands they love out of bedrooms or pubs, take them on the road and show them to the world.”

Their first signing is Byron Bay trio Skegss, who played North America this year.

TASKFORCE TO CHALLENGE SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN CLUBS The Victorian Government has set up a taskforce to tackle incidents of sexual harassment and violence in clubs and pubs.

The push came from SLAM (Save Live Australian Music) and music industry women’s group Listen (www.listenlistenlisten.org).

For con t en t sub mi ssi ons t o t hi s col u mn p leas e em ail to celizer@netspa ce.net.au

Research last year by Dr Bianca Fileborn of La Trobe University found that 96.6% surveyed agreed that unwanted sexual attention happened in licensed venues and 80.2% considered it common. The tragedy is that most women accept that being groped is part of going out to a club and don’t report it. The task force will look at guidelines as more female security, better training for venue staff and education.

The guidelines will down the track extend to all festivals in the state and the LGBT community which is also vulnerable.

ARE METAL FANS THE HAPPIEST?

Are metal fans happier and more well-adjusted than those of other genres? A report in Self And Identity journal, titled ‘The Life Experiences And Mid-Life Functioning Of 1980s Heavy Metal Groupies, Musicians and Fans’ makes this claim. It admits “metal enthusiasts did often experience traumatic and risky ‘sex, drugs, and rockand-roll’ lives”, generally “the metalhead identity also served as a protective factor against negative outcomes. Social support is a crucial protective factor for troubled youth. Fans and musicians alike felt a kinship in the metal community, and a way to experience heightened emotions with like-minded people.” Earlier University of Queensland research suggested that metal and punk music could have a positive effect on a listener by diluting their anger.

DO METAL FANS MAKE THE BEST FISHERMEN?

A Discovery Channel film crew searching for a great white shark tagged in WA and nicknamed ‘Joan of Shark’ used an underwater speaker blasting death metal to attract great whites.

They not only hear the music, but mistake its low-frequency vibrations for struggling fish. In 2011, a South Australian tour operator discovered that playing AC/DC’s music attracted sharks for the same reason.

NEW MUSIC CONFERENCE FOR SYDNEY

Australian Music Week is a new conference, festival and artist showcase which runs in Cronulla Beach between November 18 and 22. It’s looking for emerging artists to showcase. It’s put together as a local version of South By Southwest by promoters

Geoff Trio and Scott Mesiti. For more info check out the Facebook page.

MELBOURNE MUSIC BANK

After a highly successful competition last year, Bank of Melbourne has today revealed the return of Melbourne Music Bank for 2015. The competition is a community music initiative that gives aspiring local musicians a chance to break into the industry.

Any Victorian musicians are eligible to enter, and all they have to do is submit an original song to go in the running to win the ultimate kick-starter pack for a career in music.

SA GOVERNMENT TO SNIP LIVE MUSIC RED TAPE

The South Australian Government is conducting a survey of the state’s venue operators to determine what obstacles and red tape they are facing, and better understand their benefits and experiences. You can access the survey at www.mixdownmag. com.au.

AUSTRALIAN RADIO AUDIENCE GROWS BY 7%

GfK’s latest AudioScope report shows that Australian radio audiences have grown by 7% in the last five years. 19% of people are listening to more radio now than they were a year ago, and 66% listen while driving. 48% stay on the same station for long periods, showing it’s a multitasking medium. 59% choose their station for personalitydriven content, 82% drawn to humour.

SONGWRITERS CONFERENCE RETURNING

Registrations are open for the 4th Australian Songwriters Conference, which is to be held June 10 to 13 2016.

It covers publisher pitching sessions, seminars, workshops, on-site recording and performance nights. See www. australiansongwritersconference. com for details.

THINGS WE HEAR • Plans to stage an Adelaide version of Thailand’s notorious Full Moon Party in October as part of Asiafest has caused a row. Late night clubs are demanding it face the same liquor licensing policies as they do, residents are complaining music festivals shouldn’t be held in Rymill Park and the Adelaide Council is feeling uneasy after hearing about the Thai event’s hedonistic reputation.

• Australian acts abroad: Tame Impala’s Currents entered the UK chart at #3 and at #1 in Australia… Vance Joy’s ‘Riptide’ video is up for a gong at the MTV Awards …5 Seconds of Summer took Best Fandom in the Alternative Press Music Awards in the USA …

Sydney’s Thy Art Is Murder entered the US charts with Holy War – #3 in Hard Music, #6 in Independent and #82 on the Top 100.

• A man from Portland, Victoria was fined and had his equipment confiscated after being prosecuted for running a pirate radio station to broadcast classic Oz rock.

• Forty years after starting his degree in English and Drama at the University of Queensland (where he met Grant McLennan and formed the Go-Betweens) Robert Forster returned there to receive an honorary doctorate.

• ‘Out From Under’ is a night at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre on Monday September 21 where entertainers will perform, and mental health experts will address the stigma of mental health. Research by Entertainment Assist found that more than a third of performers and 25% of industry workers report mental health problems, and 25% of performers have attempted or considered suicide.

• Sunshine Coast band Transvaal Diamond Syndicate had their $10,000 crowd funding campaign to make a double EP stopped midway through their target because one of their offers included a $5 “moustache ride”.

Indiegogo accepted the offer was tongue in cheek, but couldn’t allow sex as an offer.

• Another campaign stopped was a stranded Aussie who wanted $3,000 to get back to Oz for Splendour In The Grass. Mind you, he did raise $1,000 before the platform moved in.

• Kisschasy are breaking up with a final tour in October, during which they’ll play their debut album United Paper People in its entirety to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its release …

After 21 years, Adelaide’s Etypejazz are calling time, with a farewell show at Norwood Concert Hall on August 30.

• After using its powers to demand and collect data of $80 million worth of royalties from performance right associations, the Australian Tax Office is about to hit the music industry.

According to the Herald Sun in Melbourne, the ATO has discovered over $500,000 in undeclared taxes from over 1,000 members of the music community. It now plans to go through the financials of more than 15,000 individuals and 1,000 companies with a fine toothcomb. Up to $8 million could be found.

SUPERB QUALITY TUBE AMPS MADE IN AUSTRALIA

ALL NEW GRID 30 COMBO & HEAD Featuring 2 channels; each with it’s own gain, volume and 3 band EQ controls. Both channels can be gain boosted, effectively giving a total of 4 gain structures ranging from superb cleans, vintage and modern rhythms through to medium to super high gain lead tones. MIDI switching capabilities allow a one button recall of pre-programmed features, eliminating the need for tap-dancing to access a variation of sounds. In addition, new features also include mid boost and half power for all channels. The Grid 30 amp uses the VR30’s 30 watt EL84 Class A power stage.

AVAILABLE NOW FOR A TEST DRIVE. AV MELBOURNE, VICTORIA | WWW.SHERLOCKAMPS.COM | PH. 8802 0499 |

PG.10 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

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PRODUCT NEWS Dixon Drums Precision Coil Bass Drum Pedal Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 www.dynamicmusic.com.au

Changing the pedal game, Dixon Drums has announced the new Precision Coil bass drum pedal and the Summer Namm show. Long respected for continuing to push the boundaries of product design and function, Dixon Drums has made a few modifications to their original prototype of the pedal, and has now returned with a new design that is said to be close to completion. This pedal may very well change the way we think about pedal design, feel and response, and you can view the current design on the Dixon Drums website. Expect a final design and product release later this year.

Akai Professional MPD2 Pad Controller Series Electric Factory (03) 9474 1000 www.elfa.com.au

Akai Professional has just announced a revitalization of their MPD pad controller range – the MPD2. Available in three flavours, the MPD218, MPD226 and MPD232; the new MPD2’s feature a sleek new look and some new features such as new thick, fat pads and redesigned layout (all models), RGB backlit pads(MPD226 and MPD232) and 16-step sequencer (MPD232). Despite all of this innovation pricing has remained the same as the previous models. Stock is expected to begin trickling into Australia as early as late August.

iZotope Trash 2 Plugin Electric Factory (03) 9474 1000 www.elfa.com.au

One of the most popular and certainly one of the most powerful and creative distortion plugins on the market, iZotope’s Trash 2 is a “must have” plugin amongst many producers, and with good reason. Trash 2 features unique features such as multiband wave-shaping distortion, 60 different distortion algorithms, create and edit your own distortions, filters and more. And here’s the kicker… RRP has just been smashed by 50%, for good. Boxed copies of Trash 2 are now $159 RRP and serial--‐only versions just $149 RRP

Shure PG ALTA Microphone Series Jands | (02) 9582 0909 | www.jands.com.au

The PG ALTA family delivers rock-solid performance and reliability that sets the bar for accessible, professional gear for the aspiring musician.

With a range of ten affordable microphones, including vocal, instrument and drum microphones, plus three drum mic kits, PG ALTA also delivers on versatility across the live and studio environments.

Enjoy versatility in the studio environment with five new condenser microphones, including new side-address condenser microphones and miniature condensers for brass & woodwind and snare drums. In the live environment Shure PG ALTA delivers the same robust performance you have come to expect from Shure’s 90-year tradition, while introducing new convenient features like a swivel joint and quick release latch for easy positioning of the PG52 and PG56 drum mics. Begin your gear journey with professional-quality audio for practice, performance and recording.

Porter & Davies New Endorsees Added To Growing Roster Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au

The undisputed specialists in percussion monitoring Porter & Davies have recently added a new batch of endorsees to their already impressive roster.

The latest additions include Zak Starkey (The Who), Jay Sikora (Paolo Nutini/Lianne La Havas), Scott Ottaway (The Searchers) and Andy McGlasson (Lady Gaga/Lionel Richie). Some of the biggest names in the percussion world are already devotees of this incredible system and include, Tommy Lee, Kenny Aronoff, Matt Sorum, Anton Figg, Benny Greb, JR Robinson, John Tempesta and Billy Cobham.

PG.12 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

Bose F1 Launch Event Bose Australia | 1800 173 371 | www.f1.bose.com.au

The Bose F1 Model 812 and F1 Subwoofer Launch Event for Australia and New Zealand was held on Tuesday the 14th of July at the Stables Room at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. Involving three sessions across the day and evening, guests flew in from around the glove to listen to the ground breaking F1 first-hand. A full five piece band, featuring some of Australia’s best known working musicians, rocked the room and showcased the capabilities of the F1 system by performing well known songs from Van Halen, INXS and Cold Chisel. The event received great response from attendees, who were overwhelmingly positive about the new F1. Mixdown has been lucky enough to get our hands on some boxes and we will be reviewing them in our next issue. Look out for the new F1 Model 812 and F1 Subwoofer in stores this September.

Yamaha TF Series Digital Mixing Consoles Yamaha Australia | (03) 9693 5111| www.au.yamaha.com

With the launch of its new TF series, Yamaha continues to enhance the capabilities of digital mixers, offering intuitive operation, advanced features and renowned Yamaha reliability at an exceptional price point to an even wider range of users. The TF series features three dedicated apps – TF Editor, TF StageMix, and MonitorMix – that enhance the usability of the series with the user interfaces that seamlessly extend the console’s own on any device.

TF StageMix is an iPad application that provides wireless control of TF series consoles, allowing remote mixing from audience seating, in front of floor monitors, or any other listening position. The MonitorMix app for the TF Series allows individual wireless AUX mixing from up to 10 iPhone, iPad or iPod touch devices simultaneously. Each performer can have convenient control over the AUX buses assigned to them, without having to deal with complex settings or parameters. With up to three devices running TF Editor or StageMix and up to 10 devices running MonitorMix can be connected at the same time, even large bands can have the personal control they need, reducing demands on the sound engineer.

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PRODUCT NEWS Radial Space Heater 500 Amber Technology | 1800 251 367 | www.ambertech.com.au

Yamaha Yamaha ‘reface’ Mini Keyboards Series Yamaha Music Australia | (03) 9693 5111| www.au.yamaha.com

Building on Yamaha’s 40-year heritage of creating some of the most heralded and renowned electronic keyboards, reface re-imagines the interface of four classic Yamaha instruments.

The series offers great sound, built-in speakers, 37 keys with professional-grade HQ-Mini action (derived from the flagship Motif XF) and battery-powered portability for making music on the go. But more than mere travel companions, these versatile keyboards connect with external speakers, smartphones, tablets, MIDI devices and computers for use on stage and in the studio.

When Radial launched the eight channel Space Heater, they quickly realised they would have to make a module for their growing 500 series customer base. The Radial Space Heater 500 is a tube overdrive module for the Radial 500 series racks that add a natural crunch, compression and character to any sound. The fully enclosed housing protects helps prevent outside radiation from causing noise, or from the Space Heater 500 creating buzz, due to the high voltage required by the 12AX7 tube. A 3-position HEAT switch allows you to choose between 35 volts, 70 volts or 140 volts for the desired level of tube distortion. The Space Heater 500 lets you build your best sound one module at a time!

Corboda GK Studio Limited Zenith Music | (08) 9383 1422 | www.zenithmusic.com

Sennheiser MobileConnect Sennheiser Australia | (02) 9910 6700 | www.sennheiser.com.au

MobileConnect, from audio specialist Sennheiser, provides live audio streaming to mobile devices for the very first time. The universal system uses a WI-FI connection to stream lip-sync audio content to the user’s smartphone, which has an app that instantly converts it into a mobile receiver. Applications are unlimited: whether it is in a theatre, a museum, a sports stadium or a company – MobileConnect can be quickly and easily installed and is also cost-efficient in use. MobileConnect consists of a streaming server and a specific wireless LAN router. The system provides a closed network that users can connect to from their smartphone. The selected audio data are transferred to the device via the MobileConnect multi-channel app, thus enabling users to play the content conveniently through headphones. And the user-friendliness of the system is not limited only to the front end: MobileConnect can be installed in a few easy steps and is ready for use immediately.

The GK Studio Limited offers a new spin on Cordoba’s ultimate gigging instrument. Based on the success of its sister models, the GK Studio Limited features a solid European spruce top and striking ziricote back and sides. This nylon string guitar comes equipped with a soft cutaway and Fishman Presys Blend pickup.

The GK Studio Limited is a flamenco guitar made for the stage, constructed with a slightly thinner body depth, neck, and nut width than a traditional Spanish guitar. The neck is designed to have little or no relief, offering low action for ease of comfort and quick playability. For flamenco players, this model offers a bassier and more robust tone in contrast to the bright, snappy sound of ‘blanca’ flamenco guitars, but any guitarist looking for a new tone to add to the repertoire will feel right at home with the GK Studio Limited. Other premium features include a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, high gloss finish, clear flamenco-style tap plate, and Savarez Cristal Corum strings.

Complete with Deluxe Cordoba Gig Bag.

Visal Sound Changes Its Name To Truetone EGM Distribution | (03) 9817 7222 | www.egm.net.au

After some two decades at the forefront of musical innovation, Visual Sound has changed its name to Truetone. Speaking about the change, company president and founder said “The name of the company was derived from the first product I invented, Visual Volume. While Visual Volume was the cornerstone of the company back then, (1995) it became a secondary product over the past 20 years. Now we are best known for our effects pedals.” So if you’re looking for a brand new Jeckyll and Hyde, and can’t find one with the familiar Visal Sound branding printed on it, that’s because it is the first of their range to wear the new Truetone emblem.

Wayne Jones Audio Bass Cabs Wayne Jones Audio | 0411 862 366 | www.waynejonesaudio.com

With a wealth of knowledge gained from 40 years in the Australian music scene, Wayne Jones has developed a series of bass cabs and speakers. By his own account, when he started playing he couldn’t afford extra bass cabinets, so he and his father built one. From that point his interest and experience has culminated in this stunning range of high end products that are revered the world over. As a bass player himself, Wayne knows exactly what a bass player wants out of a speaker, and has meticulously engineered his range to be capable of running the proverbial gamut of tones required for a dynamic bass player. Wayne’s products will be on display at the Melbourne Guitar Show. You can find out more about Wayne and his awesome line of products at his website.

PG.14 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

Sennheiser Evolution Wireless D1 Sennheiser Australia | (02) 9910 6700 | www.sennheiser.com.au

The Evolution Wireless D1 from Sennheiser offers a range of digital sound transmission systems that makes no compromises when it comes down to reliability, sound quality or user-friendliness. With systems for vocals or for instruments, a band’s life is made simpler: transmitters and receivers automatically pair and select suitable transmission frequencies, while multiple D1 systems can automatically coordinate themselves.

Evolution Wireless D1 operates in the 2.4 GHz range, which is license-free worldwide.

Bands can now just forget about frequency setting, matching transmitters and receivers, and getting the gain right – evolution wireless D1 offers true ease of use by doing all these time-consuming and sometimes error-prone chores for them.

Mooer Wahter Wah Pedal Jade Australia | 1800 144 120 | www.musocity.com.au

The race to build the smallest possible pedal range is rivalling the race to the moon, with technological innovation after innovation. The Wahter from Mooer takes the cake when it comes to cramming as many features into the smallest possible housing. Sitting at only 9.4 x 4.2 x 5.2 cms and built with high quality electronics, the Wahter delivers a classic Wah tone that operatesvia a pressure sensor switch. This unit sits underneath the foot extremely well and relieves you of having to plunge all of your body weight down onto it in order to engage it, instead by simply placing your foot on the pedal, the LED will light up you’ll be on your way. A great innovation from Mooer.

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PRODUCT NEWS Integrate Expo New Products Launching To Australian Audiences.

At this month’s Integrate Expo (25th – 27th), a number of new products will be introduced to Australian shores for the very first time.

For those who aren’t familiar with the Expo, Integrate is Australia largest industry event for leaders and professionals in AV and Systems Integration. Partnering with InfoComm International and CEDIA, it is the leading industry forum that brings over 5,000 like-minded professionals together.

Thonet & Vander will be launching two new speaker systems at Integrate: The Hoch BT and the Koloss BT. The Hoch BT brings us the future of audio systems: wireless. Bringing you a flexible, wire-free sound, the Hoch BT can pair with multiple devices at long distances.

It is a device that can truly overcome all barriers.

At Integrate, Origin Acoustics will be unveiled to Australian audiences. A US manufacturer, Origin Acoustics produce some of the worlds most advanced and impressive array of architectural loudspeaker.

James Loudspeaker, an industry leader and innovator in both high-end residential and commercial speaker solutions will be unveiling their catalogue of full customisable speakers at Integrate. Products from their catalogue are manufactured from marine grade aluminium, and are guaranteed to withstand or to register to attend visit integrate-expo.com

Bose F1 Model 812 Powered Loudspeaker Bose Australia | 1800 173 371 www.f1.bose.com.au

Sennheiser AVX Wireless Microphone Systems Sennheiser Australia | (02) 9910 6700 | www.sennheiser.com.au

AVX wireless microphone systems are specifically designed for video cameras that ensure totally stress-free audio capture. The amazingly compact AVX receiver plugs directly into the XLR of a camera, where it automatically pairs with the microphone and switches on when the camera does. The system automatically adjusts the correct audio levels and transmits using a specially protected link in the license-free 1.9 GHz range.

The AVX wireless microphone systems are a must have for all videographers. Setting up and recording high-quality audio for video has never been faster or more convenient.

The Bose F1 Model 812 Flexible Array Loudspeaker is the first powered portable loudspeaker that lets you control its vertical coverage pattern. So whether you’re playing at floor level, on a stage or facing raked seats or bleachers, you can now adapt your PA to match the room. For extended bass response, the Bose F1 Subwoofer packs all the power of a larger bass box into a more compact design that’s easier to carry and fits in a car. A mounting stand for the loudspeaker is stored right in the body of the subwoofer, making setup fast and easy.

TC Electronic BodyRez Pedal Amber Technology | 1800 251 367 | www.ambertech. com.au

The new BodyRez pedal from TC Electronic is yet another clever, intuitive and incredibly useful device to add to their ever-growing list. For the majority of acoustic guitarist the compromise in the tone and ‘life’ of our guitar when it’s plugged in from an under-saddle piezo pickup, is just something we accept. Now we don’t have to. The BodyRez pedal combines a complex set of EQ and compression, meticulously engineered to restore the life and tone to your guitar. It takes all this complexity and makes it as simple a turn of a single knob. Literally!

Dixon Drums Joining Another Legendary Band Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au

There are no signs of slowing down for drum manufacturer Dixon Drums. After recently signing the incredible drumming icon Gregg Bissonette and providing the pumping rhythms for the Ringo Starr band, Dixon drums now joins the legendary Doobie Bros.

Dixon artist Tony Pia has recently transitioned to his new Artisan Ultra Maple drums in Antique Amber Burst. These beautiful and responsive “Ultra-thin drums” will be providing the beat for the Doobie bros as they roll down the highway across the United States.

PG.16 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

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C O V E R

S T O R Y

TheGetawayPlan

For almost two years The Getaway Plan, well, got away. Since hurtling themselves into the music scene in 2006 with their EP Hold Conversation, the Melbourne motley crew began an ascent into popularity that very nearly took on a life of its own. Constant touring, two Top 20 charting albums, and commitments across the globe made for an incredible ride, but success had come early and with the band still teenagers who were not prepared for the dark side of fame. Lead singer Matthew Wright looks back on the reasons behind their hiatus, and how their new album Dark Horses came galloping into life.

When it happened, we absolutely had no intention of ever, ever coming back,” Wright says. “There was a long period where we didn’t even speak, maybe a year and a half. I didn’t speak with any of the other members of the band. There was a bit of bad blood. The break up came out of the blue too. It all happened within maybe two weeks. We’d just finished up on the Big Day Out tour which was amazing, and then all of a sudden things just turned to shit. We definitely had no intention of coming back, but I guess two years later I bumped into Clint in the city, and we were both drunk of course, and we kind of made up. We realised that we weren’t done with TGP. We’d been going through the same kind of shit with our other bands and realised what we’d thrown away and what we were missing. From there it was only a matter of months before we were back writing and working on the next record.”

Dark Horses already has a mountain of hype behind it. The first album after a breakup is always going to be an anticipated release, and given the reputation the band has developed for their live shows (where tickets can sell out within the first hour), there are a lot of eyes on Wright and his cohorts. What listeners will most likely be first struck by is the record’s variety. There’s a striking contrast between tracks like Castles In The Air and the title track Dark Horses, and great swings again across to songs like Dreamer_Parallel. If nothing else, it’s an album that keeps you on your toes.

With any record we’ve never really made a conscious effort to do anything in particular. We wrote, like, nearly forty songs going into this album, which is more than we’ve ever done before.

Usually we just scrape by,” he laughs. “To get all of them out, we’d have to release a fucking triple album or something, but this time we really went for it, and I think it happens after a while when you’re writing that many songs, you just want to go places you haven’t really been before. I think the song choices for the record was just us choosing the best tunes that we could. There wasn’t trying to create a dynamic or anything. I think the way the record sits now, it was a very natural process. We’ve always had a couple of songs that are left at the end of a record, and often those are the starting point for the next album. There’s always one or two songs that we overshoot where we’re at musically.

We’re unable to actually achieve what we’re trying to create.

Those ones are usually good starting points. Basically, we’re not going to release some fucking pile of shit, which is what most of

PG.18 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

I think the thing is, because we’re in that middle period right now, it’s hard for me to be able to listen to the album from a different perspective.

Like trying to listen to it from a fan’s perspective, let’s say.

We’ve just been in fucking cabin fever mode, listening to the songs over and over and over and over, listening to a particular point of a song on repeat, even if it’s just ten seconds again and again.

those other songs are right now.”

Although he’s intrigued by what fans are going to think about their sound now, Wright’s focus is far from outside perception.

Having listened to the finished album only a handful of times, he’s still in the process of letting go of these songs and establishing just what each one means to the band; they are still too close, he feels, to see the album clearly. Regardless of what Wright feels, however, he has found in the past that others are always going to bring their own interpretation to the material no matter what.

“You know, I’ve browsed this song meanings website, it’s basically like a forum where people get on and discuss what they think the stories behind songs are. There’s some pretty hilarious shit there.

I think my songs are pretty cryptic anyway, at least our older stuff. A lot if it is really fucking jargon, man. I was a little kid, I barely even knew what I was doing. Just putting words to paper and screaming them as loud as I could,” he bursts out laughing.

“I think the songwriter in me has developed a lot more in the last five years. I think the thing is, because we’re in that middle period right now, it’s hard for me to be able to listen to the album from a different perspective. Like trying to listen to it from a fan’s perspective, let’s say. We’ve just been in fucking cabin fever mode, listening to the songs over and over and over and over, listening to a particular point of a song on repeat, even if it’s just ten seconds again and again. After a while it just starts sounding like a fucking big blur. So I need some time separated from that, and then I need to know that it’s out there, I need to know I don’t have to think about that aspect of it any more. And then I can start to think about what I really feel about the record.”

That notion of needing perspective seems an unavoidable evil across most art. Finding the time and discipline to remove yourself from a genuine labour of love is no mean feat, but looking on your work with fresh eyes can be an illuminating, if frightening thing.

In this regard The Getaway Plan’s hiatus might have proved their saving grace. We’ve learnt to manage things differently. Before the breakup we were absolute slaves to this band, you know? We didn’t have private lives, we were away for fucking ten months of the year, and we didn’t even have a chance before that to know what normal life was like. We started when we were sixteen years old, just out of school. I’m pretty sure it was a few weeks after I finished Year Twelve that we started our first national tour, and that didn’t slow down until we broke up. But we manage things differently now. We’re a lot older, and we’re a lot more grateful, more appreciative of things. Having lost it, and then having the chance to go back, well, we see things in a very different light now. But I wouldn’t change a thing, it’s been fucking incredible and I’ve had an amazing life.”

BY ADAM NORRIS

The Getaway Plan will be touring nationally as of September 3, for more information visit www.thegetawayplan.com. Dark Horses is out now.

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I N T E R V I E W S

GHOST

If you’ll allow me a name-droppy wanky-journalist story, a few years ago I was at the Rainbow Bar & Grill in LA with Aussie metal promoter/legend John Howarth, Fear Factory’s manager and a dude from LiveNation. The LiveNation guy was telling us about this new band Ghost who he’d just booked to play the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip.

“They’re fucking great,” he told us. “They dress like evil priests, their singer is an evil Pope, and they sing about how much they love Satan. It’s great to have some good old-fashioned Satan worship back in metal.” Within about six months Ghost had completely blown up, and they’re now about to release album number three, Meliora, which, like its two predecessors, pays tribute to the occult rock and metal of the ‘70s while maintaining an unmistakably Ghost sound.

This album introduces Papa Emeritus III (really the same vocalist as the previous two albums, but the story goes that this Papa is “the three-monthsyounger brother of Papa II”). The instrumentalists are referred to simply as Nameless Ghouls. “Just for reference, I’m the main songwriter and instigator of the band so you don’t have to worry about talking to some fucking

THE PREATURES In September last year, The Preatures released their debut album Blue Planet Eyes. 12 months prior, the band had a major international breakthrough with the single ‘Is This How You Feel?’. As a result, the Sydney five-piece have spent a hefty portion of the last two years travelling around the US, UK and Europe. Thankfully they haven’t forgotten where it all began, and later this month they’ll kick off a massive Australian tour. Mixdown caught up with lead guitarist Jack Moffitt for a recap of the band’s upward climb.

In contrast to the communal enjoyment of a pop hit, albums are experienced in quite a personal way. You can get 100 people in a room whose favourite album is The Beatles’ Abbey Road and they’ll all love it for a different reason. Having lived with Blue Planet Eyes for almost a year, have you thought much about the multiple identities it’s taken on based on different people’s experience with it?

It’s definitely taken on a lot of different lives in different countries. [In Australia] there’s a parochial sense of support that you can only get from your home country, where people are aware of you on a different level – and we feel that people are proud of us for going overseas and doing that stuff. That might sound a little bit coy, but people overseas don’t know about us and we’ve done four tours there in the last little while and we’re just kind of chipping away. Being reminded of where all of that hard work

PG.20 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

henchman,” our Nameless Ghoul says over the phone.

Meliora has a heavier, more aggressive feel than its predecessor, with a few thrash-influenced rhythm guitar moments and an overall edgier sonic approach. “It was a plan to make the record this way,” our Ghoul says. “With the experience we had with the last album there were a few decisions made in the production stage which made the album sound a little ‘un-muscular,’ if you will. That was never the intention. We’ve always strived for a sort of an analog, warm sound but it was never our intention to make it sound too lo-fi. We always wanted a hi-fi thing. So we thought going into this next record we might want to add a little more muscular DNA. Because we come from a riffing background: it wasn’t like we thought ‘Oh shit, we have to go to rock’n’roll school to learn to play riffs,’ but we tended to over-emphasise that when we were writing the songs. Even though most of our songs are usually vocal-based, I think that on the previous record it might have been one step too much towards that so we wanted it to be a little more riff-driven.”

As analog purists, Ghost uses only old gear, “just because it adds not only to the sound, but the feeling.

It feels right doing that. This time we basically had museum pieces. We were using a mixture four guitars right through the record. It was the same guitars and the same setup. That’s something we’ve always strived for: the songs should all be different but it should be the same sound across the board. So it was two Gibson SGs - one was ’62, one was maybe a ’79 or something.

Then we had an old Les Paul Goldtop and apart from the Neve console it was the most valuable thing in the studio. That was fantastic. It was all cracked up like the Mona Lisa. It had gone green, like gold-green. And then we added a Telecaster in there. We are a Gibson band but a Fender added into a Gibson world can be very effective. And we used a larger range of different speakers and heads to create a lot of depth in the guitar sound.” Onstage the band uses Gibson RD models which are modified. “They’re slightly customised because the

old ones from ’77 are extremely cool guitars, very coollooking, but in order to make them sound like a normal guitar as we know it you need to rip the insides out and put in new pickups. I’m sorry to say but they weren’t really great guitars. They look cool but you have to go through a little procedure. So we had those and we use these pickups from a Swedish brand called Lundgren.

They’re basically made by this guy in his basement. But speaking of analog gear, onstage because we don’t have amps onstage – in the beginning we had a big heavy analogue backline, but as with most bands nowadays, if you don’t have it onstage and you’re not depending on that muscle that you can lean your ass on, there’s really no need to have a big heavy backline so we have simulated that through a rack of Fractal Audio Axe-Fx on the side of the stage. At the end of the day you have to realise that as much as I love playing and as much as I want a big rig that is super loud and a lot of functional pedals and lots of cables, this is our job and we are working, and you have to have someone else take care of your shit and it has to be quick and it has to work the same way night after night for 200 nights per album.

It’s very impractical to go out with a wall of Marshalls because it will kill you and kill your roadie. We did that for two years and it was horrible. Everything gets fucked up. Even though we had an Orange endorsement, you have to rely on what the local person has in terms of Oranges so all of a sudden they bring in two Oranges and one of them doesn’t work and one is on its last tube so you end up playing Marshall anyway. So it’s like, why are we breaking our crew’s back trying to fix this thing? We can do the Fractal thing, have it over and done with, everyone’s happy and we can pretend that we have a big wall of amplifiers behind us anyway. It’s all makebelieve anyway, this rock’n’roll thing.”

counts – it doesn’t really mean anything if you haven’t got stuff to play for people that they really enjoy. ‘Is This How You Feel?’ is almost like a little cult thing that we have around us, where people might not know who we are, but they know that song when they come to the show.

We’re really grateful for the fact that people responded to that song the way they did. We felt really good about it and we knew we had something that was really different. [It’s different] from the songs that we’d written even six months beforehand, and even up to the point where we were making the EP; there’s a totally different bunch of songs on that record. ‘Is This How You Feel?’ was kind of the little afterglow of having done all that stuff and it came really easy. It just happened in exactly the right moment and that was a big lesson for us to learn, whether we were aware of it at the time or not.

Between your early demos from 2011 and your second EP (Is This How You Feel?, 2013) you experimented with a range of different sub-genres, from alt-country to classic rock and glam pop. Then between the EP and the album, there were some further shifts in the band’s sound. When you were making Blue Planet Eyes were you still basically experimenting with styles and seeing where it would lead?

It’s always going to change, what our identity means to us. That’s what it means to be a band, I guess. It’s one thing to be a band in the world right now – bands are so old-hat, guitars suck, people don’t give a fuck about the stuff that they used to care about in the ‘60s. It’s impossible to ignore where we are. We’re always looking at what we are in the face of people that we really admire who are making music these days. That’s what happened with the album, that’s what happened with ‘Is This How You Feel?’.

We found something in [‘Is This How You Feel?’] that we could really put around ourselves as a framework to view the rest of the stuff that we do inside of. That’s what the album was really about, and I think that’s

what we’ll probably keep doing until maybe we can’t push ourselves anymore as a group. But who’s to say when that will be.

When it comes to making your second album, is there anything you’d really like to do differently?

Hopefully we can cut ourselves out a bit more time than we had with Blue Planet Eyes. It took six weeks or something to make that album – three weeks of tracking, a week and a half of overdubs and another week and a half of just getting everything together and having mixes coming back from other people and doing mixes myself. Trying to create your debut album in a vacuum like that at the time was really daunting. We all felt pretty shattered and we couldn’t really stretch out.

You’re the band’s in-house producer. With some extra time up your sleeve this time, are you inclined to plan out what sort of album you’d like to make?

Or is that a prospect you don’t find particularly interesting?

I don’t necessarily plan it, because I’m co-writing and co-producing. Izzy [Manfredi, vocals] and I, and to an extent Gideon [Bensen, rhythm guitar/vocals], we’re always co-conspirators on what we’re up to. It’d be out of step with the working relationship that we’ve developed to suddenly swoop in and say ‘I’ve got a plan.’ Though, that’s not to say it couldn’t happen in the future if there’s a really good idea. That’s one of the lessons we’ve learnt – if there’s a really good idea, then it doesn’t matter where it comes from.

BY PETER HODGSON Meliora is out August 21 via Caroline, Australia.

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

The Preatures are touring nationally from August 20.

For a full list of tour dates visit www.thepreatures. com. Blue Planet Eyes is out now via Mercury Records.

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I N T E R V I E W S

ART OF SLEEPING You’ll hear a lot of music in this trade, and stumbling upon surprise gems is, well, not entirely surprising, but I set my watch and warrant on Art of Sleeping’s debut, Shake Shiver, being one of the year’s best albums. Added to that is Caleb Hodges’ open lyrics; the singer-songwriter isn’t one to shy from wearing his heart on an album sleeve. Better still, we’re about to see a whole lot more of these guys.

“It really feels like everything is just winding up now,” Hodges says.

“We’ve just announced a support tour with Jungle Giants and then we’ll have the album tour following that which will be huge. We’ve been sitting on this record for over six months, burning holes in our pockets. It’s great, because by then people will have heard the record and, ha, might actually know most of the songs in our set. It’s been a lot of hard work and fingernail biting, but man, this is such an exciting time.”

Having had the album on repeat for a fortnight now, I can appreciate the anticipation. It rarely puts a foot wrong and will raise the band to a well-earned new level. Part of this is the quality of the production, the instrumentation and Hodges’ voice; but what keeps you engaged is the strength of each song’s lyrics. There’s a good deal of darkness on the album, as exemplified in tracks like the lovelorn ‘I Could Make

OH MERCY Alex Gow is perched next to a fireplace at The Gasometer Hotel, armed with a pint, breathing an air of relaxation. After our chat, he’s heading to a small bar to watch footy with mates. It’s all very Melbourne – a city Alex had to reacquaint himself with after a lengthy sojourn Stateside. It was a period of time fraught with trials for the singer-songwriter, which, thankfully, was parlayed into the makings of When We Talk About Love, Oh Mercy’s fourth full-length LP. After touring the 2012 album Deep Heat extensively across Australia, Alex returned to Portland, Oregan (where much of Deep Heat was gestated) with little in the way of concrete plans for Oh Mercy (which now is effectively a solo vehicle for Gow featuring a rotating lineup).

“The whole experience was different,” he says on the respective relocations. “I was a couple of years older than the last time I was in America. I had some monumental roadblocks – personal, creative, emotional and professional – thrown at me this time. That was something to navigate through, and it took me to places I didn’t want to be. Then again, you could also argue it was just another 12 months of my life. Nothing’s going to be easy-breezy for anyone at any point in their lives. The other argument is that it was difficult,

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You Happy’ and the spectacular ‘Jefferson’, whose lyrics lament, ‘I fall apart, I come undone / I know I’m not the only one / But lately I’ve been feeling like I’m always on the road.’

“A lot of people would see me as a happy-golucky, extroverted person, but it’s quite the opposite on the inside. You learn to just bottle it all up, and keep it there and never really let it out. Songwriting is my chance to say these things without being weird or awkward. That’s what [Jefferson] is really about, that constant unhappiness, where you’re always being told that you want something else and you’re not where you want to be. Success, recognition, money, whatever.

One of my favourite songs of all time is ‘A Simple Man’, by Graham Nash. It’s such a concise song that has this vulnerability, you feel like he could just fall apart while singing it. He just nails it, and I’ve always wanted to achieve something like that in the kind of lyricism I work on. That’s my hope.

Something that is vulnerable and real, not some made up story with a drum beat and guitar solo.”

That vulnerability is certainly present, but make no mistake; this is about as far from a brooding, self-conscious album as you can get. The tunes are catchy as hell, and if it sounds like I’m gushing, it’s because I am; this is a seriously good record, made all the more affecting for Hodges’ raw and earnest songwriting.

“In all honesty, I can’t do the whole imaginary life writing thing. You hear a lot of people finding a character and writing something entirely fictional, and one day it would be nice to do that. But at the moment, the writing I’m trying to do is translating something that’s real, to say something true that might mean something important to other people.

That’s how I do it at the moment, but that’s not really a conscious effort. It’s just how they all come out.”

By their own admission, Art of Sleeping’s live performance has come a long way, and what fans

are going to witness throughout the album tour is a very different beast to what has come before. Part of their changing ethos has been an acceptance of finding contentedness in the here and now – a carpe diem approach to their musical odyssey.

“There’s never a point in music, or in any kind of creative aspiration, where you think, yes, this is it, I’m on the pinnacle! I have completed it all!

Maybe there is when you’re much older, but I’ve never experienced that feeling. I think to be always aiming at that is kind of misleading. It’s an easy way to feel unhappy, dissatisfied and unsettled.

Just through the whole experience of writing this album, and I guess just being in the music industry, seeing other people manage it, I really decided to enjoy every moment for what it is. Try and take that by the horns, and that’s my outlook on the whole process now and it’s been amazing.”

Hodges laughs, and it sounds as though there is genuine relief in his voice. For all of the work that has gone into forging a name for themselves, you suspect that only now is the band truly comfortable with what they have become.

“I’d been on tours where I’d be stressing so much, focused on the next show, how to do the lighting for this one, what’s the next song I’m going to write, everything! But for the last six months I’ve been like, ‘just enjoy this day for what it is’, and I think that’s the most wonderful way to do music.

You’re giving people everything you are when you’re there in that moment, and you’re also enjoying it for yourself.”

but it was just elsewhere. I can’t really figure it out. There are some unique things that could have only happened to me in that spot, those defining moments. It was just a year of figuring out what I liked about myself and what I didn’t, how I wanted to write and how I didn’t want to write.”

There’s a romantic element to Alex’s American journey, feeling like something from a bygone era, especially in his literate recount on his website that acted as an album announcement earlier in the year. Throughout the vast landscape, Alex is grateful for the introspection that transpired. “I surprised myself realising how much of my life I took for granted, these wonderful people in my life. I had no idea how good I had it. I was surprised with how much I could loathe myself. I got to a point where it was a matter of self-respect to write about that, my emotional and personal development, out of respect to myself. If I didn’t I would be ignoring the fact I’m an adult and a human being. I owed it to myself and the subject of those songs to write about that. I was surprised how resilient I was, for a sensitive city boy – and a mumma’s boy – I made the best of some confusing situations. I’m surprised I’ve managed to write about it in a succinct way, but I didn’t really feel like I had an option. People who are interested are going to be critical of what I write, if they’re listening.”

When We Talk About Love is an album resplendent in tone, reaching melodramatic, ‘Georgia On My Mind’ style heights with orchestration at times. It’s a vastly different tone than that exhibited on Deep Heat, which often delved into a romp bordering on delightful self-parody.

“I don’t think this album is a truer representation of myself – I was 24 when I wrote Deep Heat, I was 26 when I wrote this. They’re just different times in my life and I tried my best to represent how I was operating emotionally at any point. I don’t

think one point is necessarily truer than any other.

Maybe at one point the wind will change and I’ll plateau as one kind of person, or maybe the next record will be different again,” Alex states. “What I can say is that it’s a good representation of where I’m at now and where I was when writing it.”

I ask Alex a simple question: why does he do it?

“Because when I listen to music that I love, it encourages an emotional and physical response I don’t get from anything else. It’s a euphoric feeling, the music of Dionne Warwick singing the Bacharach back catalogue will get me there, or Rufus Wainwright, or John Cale. It’s just a state of pure joy I don’t get from anything else. I noticed that from an early age, and I thought if I could tap into that, and be responsible for it, then it’s a worthy pursuit. I still get that feeling all the time from the music that I love. When it stops making me feel that way, then I’ll probably stop. It’s a special thing, therefore a worthy pursuit.”

BY ADAM NORRIS

Shake Shiver is out now via Dew Process/UMA

BY LACHLAN KANONIUK

Oh Mercy will be touring nationally from August 22, for more information visit www. ohmercy.com.au. When We Talk About Love is out now via EMI.

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I N T E R V I E W S

FICAN GUITARS Fican Guitars is the brainchild of Australian D.I.Y. luthier Stuart Monk. Monk initiated the company four years ago, and since then, the Fican range has grown to include four unique guitar models – all of which are made to order in the colour of your choosing. The Fican range will be on display at this month’s Melbourne Guitar Show and Mixdown caught up with Monk for a run down of the company’s history.

You started Fican Guitars about four years ago. What set you off down this path?

I’m a solo acoustic artist – my stage name’s Stuart Jammin – and I injured a finger that had to be operated on and it was one of my main playing fingers. After having that operation I couldn’t bend my finger. I was inspired by reading the story about Brian May making his own guitars and I thought, ‘I could make my own guitar, one with a thicker neck.’

Of course, the thick neck isn’t the only novel design feature of the guitar, is it?

The first guitar I made was an abstract Australia shape and I put a treble clef on the headstock, which obviously nobody’s done before because it’s hard to do with your conventional tuners. So I use banjo tuners on the end – It’s quite a strange looking guitar, different from anything else out there. I got a few orders and that’s where it started. Next thing you know, Héloise

MELBOURNE MUSIC BANK Breaking into the music scene can be hard enough at the best of times. Contrary to what reality shows may want you to believe, there’s no such thing as a golden ticket to stardom. That’s why the Melbourne Music Bank competition is looking to do something different. Instead of short-term gimmicks, they’re offering a complete toolkit of resources to kickstart one local musician’s career and set it up for years to come.

In 2014, singer/songwriter Héloise took out the competition with her single Home. The winning track is a love letter to her adopted home of Melbourne and won her an open slather of industry connections, recording time and marketing advice. As Héloise states, the Melbourne Music Bank gave her the break she needed.

“It’s been an amazing opportunity,” she says. “I’ve met so many people who have offered me guidance and expertise. It’s been such a valuable thing in an industry where it’s so hard to get these contacts from scratch.”

Since her breakthrough and with the help of her newfound network, Héloise has sold out a single launch, garnered national radio play and taken her set to Falls Festival. Clearly, she’s built up solid momentum since her win. “The prizes are all useful things,” she adds. “It’s not like a slot at a festival at ten in the morning and then that’s it. These are

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I’ve got four different models up and running.

What else makes your guitars unique?

I’ve created quite a storm because all of the guitars look a bit different. They’re so out there from the traditional guitars that have been around for 100 years. Nothing’s changed really; everybody’s copying the same shapes. A lot of people have said to me, ‘Why didn’t you make it like a Gibson?’ But I think we’re due for change. They’re exciting, they’re unique and they even do a few things that other guitars don’t do.

Tell us about the four guitars in the range. The first guitar you released was the Australian Treble Clef (or the Fican electric).

Yes. To start with we’ve got the Australian Treble Clef.

So that has the abstract Australia shape with a treble clef headstock, and that’s an electric guitar.

The second one that you launched was the Fican Tornado...

The Tornado actually has two jacks, so you can put two leads into it. If you want, you can run one to an electric amp, one to an acoustic amp. The top part of the Tornado actually is the acoustic shape and the bottom part of the Tornado is the electric guitar-type shape. And you’ve got the mix of the sounds, so you don’t have to change guitars to do a ballad or do death metal.

Is it essential to run two amps in order to utilise the acoustic and electric sounds?

If you only want to have one amp, you’ve actually got a switching jack on the electric side, so when you pull it out you can still get the electric and the acoustic noises and only run one lead. Somebody said to me, ‘I’m not carrying around two amps.’ Well, you don’t have to. That’s just for the people who want the true sound. But you can still get it relatively similar through one amp.

More recently you introduced the Fican Cardwell to the range. What makes this one different?

I’ve gone this way because a lot of people would prefer to have conventional tuners [instead of banjo all useful things that I probably wouldn’t have been able to financially afford nor had access to. I have people contact me all the time now.”

As well as getting to work with top quality producers and industry pros, Héloise has learnt valuable lessons about what it takes to be a top tier artist. “I think the main thing is you really have to be at the top of your game,” she says. “I’ve really learnt to push myself to do stuff rather than sit around and think, ‘I should have done this, I should have played that gig or taken that opportunity’. It’s been awesome - a really good stepping stone into the industry. It’s good to get a glimpse of what having a career in music is like.”

This year, the prize pool is even larger with the successful songwriter walking away with two days recording time at Melbourne’s famous Sing Sing studios, a film clip by Oh Yeah Wow (Gotye, Husky, The Paper Kites), album artwork, CD pressing, professional photography, media training, mentorship, dedicated press team and a booking agent. With such a comprehensive kickstart package up for grabs, Héloise is living proof that a career can be transformed by the Melbourne Music Bank.

“This is what I want to do for the rest of my life” she says. “Anything that’s making progress towards being a musician full time and not having to work a day job - actually being able to make a living as a musician - anything that’s progressing towards that is good. It’s all positive.”

Along with a slew of other talented industry giants, musician and radio presenter Ella Hooper returns as the ambassador for the Music Bank. Drawing from her experience in Killing Heidi and a critically acclaimed solo career, she’s excited to be combining her passions for music and mentoring young talent.

“I feel like my career has come full circle” says Hooper. With over 15 years in the industry, she’s learnt first hand what it’s like to work up the music industry’s ladder. “It’s nice for me to help educate and assist the next generation. It doesn’t make me

tuners] and a conventional headstock. So I did a headstock that is still totally different to everything else. And then you also have a body that looks totally different, but is very comfortable, and I think it’s very pleasing to look at as well. They have Seymour Duncan pickups in them, and I just developed a different sound altogether for electric guitar. It also has coil tapping. It’s a beautiful sounding thing.

Is the Cardwell designed for playing heavier styles of music?

It’s perfect for a lead type application. I’m playing a Tornado when I do gigs. I play as a duo and the other guy sits there and does beautiful lead behind me [on the Cardwell].

The final one is brand new and it’s a bass guitar...

It’s called a Fican Gimba. That’s very different again.

I talked to lots of bass players about what they desire from a bass guitar and what’s not around. I liked the simplicity of a Fender P bass but a lot of guys didn’t like the huge neck. I use a Jazz neck, so you can use it very fast because it’s very thin.

Where did the names come from?

All my names are made up from the families of trees that the woods come from. For Fican, ‘Fi’ is because I use Fijian mahogany and ‘can’ because I use Canadian maple. The Cardwell is made out of silky oak – it comes from a series of trees called Cardwells. Gimba also is a word developing from different types of wood.

What’s the major motivation for you – to keep expanding your business or to keep experimenting with designs?

I’m a storyteller and it all comes from the heart. If I haven’t got passion involved in it, I’m not doing it.

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY Fican Guitars will be present at the Melbourne Guitar Show, at Caulfield Racecourse August 8 and 9. feel old, but it makes me feel wise,” she laughs. “I have a lot to share and I want to be involved. I also want to help people avoid some of the pitfalls that I went through early in my career.”

For Hooper, a fresh musical perspective and sound is essential for success. As a judge for the competition, she’ll be looking for someone following their own voice instead of following trends. “I really, really promote trying to create a unique identity and to protect your uniqueness when you’re making creative works. I think having a voice that’s recognisable whether that’s a musical voice or literally your vocals - just having that be unique and recognisable is my number one piece of advice that I give to these guys. Basically, don’t follow trends,” she says.

Ultimately, the winner of the Melbourne Music Bank will need a killer song. The judges will be painstakingly sifting through hundreds of singles sent in from hopeful applicants in genres ranging from folk to rap. As Hooper divulges, the panel will be looking for something that stands out from the masses.

“Something that has impact, that’s catchy but not cheesy. These are the types of things I look for,” she says. “For me, I’m really drawn to lyrics. I love music that can be accessed; that’s not trying to be too cool or highbrow. What I’ve discovered is that I like naivety. I really like things to come across like they were just blurted out. I think there’s genius in naivety.”

Certainly, Hooper is committed to giving the next generation of musicians the leg up they need. “All you need is a push, and I think things like Melbourne Music Bank are a great push. We are the snowball pushers” she says with enrapturing optimism. “You’ve just got to have a good snowball, and we can push it for you.”

BY JAMES DI FABRIZIO Héloise is currently recording her second EP. Ella Hooper’s debut album In Tongues is out now.

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I N T E R V I E W S

THE RUBENS Sure, picking up an ARIA nomination for your debut album isn’t too shabby. Touring the world, amassing legions of fans and connecting with them in their darkest moments is fantastic. But having your album first go Gold, then Platinum and getting a framed plaque to hang in your pool room? That’s the stuff of dreams. At least that’s what we expected to hear from The Rubens’ Sam and Elliot Margin. Turns out, with the release of their sophomore album Hoops, the awards aren’t so significant.

“Oooh, fans or trophies. That’s a hard one,” Sam laughs. “Good for different reasons. The idea of reaching people, having some kind of effect is great. Hearing stories about people in tough times being helped out by our music, that’s nice. And yeah, having the plaque to put on the wall is pretty cool, the kind of thing you always hope to be able to do as a musician, but it’s definitely secondary to why we do it. You’ll find when you go into some producer’s studio, they’ve got them still in the plastic wrapping propped against a wall, or they’ll have awards sitting on the toilet, that kind of thing. Another Grammy? Oh, just put it wherever.”

Elliot laughs.

“I hung mine straight up. No waiting,” he deadpans. “Zaac [Margin, guitar] used his to hold a window open for ages. He saw it was the perfect size and wedged it in. Job done! You really hope no one comes

BAHAMAS The last time that Bahamas, aka Afie Jurvanen, was last in Australia, it was as a solo performer; opening up for a fellow Canadian troubadour with a stage name, City and Colour. During this run, Jurvanen would begin his sets by performing a rendition of “Someday Baby Blues,” a blues standard from the 1940s which has been interpreted by countless artists over the years. Although over three years ago now, Jurvanen remembers it well – a child brought up on the blues, he has since incorporated it into how he performs.

“When I was really young, I was into Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker – guys like that,” he says. “I loved the guitar playing. I loved how punk rock it was – those guys just did whatever you wanted. I remember when I started playing that song, I was kind of doing it on tour to try and get people’s attention. Everyone’s got their own way around doing that. Some will try and do it as loudly as they can, but I’ve found that my instinct leads me to do the opposite. I like to play as quietly as I can and then lead people into my set that way.”

Late last year saw Jurvanen release his third studio album under the Bahamas moniker, the simply-titled Bahamas is Afie. Having picked up Juno nominations and some of the best reviews of his career, the

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along and steals it now, ‘cause it’s just sitting there.

Someone would snatch it and he’d be left there crying, ‘Oh no, my breeze!’”

Unsurprisingly, the brothers have some of the most relaxed banter you’re likely to find. Our conversation is peppered with thoughts and anecdotes that start at one side of the table and finish at the other, and while they are quick to poke fun at each other it’s immediately apparent that their musical raison d’etre comes from a very serious place.

“I think no matter what the songs already mean to us,” Sam continues, “they can end up meaning much more because of the way fans respond to them. A track you might not have thought that much of, fans might really connect and you’ll end up loving it too.

Or stories of people saying they walked down the aisle to this song, that they proposed to someone with a certain song or that it helped them through some dark time. Those songs get added meaning.

Obviously we haven’t had the chance to see that yet with the new record, but it’s kind of exciting because you just never know.”

“The only new song we’ve been able to road test like that is ‘Cut Me Loose’,” Elliot agrees. “The way we write, it doesn’t happen together. It all comes together in the studio, we make it happen then and record it there. The first time we’ll play it live is when we’re actually rehearsing it for the album. We don’t really know how any song is going to develop, or how an audience is going to respond to something. It’s all guesswork really. We won’t know until we’re on the road.”

That opportunity is not too far away now, with a barrage of gigs stretching off into the weeks ahead.

Kicking off from Splendour, the band is touring well into November, and their set is almost guaranteed to evolve with each passing performance. It’s a far cry from the frantic, hit-the-ground-running experiences of their first national tour, when their sound was still new and their stagecraft still developing.

“We’re in a much better live position now, since we have two records to choose from,” Sam says. “We’ve never done rehearsals like this before. Last time we came straight off the back of that record into our first tours, and we probably weren’t that great then. We were still learning. You’d sometimes see in older gigs we’d have too many slower songs and we’d have to work out how to kick that lull. This time, we want to make things move, and this record is more up tempo.

We’ve got a good mix to choose from, so it gives us more options.”

Even more striking is that with so much material to now choose from, there remain many songs that didn’t quite make the cut for Hoops. They are still floating around in the ether, patiently biding their time. Though these near-misses are unlikely to feature in the upcoming tour, both fans and the band alike can remain optimistic that they’ll raise their heads somewhere down the line.

“We went in with thirty five songs,” Elliot recalls, shaking his head. “The first cull was easy, because you can tell which songs are too similar, which really stand out. Then you get down to maybe seventeen, and that’s when it gets hard. You need to sit with the songs for a while and work out what the album means to you. We needed to make sure we would never have any regrets listening to it down the road. But it was hard. Knowing that no one can hear these songs yet that we think are really, really good. The idea of them not being released at all would just be too sad.”

album is one with simple, humble beginnings – ones taken directly from the man’s own home.

“The majority of these songs ended up being written in the kitchen,” begins Jurvanen when speaking of the Bahamas is Afie songwriting process. “That’s where I tend to play most of my guitar – and I tend to want to play a lot if I’m working on a record. Ironically, I don’t get to play a lot on tour – you’re travelling most of the day, you actually play for maybe an hour at the end and then you’re exhausted. When I was off the road, I would get up in the morning, make coffee and just play guitar all day. Some ideas were great, some were terrible, but I kept going. Soon enough, all the ideas started connecting up and the album started to form. The same guitar that I was playing every day is the same one that you can hear on pretty much every song on the album.”

When it comes to the lyrics and the central themes of Bahamas is Afie, Jurvanen explains that the majority of the songs on offer stem from feelings of looking back – not so much in the sense of nostalgia, but more pertaining to looking at moments from your past in a different way and learning from it. “It’s about being able to reflect on something,” he says. “When you’re in the thick of it, it’s easy to let your emotions get the best of you. You do all kinds of things that you’d do differently if only you had more time. These songs are about time and perspective. You can look back on something and have an entirely new outlook on it. You can reflect on how something wasn’t as big a deal as you had originally made it out to be; or it can be the exact opposite. It’s about allowing enough time to pass in order for you to properly assess what went on in your own life.”

Jurvanen – along with his full band – will be touring through Australia in late September and early October. In addition to a string of headlining shows, Bahamas will also be appearing at no less

than four festival dates – Brisbane Festival, Yours & Owls, the Wave Rock Weekender and Dashville Skyline. Although this is only Jurvanen’s second tour through the country as Bahamas, his previous work with a certain chanteuse was what brought him here in the first place.

“The first time that I came out to Australia was as a part of Feist’s band,” says Jurvanen. “Of course the shows were great, and the people were great.

The coffee, though, man... we couldn’t believe how great the coffee was! The food, too – for me, those are two of the most important things as far as visiting a new place is concerned. I think it’s a great foundation – if you have a great coffee spot or you come across a great meal, that can be enough to make you remember that place as being amazing. That’s definitely what happened with Melbourne. Whatever you can grasp onto is what will make it the most memorable.”

Jurvanen admits that, while the transition from being a side player in a backing band to the centre of attention was difficult at first, it’s something he’s come to fully embrace over time. “I’m very lucky that I’ve gotten to do both,” he says. “When I was younger, I played on so many people’s albums, played in so many people’s bands. I just wanted to help out as many people as I could. I got to travel the world because of that. I now get to do the same for my friends – they get to play in my band and I get to take them around the world.

It’s something I don’t ever take for granted.”

BY ADAM NORRIS

The Rubens are touring nationally from September 16, for more information visit www.therubensmusic.com. Hoops is out August 7 via Ivy League Records.

BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG

Bahamas are touring nationally from September 24. Visit www.bahamasmusic.net for more info.

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I N T E R V I E W S

DISTURBED Disturbed are one of the biggest heavy bands in the world, able to pull off that unique crossover where they appeal not just to fans of metal and heavy rock, but also to folks who might not obsess about music the way the average Mixdown reader does.

The crowd at a Disturbed show is incredibly varied, but all brought together by the love of the band. And then …Disturbed went away.

For the past four years the band had been on a hiatus. Not just any hiatus but the dreaded ‘indefinite hiatus’ that sometimes means ‘Yeah, we’re never getting back together.’ And then …Disturbed came back.

Suddenly one night on Twitter and Facebook they announced that something was happening, and the very next day they hit us with news of Immortilized, their new album due August 21, and the video for the first single, “The Vengeful One.” It’s no mean feat to write, record, mix and master an album in complete radio blackout in 2015. So …how? “We didn’t want to speak too soon,” guitarist Dan Donegan says. “We’d already made the fans wait and we didn’t want to talk publically about ‘Now we’re writing,’ and then they have to wait some more. We didn’t want to do that to them. We wanted to not put a deadline on it, not put a time frame, really take our time, talk to a couple of producers and work outside of Chicago for the first time. So if we’d spoken about it the fans might get excited but then they’d have to wait for it for another year and

HELLYEAH For years Hellyeah were thought of as ‘party metal’ or ‘cowboy metal.’ Their lyrics, look and overall vibe put out an image of a life filled with boozin’, brawlin’, buds and busty babes. But something interesting happened prior to the recording of last year’s Blood For Blood. With the departure of guitarist Greg Tribbett and bassist Bob Zilla, remaining members Chad Gray, Vinnie Paul Abbott and Tom Maxwell found themselves heading in a new direction, more serious, more emotive, more aggressive than anything they’d done before. In the semi-ballad “Moth” they managed to win over a lot of potential fans who had been put off by the cowboy party vibe of previous records.

Hellyeah is heading to Australia to play tracks from the new album and some old favourites.

Maxwell is a longtime Dean endorser. “I like the Cadillac. It’s kinda like my guitar. I moved on to playing that style of guitar in the past couple of years. There’s a nostalgic kind of appeal to it for me.

I remember seeing those guitars when I was younger. Growing up certain bands like The Cars and ZZ Top played them. Also it just has

PG.30 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

a half. It didn’t seem like that would be the right thing to do. So we turned into ninjas for quite some time there, because we somehow pulled off what seemed to be impossible. The thing that could destroy this secret was social media, and instead of running from that we used it to our advantage in terms of making sure that even though we were in Vegas for almost four months recording, me and Mike spent as much time as we could flying back home on the weekends and we would make sure we would go on Facebook and post stuff from home: ‘I’m with my kids at a football game,’ or Mike had a baptism for his newborn son. So any time people would be suspicious and say ‘I think they might be recording,’ people would come to our defence and say ‘I don’t think they are because I just saw Dan on Friday night and I saw Mike last weekend.’ It worked to our advantage that we posted as much as we could when we were home but never posted stuff when we were in Vegas.”

The band met with a number of producers before deciding on Kevin Churko, who has manned the boards for the likes of Five Finger Death Punch, In This Moment, Papa Roach and Ozzy Osbourne.

“We met with some of the best guys out there,” Donegan says. “We got along with all of them but we went to Vegas and met Kevin Churko. The guy is very creative and we had a chemistry immediately.

It just felt natural being in a room with him. He was Mutt Lange’s right-hand-man and he’s done a wide range of artists. He’s a young enough guy to have that hunger factor of really going for it and making sure that he’s delivering as a producer.”

Donegan’s guitar rig for the album was centred on his signature Schecter guitars. “That’s a great guitar. I’ve been playing those for quite a few years now. I’m using the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop El Diablo in the bridge and the JB in the neck. Schecter has a new line of pickups too, so I’ve been trying those in some of my guitars. Now

a class to it, a style that I really dig. It has that Les Paul-meets-Explorer thing that I really like a lot, and they turn out to be really well-balanced guitars. They just made me a custom one at the Dean factory with an unfinished neck.” Maxwell uses DMT Nostalgia pickups made by Dean, although he’s pondering a return to Seymour Duncan JBs. “I really love those pickups,” he says.

“They’re my favourite of any pickup I’ve ever played on.” Maxwell’s amplifier of choice consistent with a lot of guitarists at the moment: “Man, I’m a proud papa of the new Kemper system,” he says.

“I’m really diggin’ it. I was able to match my old Marshalls, my old 6534 Peaveys, everything! Every amp I came across in the studio with [producer] Kevin [Churko], I was able to map it. There is a little bit of a digital sound than the actual amp itself but when you A and B it back and forth you’d have to be such an anal type to pick it apart. It just sounds so close to the original. It’s easy, it’s cleaner, I can go anywhere in the world and not have to struggle and worry about rental gear, and everything’s right there. I’m using a half-stack live and it doesn’t even matter. I just go up there with one cabinet and have it crushing through the monitors up front. You have to hand it to them, it’s fucking great. I love it. I still like to plug into my amp and kill it, y’know what I mean? I still have a half-stack set up here in Dallas and in Vegas because there’s nothing like plugging in and having that push, but in a touring situation it’s really the way to go. It’s really that good and I’m sold on it.

Other than a couple stomp boxes, that’s it!”

So what can we expect from the new tour? “We’re playing almost every song off the new album,” Maxwell says. “Most of our set’s going to be the new album. We’ll have a couple songs off the first album, maybe one or two off Band of Brothers but we’re playing the new album. I think until this record some people didn’t take us seriously and it’s

that we’re getting into rehearsals, I’m going to try incorporating some of the Schecter pickups in to the set and see how they go. I’ve been using the El Diablo for quite a few years now, probably since around 2003. I’ve always had those in my guitars and they’ll always still be part of my setup at least in some of my guitars. And I was using the Kemper profiler in the studio, which was the first time for me using that. They’re great heads and you can basically profile any past tones of anything you want. I want my tone from the Sickness album you can profile that tone and store it. But I dialled in a new tone with this one and it was just great. And a few effects I used on the album: wah pedal a few times [including Jim Dunlop’s Dimebag Darrell model], the DigiTech Whammy Pedal DT, and a combination of a few pedals here and there depending on what the song called for.

I used an E-Bow on a couple of songs too. It was really fun to get into that. I’ve gone through so many Whammy pedals. I had the black Whammy II pedal and then I moved on to the red Whammy pedal before moving up to the Whammy DT. I’m gonna try incorporating the Kemper on the road now that I’ve had such a great, experience but lately I’ve been using a Bogner Ecstasy head and an Egnater Armageddon, and I have a separate fly rig with a Fractal Audio Axe-Fx that I can throw on a plane and go. It’s been great but now that I’ve experienced the Kemper in the studio I definitely want to incorporate that somehow.”

BY PETER HODGSON

Immortalized is out August 21 via Warner Music.

our own fault. The first record had a whole thing it was attached to, it was all these guys from all these bands [Pantera, Nothingface, Mudvayne] and it was a big ball of energy coming at ya. But that really missed the mark. I think a lot of people shied away from it because it felt like a novelty thing. That whole party-metal thing wasn’t honest and I fucking cringed at a lot of that stuff, but at the time I was just one dude, just one songwriter that was part of the whole mix of it all. But when it came time to do Blood For Blood, we parted ways with Greg who was pretty much the culprit for that kind of music in the band, so I looked at it as the opportunity to make the kind of music I always wanted to make with this band, and that Chad always wanted to make with this band. This is our baby. We had a set idea of what we wanted to do musically and it took four albums to do it. Y’know, no harm, no foul, we wish the best for those guys but everything happens for a reason. We moved in the best direction for us and I think this album speaks to that.”

“The song “Moth,” for example, really shows another side to us,” Maxwell continues. “Yeah, we can play the brutal heavy shit but at the same time we did a lot, man, with that album. We literally shook off the baggage that had been following us around. People didn’t take us seriously but then they heard that song and they said ‘Hey, wait a minute…’ And we needed that. We needed to toughen up.”

BY PETER HODGSON

Hellyeah are touring nationally from August 25.

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C O L U M N S

Unleash Your Inner Rock God A Chat With Warren Haynes

Whether you know Warren Haynes from The Allman Brothers Band, The Dead or Gov’t Mule, you know he’s a world-class guitarist with endless inventiveness, flawless technique and limitless soul. But perhaps because his guitar playing is so damn good (and because he’s no slouch as a singer either, with a raspy, bluesy voice which expresses fragility and strength in equal measure), it sometimes feels like not enough attention is paid to Haynes’ songwriting. On his new solo album Ashes & Dust, Haynes collaborates with the band Railroad Earth on Americana-influenced tunes which allow his soulful vocals and nuanced songwriting to share equal space with his guitar.

“Some of these songs are brand new but the oldest one is 30 years old. Some of them are in between but several are quite old,” Haynes says. “We recorded a lot of material, around 30 songs all told. For this first release I just picked the ones that I felt seemed to work together the best.”

So as someone who has recorded with so many musicians over the years, was the overall process any different with the added element of Railroad Earth? “Well, for me other than the instrumentation it was very similar to the way I always enjoy recording.

We tried to play as together as we could at the same time. Even some of the vocals were recorded live. We would record as an entire band and if something was missing then we would add it. We set everything up so that we could all see each other when we were recording, and as far as rehearsing and arranging the material, I purposely did it in a way where there was no extended period of rehearsal time. We basically learnt each song as we were recording in the studio. So I would show the band a song, we would talk about what kind of instrumentation would be nice, we’d take the arrangement I already had and we would change it if it felt like it wanted to go somewhere different.

Obviously everybody’s input was welcome.

And when we felt like we had a good take, we would move on to the next song which they had never heard, and we’d re-start the process. Each song was recorded in a way where those guys were experiencing the songs for the first time.”

“As far as electric guitars – which is what I mostly played – I played three main guitars: A D’Angelico New Yorker, a 1961 Gibson ES-335 and my signature model Gibson Les Paul. The Les Paul I played for slide guitar and the 335 and D’Angelico I played for the more jazzy stuff. I played some acoustic as well and the acoustic guitars were Rockbridge acoustic guitars and my Washburn signature model, a Guild from the early to mid ‘70s and an Epiphone that I borrowed from my tech for one song, and old ‘60s Epiphone. I tended to play electric guitar more often than not even though the rest of the musicians were playing acoustic

instruments, so there are only three songs where I’m playing acoustic guitar only.” For amplification Haynes set up three amplifiers to record simultaneously. “We could use one of the three, two of the three or blend all three together,” he says. “It was a ’65 Fender Super Reverb, a late ‘50s/early ‘60s Gibson Falcon which is where the tremolo sound is coming from, and there was a Carr Mercury amplifier that was in the studio that I added to that equation for the beginning of the sessions, and somewhere in the middle I switched that out to one of my Homestead amplifiers. Homestead are these amplifiers made by Peter McMahon, who took over from Cesar Diaz when Cesar died. He’s made me a bunch of combo amps to record with and two of those got used quite often in the studio. One of them I use predominantly for slide and one of them is for a cleaner, jazzier sound. The three of those pretty much covered all the amps. I didn’t use any large amps.”

This feels like the perfect time for this album to be released: outside of the pop sphere, music fans seem to be falling in love with the sound of real instruments played without digital enhancement again. You can see it in the dirty rock of Rival Sons and Royal Blood, and most definitely in the Americana movement that is influencing all sorts of Australian bands. “I think there’s a whole resurgence in people choosing to perform and record in an organic way,” Haynes says. “For me it’s something I’ve always done and have never strayed away from. I’ve never felt comfortable recording one instrument at time. Improvisation is such a big part of the overall spirit of what I do that even in the more straightforward song structures we’re still depending on the call-and-response.”

So what does the future hold in store for Haynes? “We start touring in a couple of weeks and we’re trying to do worldwide.

We’re hoping to get to Australia and we’re working on that now. We’re trying to do as much touring as possible.”

By Peter Hodgson

PG.32 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

WHAT’S THAT SOUND? Yamaha Classic Revisited

Well, we’ve seen it with the likes of Korg in their MS-20 Mini, Arturia with the MiniBrute and Novation with the Bass Station II. It certainly seems to be something that is going to stick around for a while, so it makes sense that eventually Yamaha would get on board with the revisiting of analogue synths. Over the last few weeks, there have been plenty of rumours abound as to whether Yamaha were actually releasing a range of classic synthesizers that embodied the spirit of the most popular synthesizers of yesteryear. Well, I can now confirm that this is in fact the case, and we will soon be getting our hands on four ‘new’ synthesizers from Yamaha, the likes of which we won’t have seen before.

Facing The Future

With a few teaser videos let lose a number of weeks back, we were all introduced to the concept of the Reface range of reborn synthesizers from Yamaha. Of course, at this stage we had yet to see what these keyboards were all about and were left in the dark as to whether they even existed.

Now, Yamaha have unveiled the face of their new synthesizer range and launched the Reface site to show us all just what we are in for. In short, it’s a line-up of four models harking back to four great engines belonging to Yamaha from over the years. Now, before you all get too nostalgic and think you are in for an onslaught of classic styled re-issues of synths from the past, settle down a little. Yamaha has always been a forward thinking company and with the Reface range they are still looking to the future even whilst saluting the past. So, it appears that we have four very new instruments based on the engines of four great tools of yesteryear.

Compact And Colourful

Like so many of Yamaha’s instruments from the past, these new units don’t lack anything in the colour department. The YC model especially stands out with a red casing and coloured switches, while the CS gets a new, clean white case that suggests an elegance perhaps not known of the older models. Of course, the DX stays true to its namesake and has been presented in a dirty mushroom coloured case that almost has it looking just like a shrunken version of the original and the CP screams stage piano, but in a very compact form.

What I am getting form early reports is that these keyboards are getting a lot

of good reviews from those who have used them so far. They are very much designed to be a compact and portable option that allows you to delve into the sounds of classic Yamaha keyboards quickly and easily. It seems that Yamaha have strived to get the workflow as fluid as possible with these units, enabling them to be integrated into larger setups, or simply used as a portable song writing and practice tool as well. For me, the CS and DX models are the two models that I am most keen to get my hands on.

The ease of crafting a sound on the CS without having all the controls of the older models seems so appealing. It will become a doorway to creativity for a lot of users, I am sure, as will the DX as it appears to allow users to get into the classic DX sounds and edit them more easily. I know how painful it could be getting the sound you wanted out of my old DX7 in a hurry. It seemed like I was forever pressing buttons and scrolling through menus when really all I want to do was make music. It looks like this is the direction Yamaha wants to take a whole new generation of music producers by allowing them to make something new easily without the headache of trying to tackle the interface. I think you all need to keep your eyes open for the release for the Reface range from Yamaha later this year. These are sure to be the next big thing in little keyboards.

BY ROB GEE

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C O L U M N S

BANGING THE TUBS

ON THE DOWNLOW

The Importance Of Flexibility

Twin-Bass Bands

Guitarists are always adding stuff – strings, pedals, amps, extra guitarists – but bass players often like to keep things nice and economical. But with more and more bands employing three guitarists now (Periphery comes to mind), why aren’t there more twin-bass bands? Huh? Huh? So this month I thought it would be fun to look at a few of the twin-bass bands out there.

Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey Being booked in for one type of gig that drastically turns out to be another. What do you do? Survive! Here’s an interesting scenario. I was called up recently to fill in for a good friend of mine for an agency corporate gig. Last minute change of drummers that night! It was a weekday; I was free so I agreed. I thought to ask what sort of gig it was though.

“Who’s on the gig? What sort of tunes?”

All guys I’ve played with before in other situations (never in this band however) doing background jazz. At this point, I’m thinking I’m up for a fairly cruisy gig, playing with a killer pianist and bassist doing some laid-back jazz. My drummer friend told me the lady fronting the band on vocals would contact me. I knew this singer – she’s great but I’d never actually worked with her before.

When I spoke to her she clarified most of which I already knew from my previous conversations that day. Laid-back jazz and cruisy.

She did mention that we might have to do a couple of more ‘pop’ style tunes at the end of the gig and that space was a little limited.

Now, at this point was thinking of bringing a small kit, jazz vibe that I could easily put on the trolley for loading and fit in a small set up space. I decided – just in case – to bring my Yamaha Maple Custom, albeit with smaller toms to be able to cover some pop repertoire at the end of the gig and a couple of other cymbal choices besides just the Jazz rides. No stress! However, as it turns out, that was the best decision ever. I’ll explain.

How Things Change

On arrival to the gig, the agency booking manager greeted me. He told me that I was perfectly on time according to the details I was given BUT the sound guy had expected everyone earlier and was a little unhappy and I should be ‘nice’ to him. Good start. Shortly after rushing to park the car, I set up my drums in record time only to be greeted by another friend of mine who plays guitar! I was surprised and asked what he was doing at this gig. He told me he’d be booked by the agency about an hour earlier to play a massive party. At that moment, it was then explained to me that there was in fact about 800 people coming and they’re super keen for a massive party and drinking session.

We were in a German beir haus loaded with hot dog stands, a Matrix theme, DJs and waitresses carrying trays of beer! So, not really going to be Jazz gig after all? No way.

Instead, now it was going to be a full rock show – loud and slamming! So, couldn’t be

any different to what I was told. Turns out, there were massive communication complications between the venue, client and agency.

Battle stations!

Being Flexible

What’s the point of my story? Flexibility. I was suddenly faced with a hugely different scenario than what I’d been told. I was thanking my lucky stars that I had brought a slightly bigger kit. We discussed song choice and set lists. I had to get up there and rock out! Nothing laid back about it. The thing is, whilst this situation might be a little extreme, for the majority of musicians, flexibility is still so important and sometimes, not catered for. Even a humble wedding gig can require so much differentiation from the musician, particularly when it comes to styles, lengths of sets, playing with other musicians, setting up in tight areas, adjusting sound and volume for the space you’re in, repertoire based on the audience/client, loading in – the list goes on.

The fact of the matter is this – if I wasn’t flexible and versatile enough as a drummer, this ‘last minute’ gig would have been a mitigated disaster. I was so fortunate that I knew enough songs and feels to be able to make a lasting impression on the band I was playing with for the first time and keep the agency and client happy too. There was absolutely nothing I could have done differently to not encounter this situation but at least I was able to cope with what was thrown at me.

This is something that is hard to learn in the tuition room. Only experience can help here.

That said, being comfortable with lots of styles of music (try doing weddings for this), and having flexible gear options can certainly stand you in good stead in the event that it does ever happen.

This doesn’t just apply to drummers either! everyone is in the same boat. Flexible and versatile is the best recipe for a delicious gig.

Expect the unexpected!

BY ADRIAN VIOLI

PG.34 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

These two virtuosos are great in their own right, of course, but when they get together some real magic happens. Wooden and Bailey have styles that are completely different and complementary, and it helps that they play different kinds of bass, with Wooten using fretted basses and Bailey rocking the fretless.

Check out their Bass Extremes album, which has the added treat of a triple-bass attack courtesy of Will Lee on one track and Oteil Burbridge on two.

The Presidents Of The United States Of America

Okay, so these guys aren’t exactly conventional bassists but their approach is much more bass-like than guitaristic, playing a ‘basitar’ and ‘guitbass’: with the former tuned to C# and G# on its lone two strings, and the latter tuned to C#, G# and an octave C# on the latter. If you’re going to take this approach with a guitar, as these guys did, you’ll need to modify the nut to accommodate the wider string gauge. POTUSA are still around and as entertaining as ever, with original members Chris Ballew and Jason Finn still holding strong. Dave Dederer left in 2005, replaced by Andrew McKeag for the past decade.

Spinal Tap

Alright, I couldn’t let this one go without mentioning “Big Bottom,” Spinal Tap’s enduring tribute to the glory of the low end, with Derek Smalls, David St Hubbins and Nigel Tufnel all wielding basses for this song’s deep, deep groove. This is a great lesson in how many bass players can all choose a different part that works together.

And shakes the ground so much that fillings are rattled loose.

King Crimson

For quite a while these progressive legends hit the road with a unique ‘double trio’ format: Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew on guitars, Bill Bruford and Pat Mastelotto on drums and percussion, and Tony Levin and Trey Gunn on bass and Chapman Stick (actually Levin played Stick exclusively in this line-up but this extended-range instrument takes in the bass’s range).

Check out the album THRAK and its live counterpart, Thrakkatak, which is comprised of live soundboard mixes of improvisations springboarded off THRAK’s title track.

Ned’s Atomic Dustbin

Twin basses are one of the keys to this English band’s distinctive sound, with Alex Griffin playing melody lines high up on one bass while Mat Cheslin plays more conventional basslines on the other. New Order often employed a similar concept with Peter Hook playing high melodies while synths took care of the low end.

Cop Shoot Cop

This industrial-influenced act were big in the early ‘90s and had a very unique approach: not only did their instrumental line-up feature two bass players, but their percussion was augmented by found metal objects longside a conventional kit. Tod A. handled higher parts and Jack Natz played lower bits.

At one point they added a guitarist as the music continued to evolve, but kept the twinbass line-up until their 1996 dissolution.

The Cure

Okay, this one gets a little complex because it’s not exactly a two-bass thing, but Robert Smith often plays six-string basses (originally the Fender Bass VI, later a signature Schecter Ultra Cure VI model) which are tuned an octave below a regular guitar. Usually Smith uses this for atmospheric melodies in a similar way to Peter Hook, while a conventional bass handles more standard low-end duties. But you don’t necessarily need a Bass VI or similar to incorporate this approach into a twin-bass band: it just means you might find yourself way up at the fiddly end of the neck to hit some of those higher notes.

Pre.shrunk

No discussion of twin-bass bands is complete without a mention of these Aussie innovators. Pre.shrunk formed in 1996 and were popular on the underground circuit, crossing over to Triple j for while before coming to an end around the early 2000s.

Equal parts groovy and experimental, they seemed a little ahead of their time and folks still look back on them fondly. There’s some great footage out there of Pre.shrunk playing a Big Day Out. Add them to the list of ‘please reunite, please?’ bands.

BY PETER HODGSON

www.mixdownmag.com.au

C O L U M N S

- FAQS

with

THE AMP DOCTOR -

Can I operate my amp without a speaker plugged in?

Can I install the output tubes on my amp myself?

If you have a tube Amp then no, you can’t. This can result in a tube failure and, even worse, a blown output transformer. If you turn your amp on, plug in your guitar, start playing and there’s no sound, turn it off immediately and check your leads, ensuring the speaker is correctly plugged in.

A qualified technician should do this.

Incorrectly biased output tubes will either run too hot, which will greatly reduce the life of your tubes, or too cold resulting in distortion at any level.

Don’t use the amp, get the bias adjusted before you cook your tubes. Pre-amp tubes don’t require bias adjustments but may need selecting.

Can I use a speaker with any impedance (OHM’s) with my amp?

Always match the speaker impedance with the amp’s output impedance. Unmatched impedances will result in power loss, premature tube wear and at worst, tube failure. Also, another important factor is to ensure that the speaker’s power handling capacity is greater than the amp’s wattage output.

Can I move my tube amp when it’s hot or do I need to let it cool down?

Yes, but only if you are gentle with the amp, otherwise allow your amp to cool down after playing before moving it. The internals of the tubes heat up to very high temperatures and are very fragile.

Knocks and vibration can damage and shorten the life of tubes when they’re hot.

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ORY-2015-06.indd 2

Will installing new tubes in my amp make it sound better?

Yes, if your currently installed tubes are old and worn, or of an inferior quality, a new set of tubes correctly installed and biased will restore the amp’s sound back to its original glory. Tubes don’t last forever, and start slowly wearing out over time, degrading the sound quality of your amp. It’s a gradual process, and at some stage you notice that your amp just doesn’t sound that good anymore. In addition to worn tubes, internal electronic connections (pots, sockets, connectors, etc.) start to corrode and deteriorate over time and need to be cleaned as part of an Amp service.

BY DR SHERLOCK

MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015 // PG.35

26/06/20

C O L U M N S

[D]IGITAL [J]OCKEY

HOME STUDIO HINTS

Of course, both your skill as a DJ and your knowledge of your music library play a big part in how good you sound to your audience. Now, your choice of mixing console and software also play a big part in how your set comes together. However they still only make up part of the total performance, and are all left without any strength if your sound reinforcement isn’t up to scratch. So often DJs simply overlook the PA system that’s provided and make do with whatever they can connect their gear into, but at what cost? If the final product of all your hard work is delivered to the audience by a sub-standard system, it all seems a little pointless. This is why many DJs are turning their backs on house systems and investing in their own PA that’s voiced for the music they want to play.

I often come across people looking to get their home recording setup sorted out in one foul swoop. It would be nice to think that we could simply go out and buy a few pieces of equipment and never need anything else, but truthfully, that’s rarely the case. As you delve further into the world of home recording, you soon realise that there is always a little something extra that could be added to your setup, your process or your technique. This means that you’re rarely ever happy with the existing gear that you are using and generally look to expand your range of equipment.

What we soon learn is that with every piece of recording hardware we add to our setup, there’s usually two or three extra items we find we need to add to work with this one. This not only applies to hardware and peripherals, but to microphones too.

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Flight Deck

Obviously, it’s not a necessity when playing in the larger clubs or events and the installed systems are more than adequate and deliver incredible sound with plenty of volume, but for playing in smaller venues that are not necessarily set up for DJ work, it can be advantageous to be prepared with your own PA system. I learnt this 20 years back when we began paying sets in warehouse venues that required us to turn up with records, decks, PA and lighting, not to mention finding a power source to get it all going. Back then, I started by hiring PA systems, as it seemed like it would cost a lot of money to outlay up front. It didn’t take me long to realise that investing in a good, portable PA system was going to save me a lot of money and allow me the confidence that comes from always working with the same system that I knew how to set up and get the most from every time.

Modern Control

When I consider the systems we were using 10 and 15 years ago, quite a lot has changed since then. Now, the volume has increased, and the size and weight has decreased considerably. Not to mention the price-tag on larger powered PA speakers now makes it an actual possibility for DJs to own their own systems that can deliver big sounds. Last month I road tested the Black range of powered speakers from Alto Professional and was quietly surprised with the power and sound that the different combinations of speakers and subs offered. What was even better was the wireless control

interface that allows the user to adjust EQ, volume and dynamics with an iOS device from anywhere in the room.

This means that you can be in the DJ booth and control the settings on a speaker that is across the room from you while you play. Get a track going and you are able to walk around the room to hear how it sounds. Whilst doing this lap of the room, you can adjust the tone and volume to suit your needs. This was unheard of when I got my first PA system. Back then, all control had to be undertaken from one central location where the mixing console was located.

A system like the Black Series doesn’t require a mixing desk when running a DJ setup. You simply take the signal from your console into the sub and then split it out from there to your mid/high boxes and piggy-back as many as you want for spread and volume. The crossover is taken care of in the electronics of the sub and you can then take control from your iPad or even from your phone. This allows you to run with a combination of speakers and increase or decrease the size of your sound depending on the venue and event. With such great control and at a very affordable price these days, it isn’t any wonder that so many modern DJs are investing in PA systems of their own to complement their mixing setup.

BY ROB GEE

PG.36 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

So many people seem to think the most important thing when choosing a microphone for home recording is the price tag. It’s a driving force in bringing people to their ultimate decision, and prompts plenty of people to think they need one certain microphone over another. The common thought seems to be that spending more money will result in a better overall mix.

This can be true in many cases, in that a microphone that costs a thousand dollars is sure to deliver better results than one that costs fifty dollars. Still, there’s a vast grey area in between, and it can become even more unclear when you consider the application of the microphone and how you, the user, intend to work with it.

So, should you put all your eggs in one basket and simply invest in the best microphone you can afford? The answer is generally no. By all means, getting an amazing microphone can deliver an amazing result, but it can become fairly limiting too.

Expand Your Horizons

What you need to consider is that the better the microphone is, the better the room in which you use it needs to be. If your microphone is too sensitive and has too great a frequency response, it will pick up more than you might want it to. If your room is not treated properly, if there is unwanted environmental noise in your recording space, you might find that the microphone may just reveal too much of this unwanted noise in your recording. So, why spend all you money on one microphone that only serves to highlight the faults in your recording space?

Doing so simply limits what you can capture

when spreading your money across a range of microphones is a more sensible idea.

Having one great microphone will get you one great sound, but no variety. Investing in a range of lower priced microphones that all have a different character is a smarter idea.

This means that you can use several capsules to record individual sources and then pick and choose between the sounds when it comes to mixdown. Sure, you will find that some microphones don’t suit the job at hand, but that’s the beauty of investing in a range of microphones. You’ll always have something that is well suited for the task at hand and will result in a greater range of sounds in your recording.

Remember, if you record all of your sources with one microphone, no matter how good it may be, your mix will end up sounding somewhat flat and lifeless. This is the other danger you risk in placing all of your recording abilities to just one microphone.

Having several to choose from allows you to create some difference between your sound sources and allow certain elements of your mix to stand out from others. The temptation to put all your eggs in one basket is one you should really try to suppress. You need to consider how this one microphone is going to need to perform for all your needs and understand how other microphones, most likely all at a lower price, could probably achieve a better result given their intended purposes. So don’t go all in when it comes to choosing your studio-recording microphone.

Spend some time and think about what you want it to do, and then consider whether a range of microphones would be better suited to tackle the range of applications you have.

BY ROB GEE

www.mixdownmag.com.au

C O L U M N S

WHAT’S MY RANGE AGAIN? Emerging Patterns

Getting your vocals just right for live performance involves a lot of different elements, most of them beginning and ending with you, the performer. However, beyond this there are still certain things you need to take into consideration when it comes to your audience hearing you singing at your best. The microphone that you use on stage and the consequence this has on your sound shouldn’t be underestimated. There’s no point learning to sing, practicing your songs, perfecting your voice and then standing on stage to not be heard clearly or struggle fighting feedback the whole time. So, with so many elements to consider in a live microphone, my main focus this month will be on polar patterns and how you need to consider these variations for stage use.

The Common Four

There are basically four standard polar patterns used in microphone capsules.

These patterns determine how the capsule pics up its sound and from what direction. This is a critical choice when on a loud stage where you need to capture only your voice and reject the onset of feedback. These main polar patterns are Cardioid, Super-Cardioid, Figure-of-Eight and Omni. The latter two are just about useless on a live stage as they pick up a signal from multiple directions and are likely to deliver a world of feedback when not used in a quiet studio. The two most common polar patterns you will use for vocal microphones on stage are Cardioid and Super-Cardioid. These essentially pic up sound from in front of the capsule and reject from the side and rear to varying degrees, but it is the subtle differences between the two that make the choice of one or the other so very important.

Cardioid

The Cardioid polar pattern gets its name from the heart-shaped pickup pattern it captures sound from when viewed from above. The Cardioid pattern captures sound in front and out to both sides, but it tapers away as the source moves around to the rear of the capsule. Basically, this pattern is used for a vocal when the source is close to the capsule and might be moving around a little in front of it.

The subtle side capture allows for the singer to move around slightly and still be heard clearly. This does present some problems with fold back monitors though as the side rejection isn’t exceptionally strong. If you are using a fold back monitor speaker that is located directly behind the microphone, you shouldn’t have any troubles, but a single or pair of fold back monitors placed out to the side of you microphone position can cause problems.

Super-Cardioid

The Super-Cardioid polar pattern is a variation of the Cardioid, but it’s more directional. It has a narrower scope of where it will pick up sound from and has to be used with a little more delicacy.

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This means the singer can’t move too far to the side of the microphone or the volume will just drop away. At the same time it also means that there is very little chance of feedback developing from the side of the capsule. As a more directional microphone, these are often used from instrument purposes on stage when you want just one sound source captured at once. As a vocal microphone, the Super-Cardioid allows you to use fold back monitors located at a 45 degree spread from your microphone stand or even side fill monitors. The one drawback in the nature of a Super-Cardioid polar pattern with fold back monitors is that there is a slight capture of signal from directly behind the microphone itself. This is a result of the way the sound is filtered in behind the capsule to narrow the pickup pattern and can’t really be avoided. So, using a Super-Cardioid microphone with a monitor speaker directly behind the microphone isn’t ideal and can sometimes result in feedback with high volume monitors or high gain settings on the microphone preamp.

So, where does this leave you, the singer, when it comes to choosing the right microphone for your performance? There isn’t really one ‘right’ microphone for all occasions. You’ll need to consider not only the sound and tone of the microphone, but the set up of the performing space.

When it comes to getting the right polar pattern, you can never really know until you find yourself on a loud stage with fold back speakers and an audience all making noise behind your microphone.

The thing is, every stage, every room and every audience is different. You really can’t expect there to be the ‘one’ microphone to tackle all these variants.

My suggestion, as I have maintained for many years, is that every singer keeps a pair of microphones, one Cardioid and one Super-Cardioid with the same sound. That way, when you arrive at a venue, you will know what sound you have, but you will also be prepared for the variations in the environment.

BY ROB GEE

MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015 // PG.37

MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW 2015 PROGRAM SATURDAY 8TH AUG AON FORECOURT STAGE

Sponsored by AON Insurance and Advanced Audio Backline by Pearl, Music Man and Wayne Jones Audio

11.00

ACOUSTIC STAGE

Level 1 Elevator East

Sponsored by AON Insurance and Advanced Audio

11.30

ROHAN STEPHENSON - I BUILT THE SKY BEN KELLY A talented young instrumentalist whose ‘I built the sky’ project ranges from techy prog-metal to intricate punk, through to pop and ambient styles.

Ben is one of Australia’s most eclectic, original and inspiring artists, playing music that speaks to the heart, the mind and the body in an entirity.

12.00

PETER HODGSON TRIO

Progressive Metal Jazz featuring Rohan Drew on Bass & Geoff Mison on Drums

1.00

SHANNON BOURNE PLAYS HENDRIX

Forging a reputation as one of Australia’s elite guitarists, Shannon Bourne presents a guitarist’s music that spans the generations – a guitar enthusiasts delight featuring Karl Willebrant on bass and Dean Matters on drums

2.00

PROJECT 3 Featuring Simon Patterson, Craig Newman and Gerry Pantazis, expect funk and jazz-tinged brilliance, from three of Melbourne’s best

3.00

KING OF THE NORTH

It’s been said King of the North as a two piece, deliver a sound and live show that would turn 5-piece bands green with envy - see them deliver at MGS

4.00

12.30

JAMIE PYE

Weaving percussive elements into his deft patchwork of alternate tunings, chiming harmonics and melodic counterpoint, Jamie’s guitar says it all.

1.30

MATTHEW FAGAN A gifted virtuoso guitarist with over 30 years of performance, composition and educational experience. He can stun with attack and melt you with elegance.

2.30

NICK CHARLES A class act revered by peers and critics as one of the finest pickers and players in the land. 2015 Artist of the Year at the Port Fairy Folk Festival

3.30

SHANNON BOURNE

NAT ALLISON Nat has just finished playing with Suzy Quatro on her 2015 Oz tour. Regularly overseas now, Nat is back to deliver a high energy, guitar heavy performance with tough lyrics, powerful vocals and guitar solos to match.

Shannon has been an integral part of the new roots movement in Australia. A talented and critically accclaimed guitarist

WORKSHOP ROOM #1 Level 1 Elevator West

Stage Sponsored by Yamaha Music & Sony Wireless

WORKSHOP ROOM #2 Level 1 Elevator West

Stage Sponsored by Yamaha Music & Sony Wireless

11.15

11.00

Get into the uke

Practical guide to unlocking your guitar

The Ukulele is suddenly cool! Maestro, Matt Fagan will show you how inclusive this instrument can be, while dazzling at times with his mastery - you can bring your own Uke to this session and join in.

12.15

Cole Clark guitar clinic

Featuring Lloyd Spiegel, talking about the latest innovations in the Cole Clark family, from unique designs in Australian and exotic woods

1.15

Yamaha-Vox guitar clinic

Featuring Jimi Hocking taking MGS’ers through a treat in tones and techniques, featuring the classic Vox sound making his Yamaha guitar sound sweet

2.15

Step through the fundamentals to leverage Key, Progression, Transposition and working with modes and scales. This is NOT a traditional Music Theory workshop, using Staff Lines, Crochets or TAB, as a result you can save years of hard core study. Jump straight to the practical application, liberating your playing and songwriting. Suitable for beginner to advanced players.

12.00

Guitar synthesiser masterclass with Josh Munday Josh was invited to the NAMM Show to officially launch the BOSS ME-80 such is his reputation as a clinician and performer. Catch his amazing demos of some brand new gear and multi-FX, guitar synths, pedals and Loop Stations.

1.00

Tone made easy with Andy Paredes

Maton Custom Shop seminar

Andy Paredes has been a Line 6 specialist since 2007 and has worked as a media creator and tone-writer for numerous Line 6 products. Not only is Andy the Lead Product Specialist, demonstrating the wide variety of innovative Line 6 products for audiences worldwide, he also sets the course for the whole team, developing educational and event programs for Line 6.

Pro players Q&A

3.15

The Business of Bass

Wayne Jones & Craig Newman’s BoB session looks at what it takes to be a professional bassist, techniques and tricks of the trade and Q & A

4.15

Sherlock Amplifiers

Rohan Stephenson will demonstrate the new Sherlock Grid30 amplifier – hear how you can get a killer tone

PROFESSOR GUITAR & PROFESSOR BASS Adjacent to cafe

Amps sponsored by Laney

Get a Free Lesson from the Professors On both days, visit the Professor’s study, and get some tips, tricks and techniques, from some of Melbourne guitar and bass pros.

Professors Guitar and Bass will include: Troy Male, Marcel Yammouni, Simon Patterson, Joe Fernand and more.

Add to your Melbourne Guitar Show learning experience and visit the Professor - visit this site over the next week or so for the Professor’s timetable.

Get your questions ready!

As the head of Maton’s Custom Shop, Andy Allen has the ability to build a guitar that will produce the sound that the customer has ordered and wants to hear - learn about tone woods and techniques and what goes into a Maton custom shop guitar.

2.30

Here’s your chance to ask the best! Featuring: Brett Kingman, Phil Ceberano, Shannon Bourne, Jimi Hocking, Nat Allison, Marcel Yammouni,Simon Hosford, James Ryan.

3.45

Burgs & Barani ‘Talking Pedals’ Brett Kingman and Phil Ceberano talk pedals - old and new. They’ll show you how to get the most out of your pedals, what order to place them in, how to incorporate new technology with old, and preview the new Boss ES-8 loop switcher. Also, it is certain to be punctuated with a lot of laughs!

MGS Entertainment & Activities Program Supported by

MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW 2015 PROGRAM SUNDAY 9TH AUG AON FORECOURT STAGE

Sponsored by AON Insurance and Advanced Audio Backline by Pearl, Music Man and Wayne Jones Audio

11.30

GEOFF ACHISON & JIMI HOCKING

Sunday Blues, presented by the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society and featuring two Melbourne guitar greats, both international award winning artists

12.30

JEFF LANG

Australian-based musician Jeff Lang has earned worldwide acclaim as a virtuosic guitarist, a dynamic songwriter and a startlingly unique live performer

1.30

RACER AXE- Premiere performance Featuring Simon Hosford, James Ryan, Rod Bustos, Rob Brens and Chris Stark, Racer Axe attacks the material of Paul Gilbert’s 80’s tour de force “Racer X”, with an intensity to rival the original.

2.30

WAYNE JONES BAND

See for yourself what the US and European Jazz aficionados have been saying about Wayne Jones. Featuring Chris Bekker on bass making it a double treat for bass players

3.30

LLOYD SPIEGEL

Australia’s Premier Bluesman Presented by Cole Clark Guitars. Relentless touring and a stage presence well beyond his years has seen Lloyd become a driving force in Australian blues.

ACOUSTIC STAGE

WORKSHOP ROOM #1

Level 1 Elevator East

Level 1 Elevator West

Sponsored by AON Insurance and Advanced Audio

Stage Sponsored by Yamaha Music & Sony Wireless

11.30

AJ LEONARD

Ukulele maestro AJ Leonard teams up with cellist Jenny Rowlands for an encore to international and national folk festivals for a very different approach to the ukulele

12.30

LIV CARTLEDGE

A rare find! Independent, quirky and full of drive, Liv’s unique voice is a joy and her guitar playing an unexpected surprise.

1.30

DAVID KNIGHT Sitting somewhere between roots, folk and virtuoso, David has developed a unique style of performing with the instrument that is bound to see him become one of this country’s most respected guitarists.

2.30

FIONA BOYES The first woman and non-American to win the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Fiona Boyes has been described as one of the best women guitar players since Memphis Minnie

3.30

THE DAVIDSON BROTHERS Known for their high powered pickin’, fine vocal harmonies and humour, the Davidson Brothers, Laclan & Hamish are National Bluegrass champions on various string instruments and lead the way for the Australian acoustic-roots music revival. Three time Golden Guitar award winners featuring Jacob McGuffie on acoustic guitar and Louis Gill on upright bass.

MGS Entertainment & Activities Program Supported by

10.30

Mahalo Instant Uke Orchestra We want 50 uke players!

Presented by Matt Fagan and sponsored by Mahalo Ukuleles. You’re invited to have a seat in our instant Ukulele orchestra. Bring your own Uke or use the Mahalos on offer. But join in! We’ll have some great arrangements to try, suitable for all levels. Led by Ukulele Maestro, Matt Fagan, you’re sure to learn something and have some fun making music.

11.45

Davidson Brothers Bluegrass clinic

See the full band in a workshop setting - analysing the intricate details of bluegrass music, discussing strumming, picking and arrangement patterns.

Featuring Jacob McGuffie on acoustic guitar, Louis Gill on Upright bass and Hamish and Lachlan on everything else!

1.00

Cole Clark clinic with Loyd Spiegel

Australia’s Premier Bluesman Lloyd Spiegel Presented by Cole Clark Guitars, taking you through the features of what makes Cole Clark a great Australian guitar. This man is fast and soulful too.

WORKSHOP ROOM #2 Level 1 Elevator West

Stage Sponsored by Yamaha Music & Sony Wireless

12.00

Maton Custom shop seminar As the head of Maton’s Custom Shop, Andy Allen has the ability to build a guitar that will produce the sound that the customer has ordered and wants to hear - learn about tone woods and techniques and what goes into a Maton custom shop guitar

1.30

Guitar synthesiser masterclass with Josh Munday Josh was invited to the NAMM Show to officially launch the BOSS ME-80 such is his reputation as a clinician and performer. Catch his amazing demos of some brand new gear and multi-FX, guitar synths, pedals and Loop Stations.

2.30

Chapman guitar clinic

Well known and respected teacher and shredder extraordinaire Chris Zoupa demos some brand new Chapman guitars presented by Music Junction.

1.45

Tone made easy with Steve Mackay Presented by Guitar gun from Nine Foot Ninja, Steve Mackay and Line 6

3.00

High performance playing This is a unique opportunity to learn from James Ryan and Simon Hosford, two authentic Australian guitar guns. Learn what it takes to play fast and with feel.

Fielding all of your questions about picking, sweeping, string skipping, tone, practice techniques and more.

3.30

Yamaha-Vox clinic

Master clinician, Jimi Hocking takes punters through a session on getting great sounds with his Vox and Yamaha gear

PROFESSOR GUITAR & PROFESSOR BASS Adjacent to cafe

Amps sponsored by Laney

Get a Free Lesson from the Professors On both days, visit the Professor’s study, and get some tips, tricks and techniques, from some of Melbourne guitar and bass pros.

Professors Guitar and Bass will include: Troy Male, Marcel Yammouni, Simon Patterson, Joe Fernand and more.

Add to your Melbourne Guitar Show learning experience and visit the Professor - visit this site over the next week or so for the Professor’s timetable.

Get your questions ready!

I N T E R V I E W S Jeff Lang

MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW There’s nothing else quite like the Melbourne Guitar Show, which happens over August 8 and 9 at Caulfield Race Course. Unlike, the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California every January, the Melbourne Guitar Show gives guitarists the opportunity to buy the gear they’re checking out.

The event is dedicated solely to the guitar and its stringy cousins, plus associated technologies such as amps, effects, gadgets, gizmos and educational materials. It also showcases homegrown manufacturing and craftsmanship with boutique Australian designs from our luthiers and specialised amplifier manufacturers.

Collectors will be displaying and selling vintage masterpieces, retailers and distributors will be showing off their wares, and vintage collectors will offer masterpieces for sale. And there will be performances from guitarists representing a huge range of styles including Jeff Lang, Lloyd Spiegel, Davidson Brothers, James Ryan, Simon Hosford, Nat Allison, Jimi Hocking, Fiona Boyes, Nick Charles, King of the North, Racer Axe (Hosford and Ryan’s cover band playing shred classics), Brett Kingman and Phil Cebrano (and the instrumental progressive rock of the Peter Hodgson Trio, a name keeneyed readers may recognise from certain Mixdown Magazine bylines) plus many more.

Rob Walker, CEO of the Australian Music Association, says “We’ll have over 50 exhibitors, among them the major suppliers and brands, prominent local

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and interstate retailers, local guitar and ukulele makers, local custom amp makers and a decent collection of vintage to see and buy. The major players in the guitar industry in Australia will be represented at the show.”

There will be hundreds of different brands to see, try and buy, making it the biggest pop-up guitar store you’ll ever see. Walker started playing guitar in his teens, then took up bass and has played in many bands “for longer than I care to remember. I’ve been fortunate to have played in a lot of good bands over many years, and fortunate to still have a play pretty regularly now.

I’ve worked at putting on a lot of music events over the last 25 years too, and written a bit about it along the way.”

Lang is looking forward to playing to a guitar-centric crowd, “I’m going to be playing solo, and it’ll probably be a mixture of recent songs alongside older tunes and some flying by the seat of my pants,” he says. “I’ll have my usual touring guitars – a regular six string acoustic and an acoustic lap steel both made by David Churchill in Ballarat, and a Beltona resonator guitar made by Steve Evans in New Zealand.” (And for the gearheads reading this, we couldn’t resist asking Lang what his favourite recent gear discovery is, “Alan Kelly in Geelong has made an amp called the Almach Custom 20. That thing sounds incredible! That’s my latest favourite piece of gear.”

“We’ve tried to showcase the guitar in as many forms as possible,” Walker says. “We will present the cream of Melbourne’s guitar scene, from the young guns to the seasoned pros presenting anything from ambient music and ukulele maestros, to bluegrass, and blues and roots, and jazz to straight ahead rock and high performance shredders. The clinics and workshops feature the likes of Stevic Mackay of Twelve Foot Ninja, Brett Kingman, Phil Ceberano, Jimi Hocking, Marcel Yammouni, Shannon Bourne, Lloyd Spiegel, James Ryan, Simon Hosford and many more, tapping into the ‘guitar as a communal experience’ concept: the “Dude, you have to check out this lick” nature of the instrument. I asked Lang if he had any mentors in this way coming up. “I did indeed.

Early on I played alongside a guy named Mick Riley in

Geelong. He was very encouraging. And then when I first started touring around the country Phil Manning was the guy who was incredibly supportive and kinda showed me the ropes, made me feel welcomed into the scene. He was and remains a great player too.”

Importantly, unlike the NAMM Show or its Australian equivalent AMAC, the Melbourne Guitar Show is for the public, you don’t need to be associated with a brand, retailer or media to attend. It’s for anyone who loves the guitar or the music it makes, so families are welcome as are those who just want to hear a couple of days’ worth of great music from some of Australia’s best.

So what is it that makes the guitar so enduring in the face of shifting genres and changing technology? “I guess that I was drawn to music where the guitar is prominent – rock n roll in particular early on,” Lang says. “The electric guitar can sound really nasty and mean and that probably appealed to all the pent up frustration and confusion of being a teenager.” Walker has his own take, “I think because it can be played in so many different styles and ways. It can be used for any style of music as well as creating its own styles.

The guitar is very much connected to the technological world, so the way it is played has progressed along with technology. The guitar has embraced technology really as it has expanded the applications and sounds you can get out of it. The acoustic guitar’s popularity in Australia is at an all-time high. It’s portable, you have percussion and melody in one instrument and it is the most accessible instrument for accompanying yourself too. Also the guitar is relatively easy to learn, at least enough to learn and sing a few songs. It’s also a very expressive instrument, and you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a decent one.”

BY PETER HODGSON The Melbourne Guitar Show takes place on August 8 and 9 at Caulfield Racecourse. Visit australianmusician.com.au/melbourne-guitarshow for more info.

MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015 // PG.39

ROAD TESTS SPECS PSR970 • 61 keys, 128-note polyphony • 989 voices + 41 drum/SFX kits + 480 XG voices • 7 inch TFT Colour Wide VGA LCD • 2 x assignable live controls PSR770 • 61 keys, 128-note polyphony • 830 voices + 36 drum/SFX kits + 480 XG voices • 360 accompaniment styles (322 Pro, 27 Session, 10 DJ & 1 Free Play) • 7 inch TFT Colour Wide VGA LCD • 2 x assignable Live Control knobs

Yamaha Psr770 & Psr970 Arranger Keyboards

HITS

Yamaha Music Australia | (03) 9693 5111 | www.au.yamaha.com | RRP: $1899

This month’s big unveiling at Mixdown HQ was a pair of Yamaha PSR prototypes that will be available for release shortly. While you’re all eagerly waiting them to land, I got to have a run through of these new models and see just what’s going on with this latest installment of the arranger keyboard series from Yamaha. I got to test run both the Yamaha PSR770 and the PSR970 this month ahead of their release and had a little bit of fun in the process.

PSR770

With a massive 830 voices on board, the PSR770 is going to keep most musicians happy.

These sounds include Yamaha’s top of the line Super Articulation voices that really bring new life to a sound you thought you knew. Breathe noises in wind instruments, string squeal and fret buzz in guitars and

the almost subconscious pedal release sounds within a piano are just some of the brilliant features that these voices offer over standard PCM files. With multiple layers for varying velocities, a new dimension is brought to your performance with dynamic feeling, that until recently, hasn’t been possible with this sort of engine in an

Cordoba Mini R Travel Guitar Zenith Music | (08) 9383 1422 | www.zenithmusic.com | RRP: $449

Continuing on with the mini/travel craze, Cordoba have taken the idea of a portable, smaller sized guitar, whacked a set of nylon strings on it and have gone with a normal acoustic string spacing to retain a more standard guitar feel. With this point of difference the Mini R could be more than just a fun/travel/mini instrument.

What is it?

Essentially the Mini R is a travel guitar with the neck and string spacing of a full sized guitar, but with a reduced body size making it… well travel sized! Solid Spruce is the wood of choice for the Mini R’s top. Some hip minimalist body binding and rosette gives it a cool relaxed vibe.

Travelling band

Sitting somewhere in the travel/ mini guitar vein, the Mini R is (obviously) a smaller sized guitar making it compact, light and easy to carry around and transport. This will be a godsend for those with larger hands or players that like the concept of the mini guitar, but struggle

PG.40 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

arranger keyboard.

PSR970

For those of you who just want it all, the flagship PSR970 is the only choice really. This trumps the 770 with a stunning 989 voices in total, with 41 drum and FX kits and 480 XG voices. That should keep anyone busy and content. Like the PSR770, the PSR970 features a microphone/guitar input so you can perform or rehearse with vocals or guitar sent through the mix along with your keyboard sounds. Both units also feature USB audio playback

that allows you to slow the track down without affecting pitch and remove vocals to create backing tracks. Housed in a very similar chassis to the PSR770, the PSR970 still has a range of added extras including a slightly improved speaker system that really puts this ahead of its little brother when it comes to audio playback.

Both units would be a great addition to any musical setup and prize possessions for all who purchase them. There is simply too much going on with them to even touch the surface in such a brief summary. I think the best

• Enormous array of sound in both models • Super Articulation Voices bring new life to old sounds • Input for guitar or microphone

MISSES • Perhaps a little soon after the previous models

thing you can do is try one out yourself at your local Yamaha dealer. After all, why should it be just me who gets to have all the fun?

BY ROB GEE

SPECS getting their fingers around a smaller scaled instrument.

Tuned up a 4th from standard guitar tuning (A D G C E A), you can play the same licks and chord shapes as usual, but you get a higher tone from the guitar almost sounding like a ukulele or a mandolin at times. It sort of has the effect of playing with a capo up the neck of standard tuned guitar, great for something different but not completely foreign that you can’t play and get a typical guitar sound.

Little R

Tone-wise, the Little R has plenty of gusto for strumming

or picking, and the increased string spacing does add some air of familiarity for guitarists.

Whilst the novelty of playing a smaller guitar is often fun with having to get around a smaller instrument, and ultimately making some fingerings easier, it is a compromise on the technique you’ve worked hard on. This is where the Little R will be a hit with plenty of players who just can’t quite manage the mini thing. I’m also a fan of the nylons strings, as with the reduced body size and higher tuning, you get a snappy higher response that works well.

BY NICK BROWN

• Top: Solid Spruce • Binding & Bridge: Indian Rosewood • Back & Sides: Indian Rosewood • Width at Nut: 50mm • Number of Frets: 18

HITS • Wide neck will please those with big hands • Cool tones with the higher tuning • Portable, easy to manage

MISSES • Some players may not like the wider string spacing on a ‘travel’ guitar

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ROAD TESTS

Shure PGA27 Side Address Condenser Microphone Jands | (02) 9582 0909 | www.jands.com.au | RRP: $349

With this new range of PGA microphones from Shure, there’s something to suit just about every application, but this was the model that I was most eager to test out. This budget condenser microphone is going to be a go-to microphone for a lot of musicians, as it delivers quality and clarity with an ease of use that makes it a joy to record vocals again.

READY, SET, RECORD

Opening the case on the PGA27 unveiled the microphone and its shock mount, all ready to set up.

This took no time whatsoever when I discovered how simple the shock mount’s design was. A very clever piece of engineering that still supports the microphone securely and isolates it well from any unwanted low frequency rumble. The microphone neatly sits within the cradle and is screwed into place for security. I was ready to test this out in a matter of moments. The options were kept simple with the microphone. it’s offers a high pass filter to further reduce any unwanted low frequencies getting in to the mix and a -15dB pad for use on high SPL sources.

shouldn’t be kept purely as a vocal microphone. It does work well for both male and female vocals, but i’s also an ideal microphone for instruments such as brass, percussion and strings. It will also work nicely with acoustic guitar and, placed about a meter back from a guitar amp, will capture electric guitar quite well too. It may sound a little thin compared to similar microphones, but this can be taken into consideration given that it doesn’t get too muddy and remains usable for multiple takes on the same track. As an all-rounder, this is a handy little microphone to have in your collection for a wide range of uses.

SPECS • Frequency Response: 20hz20khz • Phantom Power: Yes • Polar Pattern: Cardioid • Type: Condenser

HITS • Plenty of sizzle in the higher frequencies • Very easy to use shock mount • Handy case for both microphone and shock mount

BY ROB GEE

ALL-ROUNDER

As far as condenser microphones go, I don’t like to pigeonhole any into one single use. The PGA27 is one that certainly

MISSES • A little thin sounding for some applications

Timberidge TRC2 NGL Acoustic Guitar Jade Australia | 1800 144 120 | www.musocity.com.au | RRP: $749

Like many builders, Timberidge offer a range of instruments with various specs at several price points, making it possible to really hone in on the details you want and work with your budget. Affordable dreadnaught semi acoustic on your list? This Could definitely be worth a look.

I WILL BE THE FLAME

A member of the ‘2’ series, the TRC2 features a solid spruce top, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard and some gorgeous flamed mahogany for the back and sides. The back on this particular example was super swish looking like something from a pricey boutique builder.

The headstock logo adds some

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zing to a subtle and understated instrument that looks quite a bit more expensive than it really is.

SINGSONG

Bashing out some open chord singalong numbers, you get a clear tone that projects nicely thanks to its mid-range based tone. With good intonation, action forays up the neck are

just as easy with no fear of the killer barre chord. Finger picking and more reserved playing lets the notes ring out clearly, and you’ve got the bonus of the B-Band A3T pickup/preamp for more sound reinforcement.

Controls for Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence and Volume and a built in tuner lets you tweak as needed, with the tuning function clear and accurate to boot.

HIGH GLOSS

High gloss on more entry level guitars can often look a bit cheap and nasty. Not an issue with the TRC 2, with the whole guitar having a slick and refined look that you might expect from guitars twice the price. With a

nice tone and overall feel, the TRC 2 could be a good option for the beginner wanting something a few steps up from a complete entry level instrument. Plus it’s easy to play making it a good choice for inexperienced hands.

Furthermore it could also be a good option for any level player needing a guitar that plays well, stays in tune and can be plugged in with jammers, rehearsals, gigs and weekend bashers coming to mind. Add in the included hard case and you’re ready to go!

BY NICK BROWN

SPECS • • • • • •

Top: Solid Spruce Back & Sides: Maple Flame Neck: Mahogany Fretboard Rosewood Scale Length: 65 cm Pick Ups: B-Band A3T Pre-Amp Pick-Up & Tuner

HITS • Great finish and look • Easy to play, semi acoustic for gigs/recording/rehearsals

MISSES • Lacks the super definition and body of more expensive models

MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015 // PG.41

ROAD TESTS VOX Amplification VX I Combo Amplifier Yamaha Music Australia | (03) 9693 5111 | www.voxamps.com | RRP: $199

With the current glut of amplification options for playing around the house - smartphone and tablet apps, desktop amp sims, headphone outs on processors - a practice amp needs to do something pretty special to stand out. VOX has a long history of innovation, and their Valvetronix range is very highly regarded. The VX I is designed to blend simple amp functionality with next-level modeling technology.

VIRTUALITY

Making its debut in the VX Series, VOX’s new VET (Virtual Element Technology) modeling technology is designed to give you the most accurate amplifier models yet. VOX carefully analyzes the circuit design components used in classic American and British tube amplifiers, so they’re not just emulating the ultimate sound: they’re going right down to the electron level. The VOX VX I is the smaller of the two amps in the current VX series, offering 15 watts of power and a functional but not-over-the-top feature set. There are 11 amp models and eight effect models, with 11 preset programs and two user programs (expandable to 8 with the VFS5 foot switch). The models are Deluxe CL, Tweed 4x10, Boutique CL, Boutique OD, VOX AC30, VOX AC30TB, Brit 1959, Brit 800, Brit VM, SL-OD and Double Rec. Controls are Gain, Treble, Bass

and Volume, plus a Power Level control and a tap tempo which doubles as a bypass/tuner button.

SPECS

NO MID CONTROL FOR YOU

VOX has voiced this amp and its effects very carefully to hit all sorts of amp styles in an authentic way. Naturally the VOX amp models are the most faithful, but the higher-gain models sound exceptional for an amp in the ‘practice’ genre. Some of the clean tones are a little indistinct, but the effects help to lift them up a level, especially the smooth analog delay and shimmery tremolo effects. I used this amp for some aggressive metal tones, as well as some ‘The Clientele’ fingerpicking with tremolo and spring reverb. It sounded equally at home with both extremes. The crunchier tones are lots of fun too, with just the right amount of bark and bite. It is hard to deny

that it’s a bummer to have to go without a midrange control, since that’s where so much of the guitar’s voicing lives, also because some of us like to boost the mids while others like to cut them. The amp models seem to be voiced to give you mids that are just right for a wide variety of styles and sounds, but it feels odd to not have the option to change them at all.

ing room. It’ll probably hang in there for the odd jam if your drummer mate isn’t too hard a hitter, but it’s most ideally suited to using when it’s just you, your guitar and maybe some backing tracks. It’s a really fun amp with a lot of useful tones and player-friendly features.

BY PETER HODGSON

MAKE SOME NOISE IN THE BEDROOM

• Amp models: 11 • Effects: 8 • Preset Programs: 11 • User Programs: 2 (Using the VFS5 foot switch increases the number of user programs to 8) • Input / Output • VX I: INPUT jack, Headphones jack, AUX IN jack, FOOT SW jack • Power Amplifier Output • VX I: Maximum approx. 15W RMS @4 ohms • Speaker • VX I: 6.5” 4 ohms

HITS • Well-voiced amp models and effects.

• Intuitive setup.

• Handy tuner.

MISSES

This is a very flexible little amp for bedroom use or in the teach-

• No midrange control.

VOX Amplification VX II Combo Amplifier Yamaha Music Australia | (03) 9693 5111 | www.voxamps.com | RRP: $299

On the surface level the VX II shares a lot in common with the VOX VX I amp. Both are small amps which use VOX’s new VET (Virtual Element Technology) to replicate the internal components of various classic amps to give you the most accurate reproductions of their sounds yet.

Both share similar control layouts, but the VX II steps up with a few extra high-performance features.

THE INEVITABLE SEQUEL

The VX II features 11 classic amp models (Deluxe CL, Tweed 4x10, Boutique CL, Boutique OD, VOX AC30, VOX AC30TB, Brit 1959, Brit 800, Brit VM, SL-OD and Double Rec) and eight effects (Chorus, Flanger, Phaser and Trem, Analog Delay, Tape Echo, Spring Reverb and Hall Reverb).

The VX II shares the same control layout as the VX I, however it gives you some extra features on top of those offered in the VX I. For starters it’s a 30-watt amp instead of 15 watts, and the speaker is an 8” 4 ohm unit.

You’ll be able to get this amp up to a volume to compete with some of your more enthusiastic garage drummers. In addition to the inputs found on the VX I there’s also a USB Type B port for easy integration with a Mac, PC or even iOS platforms, and the amp comes bundled with VOX’s JamVOXIII and new

VOX Tone Room software which allow for deeper editing of your favourite amp models and effects.

Crucially, this gives you access to a software-based midrange control along with various other parameters (like noise reduction) that you wouldn’t otherwise have.

SPECS

IT’S ALL IN THE MIDS

The lack of midrange control isn’t as glaring an issue on the VX II provided you have a USB cable and a device to edit patches.

Having access to control over this amp’s mids instantly opens it up to much more precise soundshaping, letting you really dial up the honk for classic VOX cleans or Satch-y leads, or to scoop the mids right out for utter grindcore mayhem. The scooped-mid death tones are great fun, and if you have a foot switch you can go from moody, reverb-drenched clean tones to all-out war and back quite easily indeed.

PG.42 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

SO WHO’S IT FOR?

As with the VX I, the sounds run the gamut from sparkly clean to utter bloody filth (in the nicest possible way) and the effects are all very useable. The simple fact that you can go deeper with your presets by editing them externally means this is much more adaptable than its little brother. If you’re an established

amp owner looking for something small and functional for around the house, either amp would suit but you’ll probably have more fun with the VX II if you’re an intense tone-tweaker.

BY PETER HODGSON

• Amp models: 11 • Effects: 8 • Preset Programs: 11 • User Programs: 2 (Using the VFS5 foot switch increases the number of user programs to 8) • Input / Output • VX II: INPUT jack, Headphones jack, AUX IN jack, FOOT SW jack, USB (Type B) port • Power Amplifier Output • VX II: Maximum approx. 30 W RMS @4 ohms • Speaker • VX II: 8” 4 ohms

HITS • Loud!

• Lots of different tones.

• Well-voiced effects.

MISSES • Midrange only controllable through the app.

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ROAD TESTS

Numark Mixtrack Pro 3 Electric Factory | (03) 9474 1000 | www.elfa.com.au | RRP: $399

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a new DJ console from Numark, and when this one landed on my desk I thought I had been sent an empty box until I opened it up. It was so light, I was sure they had forgotten to put the unit inside, but to my surprise, there it was, the new Mixtrack Pro 3, ready to take control of my mix.

GOING FOR A JOG

Sticking with the traditional jog wheel concept, the Mixtrack Pro 3 has a fairly familiar layout to anyone used to using a digital DJ console. The pitch adjustment faders are fairly stiff to prevent unwanted movement, while the channel faders have a little more freedom and the cross fader simply flies under the fingertips. Looping,

sampling and FX application can all be taken care of on each channel direct from the console without referring to your software and the cue pads can be assigned to trigger sounds with the gentlest of touches. These respond really well unlike many similar ones that don’t have the same give as these do.

LIGHTWEIGHT INDEED

A quick inspection of the entire unit shows how Numark have been able to keep the weight right down on this console. A very slim build, it only hosts a minimum of connections with a pair of RCA outputs, a USB connection and a microphone input on a 6.5mm jack, with a pair of headphone outputs with both 6.5mm and 3.5mm connections. The lack of hardware on the unit means no massive board inside for additional connections and it’s kept pretty simple internally as it remains mostly a controller for the software. This means it’s very portable for those of you who

are going to take it to and from venues with you. Your laptop will add more weight to your bag than this unit will.

BY ROB GEE

SPECS

HITS • Smooth jog wheels • Fast touch response on cue pads • Lightweight design for ease of transport

MISSES • Not a lot going on under the hood with limited connectivity

• Outputs: RCA Unbalanced Outputs, 1/4” Headphone, 1/8” Headphone • Inputs: 1/4” Microphone Input • Frequency Response: ±3dB(20Hz~20KHz) • Signal-to-Noise Ratio: More than 80dB (A-weighted) • Channel Separation: More than 80dB • THD: <0.03%

Badcat Siamese Drive Dual Drive Pedal EGM Distribution | (03) 9817 7222 | www.egm.net.au | RRP: contact for price

Bad Cat burst onto the boutique amp scene in early 2000 and quickly built a reputation for well-built amplifiers that covered plenty of ground. Attracting a range of big name players in a range of styles, they have established themselves as a serious builder specialising in more classic tones and layouts. Now with a foray into the pedal world Bad Cat have served up a drive box to wet your whiskers.

Double Trouble

With two identical circuits side by side you get individual controls for Tone, Gain and Output, as well as the ability to use either side independently or combine the two for some stacked dirty goodness. Coming in a black casing, Bad Cat are keeping true to their brand name with two big cats adorning the graphics featuring red LEDs as their eyes. Love or hate the look, it will leave you with no doubt as to when the pedal is on or off. As mentioned earlier, it’s a simple set up control-wise, leaving just the input/output jacks and a handy battery door on the bottom of the pedal, meaning you don’t have to unscrew the whole base if a quick change is needed.

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Cool for cats

A bit like their amps, the SD has a ballsy rawness that sounds amp-like and natural, but it also feels good to play. Digging in gives you a little extra, whilst you can also relax for a cleaner dynamic. Gain goes from clean boost and just on the edge of break up through to chunky more saturated rock with lots of sustain. Having the two identical circuits side by side gives you quite a few options. For example, you can find a setting you like, set the other side the same and then increase the Output a touch and you’ve got a slightly louder version of that pedal. Great for having a rhythm and lead sound or two sounds the same but a volume boost for accentuating certain passages. Of course you can also set the Siamese Drive up to be stacked with a heavy gain side and then a cleaner yet louder side for a kick in the guts when needed. Whatever your taste, you’ll get a rich and

natural drive sound that could be used with a clean amp or dirty setting for extra saturation.

BY NICK BROWN

HITS

MISSES

• Dual drive sides gives plenty of dirt options • Straight forward to use

• Side mounted jacks can take up a little extra room on a tight pedalboard

MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015 // PG.43

ROAD TESTS SPECS

Akai Advance 49 Midi Controller Keyboard Electric Factory | (03) 9474 1000 | www.elfa.com.au | RRP: $799

This is one keyboard that I’ve wanted to try out for some time now. There’s been a great movement in deep integration between controllers and DAWs in the last few years to make your keyboard more interactive and create a better workflow for the user. This has seen a number of manufacturers start to develop keyboards that work fully with one DAW or sometimes two, but Akai have gone all out with this software control system and have created a controller that works with a range of DAWs right out of the box. This might just be the keyboard controller many of you have been looking for. This is the Advance 49.

LIGHT HER UP

I was quick to plug this unit in and get it all lit up as soon as it was out of the box. I have been waiting to test the Advance 49 out for some time now and I had big hopes for it. I can tell you right now, it didn’t let me down.

This is a really well designed and constructed keyboard that does so much more than send

MIDI note data to your recording software. Everything about the build is beyond what I expected.

From the sturdy frame with metal end caps, to the large rotary encoders that a firmly seated on the top panel, it’s clear that this isn’t a quick throw-together unit that Akai have put out to fill a gap in the market. This is a serious piece of kit. Even the

Seagull Guitars S6 Cedar Concert Hall Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au | Contact for pricing

In my experience working in guitar stores, something very interesting happens with Seagull guitars: folks would walk into the store fully planning to buy something from another acoustic guitar brand with a more recognisable name, but after trying a bunch of guitars and not quite finding what they were after, the salesman would suggest a Seagull. Before long the happy customer would be walking out with a new Seagull guitar that had blown their mind. Unlike the seagulls at the beach, which bug you for a chip until you finally give in, the Seagull at the music store will win you over with subtle charm.

GIVE US A CHIP

The S6 Cedar Concert Hall is, of course, part of Seagull’s awardwinning S6 range. A line, which the company says best represents the Seagull philosophy. It’s an entry-level guitar in terms of price, but the feel, fit, finish and sonics are designed to give players a much nicer guitar than they would usually expect at this end of the market. The top is made of select pressure-tested solid cedar, with Canadian wild cherry back and sides. The contrast between the two colours is quite bold: the cedar has an almost orange-brown hue while the wild cherry is almost an ashy brown with more unpredictable grain. Cosmetically this is a guitar that communicates class and functionality. The nut and saddle are Tusq synthetic ivory by Graphtech. The body is finished in semi-gloss, and the body and neck are bound in black,

contrasting with the cream binding of the headstock. I’ve always liked Seagull’s headstock: it’s small and tapered and something about it just seems very sturdy.

It’s hard to define but it feels like you can put a lot of trust in it.

The neck is hand-finished and it feels very comfortable no matter where you play on the fretboard.

C’MON, GIVE US A CHIP

This is a very clear-sounding guitar with great separation between the individual notes of a chord, which makes it ideal for fingerpickers or those who like to arpeggiate chords with a pick.

Think of the Jimmy Page acoustic style - that kind of playing works really well with this guitar. The tone has nice projection in the midrange, crisp treble and maybe a little more bass than you might expect. The neck is just wide enough to allow you to throw in some fretting-hand tricks

PG.44 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

USB cable that came packaged with the unit is built better than any other one I have in my studio right now. I really should do something about that.

AFTER A MOMENT OF AWE

Once I got over the build, I was able to see that the unit had already installed on my machine and the full colour LCD was awaiting my input.

You can select from a number of predefined DAWs which are already mapped in the system, or build your own user-defined setup if you want. I jumped straight into a Cubase template and was working within the software in a flash. What the Advance 49 offers when working with your favourite

• Virtual Instrument Player software • 49 premium, semi-weighted velocity-sensitive keybed with aftertouch • 8 large, endless and continuously variable control knobs • 8 velocity and pressure sensitive MPC pads with RGB illumination • Dedicated pad bank, transport control, octave, and performance buttons • Note repeat, time-division, pattern arpeggiator, and taptempo buttons • Rubberized pitch and modulation wheels • Expression pedal and footswitch inputs • USB and 5-pin MIDI Input/ Output

DAW, including Logic, Cubase, Ableton and Bitwig, to name a few, is a two-way information path that not only sends information to your DAW, but takes it back as well to show you on the keyboard’s screen what functions are being initiated and what values result. But that is just touching on the full capabilities of this unit. Think about not needing to look at your computer half the time, nor needing to touch your mouse, yet still achieving a creative workflow. That’s what this unit is all about and until you get into it, you’ll never properly understand what you’re missing out on.

MISSES

BY ROB GEE

• None to mention

HITS • Quick and easy installation • Great integration with your DAW • Clear, colour screen displaying plenty of information • Large rotary encoders • Nice response to both keys and pads

in amongst your tinkly chord melodies too, and although the upper fret access is obviously not as good as if the guitar had a cutaway, you can still get quite comfortably up to the 15th without breaking your rhythm.

GIVE US A CHIP, GIVE US A CHIP, GIVE US A CHIP

Like pretty much every Seagull I’ve played, this is an exceptionally built guitar with great sonics and classy looks. If you’re looking for an affordable acoustic guitar that doesn’t force you to compromise, give it a serious test-drive and it’ll likely win you over in the same way I’ve seen happen so many times in store.

BY PETER HODGSON

SPECS • • • • • •

Top: Cedar Back & Sides: Wild Cherry Neck: Maple Fretboard: Rosewood Scale Length: 25.5” Nut Width: 1.8”

HITS • Crisp tone.

• Great playability.

• Flawless craftsmanship.

MISSES • None! Oh maybe a cutaway would be nice.

www.mixdownmag.com.au

ROAD TESTS

Truetone Jekyll & Hyde Overdrive/ Distortion Pedal EGM Distribution | (03) 9817 7222 | www.egm.net.au | RRP: Contact For Pricing

Spending 20 years plus in the pedal game, Visual Sound has recently undergone a transition to the new company name Truetone. Seen as an advancement that further encompasses their vision, range of gear and ethos (rather than just relating to their ‘Visual Volume’ pedal), Truetone have also gone about reworking some of their well-known effects. As the 3rd incarnation of the ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ Overdrive Distortion pedal, and it is the first release under the Truetone moniker features some updates to both the construction and tone.

I SEE RED

One of the first things I noticed is the new shape and casing.

Still keeping the vibrant red colour, the J&H’s tough folded metal design is more of a typical double pedal rectangle shape with top mounted jacks. Size wise it’s handy too, smaller than some similar featured pedals from other brands. On the left is the Overdrive side of things with main controls for Drive and Tone and new Bass and Clean Mix controls. Hyde – the distortion channel retains its original tone but adds Bass and Mid controls for more EQ options as well as a Voice switch that toggles between a classic open sound or a more saturated modern tone.

As a double pedal, the Jekyll & Hyde was one of the first to give the user two levels of gain

in a single pedal. Truetone have now taken that concept a step further with individual outs for both sides of the pedal for added switching capabilities, and you can also swap the order of the pedals for different stacking options. Both ‘Jekyll’ and ‘Hyde’ also have the option of True Bypass or Buffered depending on your preference. So we know it has a truck load of features, but how does it sound?

OPEN ROAD

The Overdrive side of this newly revamped J&H is based on Truetone’s Open Road pedal.

Relating to the aforementioned name it does have a clear and open vibe to it that can be slightly pushed and broken with the clean mix adding an extra element to your tone. Flick to

Diamond Halcyon ZB-FR Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au | RRP: $1499

Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory needs a guitar that can keep up with the band’s rapid-fire riffs and big chunky chords, and one that can fill out the sound when co-guitarist Jason Hook is soloing. Bathory previously had a few signature models with another brand, but he’s now connected with Diamond for a new model that picks up where the previous ones left off and takes it to new places.

THE WAY OF THE FIST

This guitar is based on Diamond’s Halcyon design, a ‘Superstrat’ type with aggressive cutaways and some pretty extreme and eye-catching bevelling. The body is made of mahogany with a flame maple top. It has a set maple neck carrying 24 frets on an ebony

www.mixdownmag.com.au

fingerboard. The scale length is 25.5”, so we’re not talking baritone here: standard Strat length. Now that Diamond has completed the transition from DBZ Guitars to Diamond, it’s great to see them really pushing their unique branding and style.

The electronics are quite stripped back: there are master volume

the Hyde side and you get some extra gain in the mix. Classic rock grind through to more modern saturated tones it really lets you run from just dirty to thick and ballsy.

Truetone seem to be in full swing with their new name and branding, and if the V3 Jekyll & Hyde is any indicator of things to come, they’re up for plenty of attention. Even if you’ve

played the old versions it’s worth checking out the new model.

Also, the Truetone gang are so confident in their product, it comes with a lifetime warranty.

It’s a great product and I’m excited to see what comes next.

HITS

BY NICK BROWN

MISSES

and master tone controls and a three-way pickup selector, with not a coil split or onboard boost in sight. Bathory’s pickup set of choice is the Seymour Duncan Pegasus and Sentient, a pair of passive humbuckers which were originally designed for 7 and 8-string progressive metal guitarists. They’re moderate in output, the idea being that if you’re going to load them up with mega-gain you’ll retain the clarity and definition of your phrasing and note choices.

around the voicing of a Seymour Duncan JB but not as fat and much lower in output. It seems to knit power chords together firmly while emphasising the individual notes in more complex chords. It responds almost like a single coil (minus the ‘string zing’) in terms of translating your single-note phrasing. The Sentient is a sort of hybrid ‘vintage/modern’sounding pickup, blending the smoothness of a vintage PAF type with the detail of a more high-powered neck pickup.

issue) and the ‘Black Moonrise’ finish - which fades from a sort of beige to a deep coffee hue - is really beautiful.

GOT YOUR SIX

HITS

PUNCH IT

Bathory has gone for a slightly thicker neck shape than you might expect from this guitar’s shred-friendly looks but not so beefy that it feels out of place. It strikes a good balance between chord and solo-friendly feels. The bridge pickup is very articulate and crisp, somewhere

• New shape is much more pedalboard friendly • Additional tonal options are useful • Price

• Some might miss the previous version

Although the inlay is quite distinctive, you don’t need to be a FFDP fan to enjoy this guitar or find your own sound with it. The playability is great (the Floyd didn’t quite return to pitch until it was tweaked a bit but that’s not a construction

BY PETER HODGSON

SPECS • • • •

Body: flame Maple/Maple Next: Maple Frets: 24 Pickups: seymour Duncan Pegasus & Sentient • Tuners: Grover

• Beautiful finish • Effortless playability • Great pickups

MISSES • Could have used a setup before being sent out

MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015 // PG.45

ROAD TESTS Zoom UAC-8 USB 3.0 Audio Interface

SPECS

Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au RRP: $575

After Zoom gave me something to think about with their new Thunderbolt interface, the Japanese innovators hit me with the UAC-8 USB 3.0 interface. This new single spaced rack mounted audio interface puts Zoom at the very forefront of technological design in their price point with a class compliant design that works with iPad as well as PC and Mac. A sleek design, range of connections and super-fast data transfer makes this a very appealing concept for anyone wanting a new audio converter for their home recording setup.

READY, SET, RECORD

When it comes to drums, you really need to get eight microphones on the go to really capture the full sound.

This is not always easy with many USB interfaces as they are often limited to two or four simultaneous inputs. What The UAC-8 offers is a range of connections to make this

a very viable solution as a standalone unit, or as part of a greater system with additional hardware and peripherals. With eight combination XLR/TRS connections on the front panel, you can run eight microphones or line level inputs at once from this one unit. On the rear, eight line level outputs are supplied along with a main output pair for monitoring. If you need

expansion, there is MIDI in and out, Word Clock, SP/DIF and ADAT connections too, making this a great base for building a larger setup.

IPAD, PC & MAC

Zoom have ensured that everyone can multi-track with the UAC-8 with just about any device. As well as using you desktop or laptop computer, you can also record with an iPad with the UAC-8. Working with my laptop, it delivered lightning fast audio transfer that sounded great and showed no audible latency issues. All this, running into a USB 2.0 connection, so

it should only be better with a faster port on the computer. It shares the same sleek design as the TAC-2, with a large volume knob drawing your attention at first glance.

It’s worth noting that the UAC8 isn’t the only unit in the USB friendly family. As is the case with their thunderbolt cousins, marching proudly alongside the UAC8 is the UAC2, a smaller and more portable configuration of the UAC8 for those that don’t require the full capability of the UAC8 but still require it’s power.

BY ROB GEE

• Analogue Inputs: 8 x XLR/TRS combo inputs • Analogue Outputs: 2 x 1/4” (main), 8 x 1/4” (line), 2 x 1/4” (headphones) • Digital Inputs: 1 x coaxial, 1 x optical • Digital Outputs: 1 x coaxial, 1 x optical • Phantom Power: yes

HITS • 8 microphones preamps on one rack unit • MIDI, SP/DIF, ADAT and Word Clock all accounted for • iPad Class Compliant • Great latency response with high sampling rates

MISSES • Touchy gain controls with delicate knobs

Eastman MD515 Mandolin Gibson AMI | (03) 8696 4600 | www.gibsonami.com.au | RRP: $1549

Adding to their line-up of archtop, thinline electric and acoustic guitars, Eastman also keep other members of the string department happy by pumping out quite a few models of ukuleles, banjos and mandolins.

With the country and bluegrass scenes still thriving, the mandolin has also had somewhat of a resurgence.

Bluesgrass and country players will like the punch and resonance, and the carved top and f holes make for some nice sustain with both chords and single note runs.

WHAT THE F?

F TROOP

An F Style Mandolin, the MD515 features a carved solid spruce top and carved maple back and sides with a maple neck and ebony fingerboard. In a ‘classic’ finish, this little beauty has a deep dark stain that exposes the grain nicely. An extra mention also for the ‘Ivoroid’ body and neck binding, which does a tasteful job of giving that Ivory look (but of course is an artificial celluloid matieral), adding some classic old school vibe without any of the issues involved with Ivory. The

body shape and build seem clean and well finished, and the whole package comes in a hardshell styled gig bag/soft case.

MANDO #5

Tonally the MD515 has plenty of spark and is fundamentally bright and snappy. Great for cutting through a band mix or edging into bigger ensembles. This mandolin projects quite well but isn’t overly loud. Straight out of the case the 515 felt comfortable to play and the intonation and tuning seemed quite good.

Whilst there is much debate as to the pros and cons of ‘F’ styled and ‘A’ styled Mandolins, for me there’s no denying the look of an ‘F’ Style with its scroll edges and flowing body shape and headstock.

Eastman has continued to push their affordable quality angle and really hit the mark with the MD515 for a punchy, bright live mandolin.

BY NICK BROWN

Neumann TLM 102 Cardioid Condenser Mic

mic the TLM102 can handle loud instruments up to 144dB, meaning it could also work on brass, drums and amps. Perhaps helping with the reduced cost is the simple packaging incorporating just a funky tough-foam lined cardboard with just a stand mount included.

ACHTUNG BABY!

As a vocal mic you get a wellbalanced spectrum that has a lift around 6kHz, which can add some presence without skewing your

PG.46 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

HITS • Price • Bright and punchy

MISSES • Not super woody and warm

BY NICK BROWN

Neumann has long been one of the go to microphone brands for studios around the world. Typically making high-end studio quality products, their wares can be heard on anything from the Beatles to Beyonce. Hailing from Berlin, Neumann has produced more than their fair share of classic mics with the U87, U47, KM184 and M149 - although these mics command quite a hefty price. Whilst not a budget mic, the TLM102 isn’t too expensive and comes as an affordable piece of Neumann kit – is it worth it?

Small in size, the TLM102 is a seriously compact offering from Neumann. A large diaphragm studio mic, it has a fixed cardioid polar pattern and no transformer - making it sleek and light. As one of the cheapest mics in the Neumann range, it does have fewer features than some of their flagship models, but it still oozes class in looks and is built with high quality components. Designed as a vocal

• Body Dimensions: 26-11/16” x 10” x 1 7/8” • Top Wood: Carved Solid Spruce • Back/Sides Wood: Carved Solid Maple • Neck Woods: Maple • Neck Length: 6 15/16” • Fingerboard: 12” radius ebony • Frets: 23 Jescar FW37053 • Inlays: White mother-of-pearl • Case: Hardshell vinyl case

revered mic companies in the world. A cool addition to the Neumann line.

Sennheiser Australia | (02) 9910 6700 | www.sennheiser.com.au | RRP: $999

LITTLE BUDDY

SPECS

SPECS • Operating principle: Pressure gradient • Transducer: Cardioid • Frequency Range: 20hz to 20khz • Impedence: 50 ohms • Weight: 210g

fundamental tone completely. The TLM102 won’t over impart its own character on the sound, instead aiming for a clear representation of what you’re hearing. Thanks to the high SPL capabilities, drums, horns, acoustic guitar and even amps aren’t out of the realms of possibility. That’s where the thinking of a good quality, home studio semi-all rounder starts coming in, giving you

some Neumann flavours in your arsenal at well under the price of some of their bigger guns. Low noise and a clear response mean getting a good sound at home is easy too. Pair this little Neumann condenser with some nice pres and/or plugins and you’re well on your way. Although it’s still not a ‘budget’ mic, it puts them in a range that will be considered affordable for one of the most

HITS • Neumann sound and quality at a much-reduced price • Quite flexible and able to handle a range of levels

MISSES • Not as many bells and whistles as some competitors in this price range

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ROAD TESTS

Sherlock GRID 30

Modern selector switch for the dirty channel and a three-position tone switch for the clean channel.

Sherlock Amplifiers | (03) 8802 0499 | www.sherlockamps.com

LIVING OFF THE GRID

RRP: $2499, $2799

Dale Sherlock is a legendary figure in Australian amp building and the Fat Head is an icon – albeit a little-known-outside-of-Oz one although hopefully that will change when word of the GRID 30 gets out, as you’ll soon see. Sherlock’s popular mods and MIDI upgrades are killer ways to add extra functionality to an amp, but part of the charm of his amps like the Fat Head is that much of this utility, experience and knowledge is built right into the amp.

SPEC CHECK

The GRID 30 shares some DNA with the Fat Head in its medium and high gain tones, as well as elements of Sherlock’s Vintage Reverb 30’s clean sounds -all crafted together with plenty of programmability should you wish to use it. But don’t worry if you’re not into the whole MIDI thing: those features are there if you want to use them but at its

heart this is simply a valve amp designed to do what valve amps do best, and if you’re a set-andforget player you’ll get as much out of this amp as a MIDIphile will. At its heart the GRID 30 has a 30 watt EL84 Class A power stage, switchable down to 15 watts so you can find your sound at more manageable volumes.

There are also two selectable rectifiers: a tube rectifier for

vintage sag and a silicon diode rectifier for modern punch.

There are two channels, each with its own gain, volume and three-band EQ (Treble, Middle, Bass) controls. There are two selectable presence controls which give you different textures to each other; an effect mix control, independent volumes for each channel, two selectable master volumes that you can use however you like, selectable mid boosts, a Vintage/ Normal/

So how do you describe an amp that does so much in so few words? Okay. No matter how you dial the GRID 30, it feels like it’s designed specifically with that sound in mind. Want Dream Theater prog power? AD/DC rhythm crunch? Steve Vai leads?

Earthy-country twang? Scoopedmid death tone? This amp is so configurable that much like how an iPad ‘becomes’ the app you’re using, this amp becomes whatever you dial it to become.

If you’re a player who likes to use pick attack and pickup selection to drive your sound, the GRID 30 will be right there with you. If you prefer something more saturated and compressed to even out legato techniques

Walrus Audio Descent Reverb Pedal

The controls are Dry Mix, Reverb Time, Diminish, Tweak, Wet Mix, Dry Signal, -1 and +1, plus a three-position mode switch with Hall, Reverse and Shimmer settings. The Hall mode is designed for classic reverb sounds for more practical applications from small rooms to expansive halls. The Reverse mode flips the signal for utterly weird Poltergeist/“Whole Lotta Love”/

SPECS • Speaker Impedence: 4, 8, 16 Ohms (switchable) • Speaker Outputs: 2 in parallel • Tubes: 5 x 12AX7, 4 x EL84, 1 x 5AR4

HITS • Unbeatable tonal versatility • Surprisingly straightforward to use • Handy half power mode

MISSES • Rear panel is difficult to access.

ALL THAT SHIMMERS…

How much can you really do with a reverb pedal? A lot, it turns out, if that reverb pedal is the Descent by Walrus Audio. This is no mere ambience simulator: it’s a multi-functional space-age reverb with so many tricks up its sleeves that it requires a few more arms to be able to comfortably fit them all in.

Homer-in-the-third-dimension sounds, and the Shimmer mode is designed to really show off the pedal’s octave capabilities, which are hinted at by those otherwise enigmatically-named -1 and +1 knobs. They let you mix in lower and higher-octave reverberated signals which are great for those Misha Mansoor clean tones.

There are two foot switches Preset and Bypass - each with its own indicator LED. Along the top back edge you’ll find various jacks: a mono input, stereo outputs, an

BY PETER HODGSON

the Hall mode and never even get around to Shimmer and Reverse - but once you do you’re in for a whole world of fun.

Gladesville Guitar Factory | (02) 9817 2173 | www.guitarfactory.net | RRP: $379

THREE VERBS ARE BETTER THAN ONE

or metal rhythms, it can do that too with the best of them. After playing the amp for a few hours it almost felt like a challenge: “Is there anything it can’t do?”

Turns out the answer is no.

expression pedal input, 9v input and remote pedal input (Walrus recommends its factually-named 2-Channel Remote Control Switch with Bypass and Preset buttons).

The idea of using a remote switch is simply to allow you to set the pedal out of the way on your board - or indeed up and hand height if you like to tweak the controls while playing - while still giving you foot-operated control of these functions.

RUNNING BACKWARDS

As you can imagine with a pedal that’s so laden with features, there are all sorts of sounds lurking in the Descent from the traditional to the wild. The Hall setting offers some truly beautiful, haunting and natural sounds, and it kinda makes me wish Walrus put Spring and Plate modes into this pedal too. The range of control is wide enough that you could spend all day on

This isn’t the be-all-and-endall-of-reverbs, since it only has three modes and only one of them is designed to be realistically ambient, but it’s not trying to replace a studios’ worth of reverb effects. Instead it gives you two radically unique textures that will inspire all sorts of creative endeavours.

BY PETER HODGSON

HITS • Three really cool modes.

• Stereo outputs.

• Handy expression pedal control.

MISSES • Control labels are a bit hard to see.

• Only mono input.

Shure PGA181 Side Address Condenser Mic Jands | (02) 9582 0909 | www.jands.com.au | RRP: $175

This is a microphone that is visually striking at first glance, somewhat reminiscent of other brands of microphones that offer a classic look and fancy at a vintage price. The PGA181 comes with a vintage look and a vintage sound at a very modern price. As a ‘do it all’ tool for your studio, this microphone will come in handy for instruments, vocals and a range of percussion uses. This could be the ideal addon microphone to any recording setup, offering a little something different to the rest of your arsenal.

SIMPLICITY ENCASED

There are all sorts of condenser microphones on the market that offer a range of options, switches, modes and variations in their operations. The PGA181 doesn’t get caught up in all this.

It is all about simplicity and functionality. The slim design of this microphone gives it a classic, vintage look, but it is all

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about form and function, rather than fashion. Designed to be used mainly as an instrument microphone, the PGA181 has been kept slim in design to allow for better placement in and around instruments when the microphone needs to be kept discreet and leave room for other microphones, cables and stands. Whereas one would generally lean towards a pencil

style condenser microphone for many of these close instrument techniques, the PGA181 gives you the advantage of a larger diaphragm, resulting in a bigger, fuller sound with added bottom end.

THE RESULT

What the PGA181 delivers above other pencil style condenser microphones in a similar price range is a depth of sound that is quite unexpected. This means that you end up with a sound that allows you to sculpt it a little more in the mix and find the perfect place for your instruments to fit in the greater scheme of your track.

It also means you can use this

microphone for a wider range of uses and getting it in front of an acoustic guitar is the first thing I wanted to try. It has plenty of sizzle to capture the string sound and brilliance of the guitar, yet still lets you hear all the low frequency depth of the instrument’s body.

BY ROB GEE

HITS • Built really tough • Great sounding instrument microphone for the price • Compact, side address design

MISSES • No frills, yet no options either

MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015 // PG.47

ROAD TESTS current lineup of instruments running from $1000-ish to super fancy big $$$ guitars - definitely competitive with other big name brands.

Guild D125-CE Acoustic Guitar

BY NICK BROWN

Zenith Music | (08) 9383 1422 | www.zenithmusic.com | RRP: $1549

Guild Guitar Company was officially registered in 1952, pumping out their first instruments in 1953. Then from the 60s through to 2000 they graced studios and stages worldwide being played by the likes of Johnny Smith, Muddy Waters, Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Kim Thayil and Tom Petty. An ownership change in the early 2000s (being bought by Fender Music Group) saw some company changes but most recently the Cordoba Music Group acquired the Guild brand from Fender, returning some production back to California and reintroducing many favourite models. Throughout this history Guild has still retained a cult following amongst many players and enthusiasts and it’s great to see the brand flourishing again.

D

Mahogany top, back, sides and neck with an Indian rosewood fingerboard and the whole

guitar finished in a natural gloss which brings out the darker timber colours and highlights the classic Guild logo on the

SPECS headstock. A dreadnought acoustic that doesn’t feel overly big or heavy and would suit even smaller players (and beginners) thanks to its slim neck. More about that soon.

WHAT’S THE SKINNY?

The D 125-CE has a seriously easy neck to get around. With a standard-ish nut width (1.7”) it’s the slender C profile that really lets you wrap your mitts around it. Chords, finger picking, licks, flat picking and open string runs

are all fair game and players of any level will appreciate the overall slinky feel of this lovely Guild. It’s dread styled body opens up the bottom end for a clear and balanced tone great for the chord playing singer songwriter but there’s also some sizzle in their if you need to get a bit more percussive. For electronics Guild have gone with the Fishman Sonitone under saddle pickup.

• • • • •

Top: Mahogany Back: Mahogany Neck: Mahogany Bridge: Indian Rosewood Pickups: Fishman Sonitone

HITS • Skinny neck • Price • Clean and concise

MISSES

GUILDY PLEASURES

• Soundhole controls may be a little fiddly for some

they don’t quite hold up like the Viscous Vibe does. If you love those swimming, swirling Hendrix vibe textures then you’ll get them from this, no problems. It’s not like a Leslie effect, it’s not like a chorus effect, it’s truly its own thing. This has got to be as close as you can get to the real thing without a time machine or a big stack of money at a vintage guitar show. You can easily cop those classic tones but you can find some new sounds in there too, especially once you start exploring TonePrints and the TonePrint Editor software to get into some deep editing.

pecially in the very capable hands of the folks at TC Electronic - the Viscous Vibe will get you to those psychedelic swirls and swooshes with an authenticity and faithfulness that are so vivid it feels like it should come with a few mushrooms thrown into the box.

It’s interesting to see their

TC Electronic Viscous Vibe Pedal Amber Technology | 1800 251 367 | www.ambertech.com.au | RRP: $279

For a long time, the name TC Electronic was synonymous with the top-dollar 2290 rack-mounted delay unit: an industry-standard delay that’s still in use today. But alongside that unit TC had another hit, the Stereo Chorus+ Pitch Modulator & Flanger, a stompbox that found favour with the likes of Eric Johnson.

PICKING UP GOOD VIBRATIONS

The Viscous Vibe is inspired by the original Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe - a highly unique, complex and very soughtafter analog unit. TC says they spent countless hours meticulously comparing the Uni-Vibe against what would become the Viscous Vibe, pushing their “insanely powerful” DSP to its very limits.

The Viscous Vibe has three knobs: Speed, Intensity and Volume.

Speed is the largest of the three since it’s the one you’ll probably want to change most often, while

Markbass CMD 121P Combo Amplifier CMC Music Australia | (02) 9905 2511 | www.cmcmusic.com.au | RRP: Call For Pricing

Italy’s Markbass makes all sorts of bass amps in all sorts of price ranges, from tiny combos to impressive stacks. Oh and their pedals are pretty dang nice too. The CMD 121P combo is resigned to be a great multipurpose, ultra-flexible amp for those who need the crispness of an all-solid-state design.

COMBO ATTACK

The CMD 121P features a 12” speaker with a piezo tweeter. The power section is sitting on 500 watts at 4 ohms or 300 watts at 8 ohms. It delivers a result much like it’s older brother in the CMD 212H, with an amplifier that’s similar, most of the differences here lie with the cab itself.

The preamp offers plenty of control. There’s a balanced XLR input plus a regular 1/4” input

(the latter with a gain control); a clip LED to let you know when you’re putting a little too much hurt on the circuit; an EQ section with Low, Mid Low, Mid High and High controls; the VLE (Vintage Loudspeaker Emulator) knob, which governs the 250Hz-20Hz range; the VPF (Variable Preshape Filter) knob which gives you a cut at 380Hz; then a line out knob for sending just the right amount of awesome bass power to a mixing desk. There’s

PG.48 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

Intensity and Volume are smaller and a little more ‘set and forget.’

There’s also a three-position mini switch, which selects between Chorus, Vibrato and TonePrint modes.

STEP ON THAT AND VIBRATE

With all the advances and evolutions made in flanging over the years, it’s refreshing to hear a pedal that really cops that classic vintage 60s flange sound with all the swooshes and jet-plane doppler effects intact. Most flangers make this claim in their literature, but

A KICK IN THE SHIN-EI

For some players only the analogue, super-expensive, super-rare real deal will do, but if you’re open to the possibilities of digital - es-

BY PETER HODGSON

HITS • Faithful reproduction of a classic.

• Stereo ins and outs are very handy.

MISSES • An expression pedal jack would really knock it over the edge.

also a master volume control, of course. The EQ section’s specific frequencies are centered on 40 Hz, 360 Hz, 800 Hz and 10 kHz with 16dB boost or cut.

TOP MARKS

This in an am designed with clean tones in mind, one that will pay respect to the natural tone and voice of your bass. Not to suggest it isn’t versatile, it absolutely is with a multitude of EQ controls, but that’s where its strengths lie.

If you have an active bass you’ll appreciate just how ‘hi-fi’ your sound can be. The smaller sized cabinet also makes this unit a little friendlier to those that need a more portable option.

tones without a hint of unwanted distortion. It’s not going to satisfy the rock-pigs but it’s great for blues, jazz and cover bands, and can even do a fine line in vintage-style tone minus the tube growl.

THE BOLD AND THE BASSIFUL

This combo is great for those who need really crisp, punchy, bold

BY PETER HODGSON

HITS • Highly customizable tone.

• Transparent when you want it to be.

• Handy DI output level.

MISSES • None

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ROAD TESTS

Aguilar Chorusaurus Bass Chorus Pedal Galactic Music | (03) 8813 0241 | www.galacticmusic.com.au | RRP: $429.99

Chorus has a rich history in the lineage of bass effects. Thick doubling and spacey jangle or full woosh and warble have seen it used in a heap of different styles and right through the ages. From the brand that covers serious live and studio backline the world over, Aguilar have added to their ever-expanding pedal range with the ‘Chorusaurus’.

SAW US?

In a classy white casing the Chorusaurus continues Aguilar’s pedal aesthetics in its skinny rectangle shaping, top mounted jacks and a bright blue LED ensure that you’ll have no problem seeing on a busy stage or in the bedroom. You’re typical chorus controls are on board with Rate, Intensity and Width.

However it’s the addition of the Blend knob that really works for me.

LOWDOWN

Chorus was a prominent choice in the 80s and early 90s for rock and pop, but you’ll also hear glimpses in metal and funk along the way too. Perfect for some subtle fattening or doubling, you can also get big bell like tones for the heavier stuff. The width and intensity can add some deep throb for muted quaver and 16th note lines, and the rate control gets you into experimental alien vibes if you really want to let loose. All the while the

Chorusaurus is quiet and clear, not getting in your way when it is off. Blend adds the extra option of dialling more or less of the effect, which is handy for keeping your settings and then just sliding more in or out depending on the room/band/ setup.

chops, dial in some indie or funk or just let your playing loose with some added dynamics and you’ll see why the Chorusarus is another solid addition to the Aguilar stable of pedals!

BY NICK BROWN

JOIN THE IN CHORUS

Aguilar make rock solid amps, so it comes as no surprise that their effects are tough as nails. A top notch chorus that can be barely there or full freak out lets you work the Chorusauras in with your existing setup. A tone control may have helped in some settings but that’s more for your amp or bass. Bring back your rock pop

HITS • Good range of tones • Solid as a rock • Blend control is a winner

MISSES • Not the cheapest chorus on the market

Shure PGA58 Vocal Microphone Jands | (02) 9582 0909 | www.jands.com.au | RRP: $99

When you think of a vocal microphone for live applications, one microphone in particular comes to mind. However, for those looking to get a similar microphone on a budget, then Shure is ready with a solution to meet your needs. The PGA58 draws on the design of the legendary SM58, but houses it all within a budget friendly package for anyone to use.

DARK HORSE

What first caught my attention when taking this microphone from the packaging is that it no longer shares the same colour scheme as the SM58, like the previous PG58 model did. The new PGA series comes with an all black look that separates the two for ease of distinction in setup. The black handle and black grill come with a tough new look, but they also deliver a tough build to back up that look. Like always, when I get

a new microphone in my hands I can’t help but instantly unscrew it to see what is going on inside.

The capsule itself is very well supported with the magnets below freely flexing on their rubber mounts, ensuring that handling noise is kept to an absolute minimum. Other than that, there wasn’t too much to report from inside the beast. It was all pretty clean and well assembled, which is nice to know.

YOU’RE THE VOICE

What you need to understand when working with this microphone, is that although it’s based on an SM58, it isn’t an SM58. It just doesn’t have the depth of character to it that an SM58 has, but at the same time, it also doesn’t carry the price tag.

This makes it a well built, ideal solution for someone on a budget.

If you want your voice to have ‘that’ sound, then you really need to get ‘that’ microphone. But if you want reliability and clarity in your vocals at a fraction of the price, then the PGA58 is going to win you over pretty easily.

HITS • Capsule and magnets are well supported within body • Great shock suppression for excessive handling noise • On/Off switch is neatly recessed in body

MISSES • Doesn’t quite live up to the sound of the SM58

BY ROB GEE

Eastman AC220CE Acoustic Guitar Gibson AMI | (03) 8696 4600 | www.gibsonami.com.au | RRP: $949

Coming from a Violin making background, Eastman initially started their sojourn into guitar world with the purpose of building affordable archtop guitars. Using their knowledge and practices from violin manufacturing, they began to churn out high quality instruments that worked at an affordable price point.

DREAD

Made from Sitka Spruce, Mahogany and Rosewood, the AC220CE is a dreadnought styled acoustic with a natural satin finish. I like the look of the satin for its subtle earthy type texture. Quite light in weight, the AC220CE felt fine standing and well balanced when sitting on your knee. It comes with the standard acoustic gauge 12 – 53, but you you could also try something a little heavier if you really wanted to give it a little extra edge.

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EAST OF THE SUN

Eastman is known for their high quality, good playing archtops that won’t require a second mortgage.

Whilst it is a no frills type guitar, that doesn’t mean it’s not a good playing axe. I dig the neck shape (feeling somewhat rounded and more pronounced in the center with a little added depth) and the fretboard edges were super smooth meaning you could still whip around it with ease. Flatpickers and vocal strummer types often prefer dreadnoughts, but the AC220CE could also be an option

for fingerpickers and relaxed styles as it has quite a dynamic range and responds nicely to both pick and fingers. The neck also lets you move around easily for big open chords or open string runs. Great for country, bluegrass and even rock guys doing the unplugged thing.

MAN

Having played a number of Eastman archtop guitars I was interested to check out something from their acoustic range. Chiming in towards the lower end of their price range I was still suitably impressed with the AC220CE. It offered a balanced and dynamic tone, all for much less than you’d expect.

BY NICK BROWN

SPECS • Body Dimensions: 16” X 4 23/32” • Cutaway: Venetian-style • Top Wood: Solid Sitka Spruce • Back/Sides Wood: Rosewood Laminate • Neck Woods: Mahogany • Fingerboard: Rosewood • Inlays: Pearl Dot • Pickup System: Fishman Sonitone

HITS • Price • Nice neck shape that is rounded and comfy but not a super slim C

MISSES • None!

MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015 // PG.49

ROAD TESTS Shure PGA Drumkit 7 Mics

mounts and cables to get the kit set up. The toms and kick drum have a handy angle adjustment clasp that allows you to quickly and easily set them and lock them into place to get the best sound possible from these microphones. All in all though, this is a great starting point for anyone wanting to set up a drum kit with microphones. It’s priced well and covers all bases.

Jands | (02) 9582 0909 | www.jands.com.au | RRP: $925

Shure have always been known for quality in microphones, but quality can come at a price when you’re looking to capture the sound of a complete drum kit. Not everyone wants to go out and buy a range of microphones to capture each drum. That’s why Shure have released the PG Alta range of microphones to deliver a budget priced solution for such a scenario.

THE NEW START

Taking on drum applications where the PG series left off, the PGA DrumKit7 is a total drum solution for live and recording applications. Housed within the sturdy zippered carry case are no less than seven microphones.

The PGA52 is designed for low end punch and is compact for a kick drum microphone, yet it still handles high SPLs and captures plenty of low frequency backbone.

At the other end of the spectrum

are the two PGA81 condenser microphones intended to be used as a stereo pair of overheads.

These are a delicate touch to compliment the brute of the PGA 52 and ensure plenty of high frequency sizzle from the cymbals. After this, we have three PGA56 microphones, the smallest and most compact of the set designed to sit very closely to the toms. To match up with these, there are three mounting arms that snap onto the rim of your toms ensuring

BY ROB GEE

HITS the microphones are right up close to the skin without the need of added microphone stands. The kit is finished off with a PGA57 instrument microphone for use on the snare to add any extra punch to the mix that isn’t quite captured in the overheads.

TC Electronic Helix Phaser Pedal Amber Technology | 1800 251 367 | www.ambertech.com.au | RRP: $279

While the TC Electronic Viscous Vibe is an attempt to recreate a classic vibe unit with complete faithfulness, the Helix Phaser takes an entirely opposite view. Sure, it’s designed to tap into classic sounds including the company’s own Phase12, but with a whole new world of possibilities and features you rarely if ever see on phaser pedals. This unit also features TC’s award-winning Tone Print technology, which lets you write and install your own presets or those made by the likes of John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert and Devin Townsend.

WHEN YOU SWOOSH UPON A STAR

TC has included the option of selecting between true bypass and buffered bypass to help you integrate it into any guitar rig.

There are also stereo inputs and stereo outputs, so you can go for a more traditional mono sound or something altogether spacier.

There are four knobs - Speed, Depth, Feedback and Mix - plus

a three-way selector switch for Vintage, Smooth and Tone Print modes. I don’t know why more phaser pedals don’t have Mix and Feedback controls.

IT’S JUST A PHASE

The most fun thing about the Helix Phaser is that it can sound more organic and earthy or utterly alien and electronic, and each voice feels like it’s meant

READY TO ROLL

What makes this an ideal package for any drummer or engineer looking for a drum solution is how everything is taken care of for you, almost.

You only need a few microphone stands to complete the setup and you’re ready to rock.

Included in the box are all the

to be there rather than just tacked on like some multi-mode pedals. You can use it for a Van Halen-like ‘indefinable ambient swoosh’ kind of slow-phase effect to add some movement and life to an otherwise flat guitar tone, or you can call up a more liquid, hi-fi kind of sound for progressive rock/metal/djent clean tones.

If there’s one area where the Helix lags behind it’s that it doesn’t seem to have a particularly distinctive voice: rather it gives you all sorts of great phaser sounds that can’t quite be pinned down to recreating any one famous phaser. For most players that’s a good thing though.

OUT OF THIS SWIRLED

This is a very flexible phaser, and the stereo ins and outs

Music Man 212 HD-130 Combo Amplifier

KEEP IT CLEAN

The first thing to note is that this amp is not designed for overdrive or high gain playing.

Rather it’s designed with Leo

PG.50 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

mean you can fit it into all sorts of different guitar rigs, from the traditional to the NASAapproved, and the Tone Prints mean you can really create some out-there sounds or very finelysculpted traditional ones.

BY PETER HODGSON

HITS • Handy stereo ins and outs • Great Tone Print flexibility

MISSES • Not the most distinctivesounding pedal unless you get into deep editing.

If you play with lots of clean tones or if you use plenty of pedals and you need an amp that won’t unduly colour their sounds; this is the amp for you. If you’re after gritty edge-of-dirty tones you may be able to find them by pushing the power tubes to their limit for some warmth.

More than three decades after Music Man ceased production of its amplifier range, Ernie Ball Music Man has reintroduced the HD and RD series amplifiers in partnership with Marco De Virgiliis of DV Mark and Mark Bass fame ,with these new amps being handcrafted in Italy.

The 212 HD 130 combo is the flagship product in the new line, with plenty of controls on board to help you sculpt your tone.

Channel 1 offers a Normal/Bright switch, Volume, Treble, Middle and Bass knobs plus two inputs: a high-gain and a low-gain input. Channel 2 has the same line-up of inputs and controls but adds a Reverb control plus Intensity and Speed for an

• Only three drum mount clamps when a fourth would be handy

IT’S ALL BECOMING CLEAR

Contact for pricing

onboard tremolo effect and a Master volume, plus a Deep/ Normal switch for extending the range of bass control. There are four EL34 power tubes and an ECC83, while the preamp is solid state and designed primarily with clean tones in mind.

MISSES

tionally clear, truthful renditions of your pedals’ natural sounds.

CMC Music Australia | (02) 9905 2511 | www.cmcmusic.com.au

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN

• Complete package with carry case and cables • Quick locking angle adjustment on microphone clips • Easy drum mounting for tom drums

Fender’s ideals of pristine sound reproduction in mind. You’ll find that it does an incredible job of translating your guitar’s natural voice, and all the better if you happen to favour clean tones. I was able to get wildly different sounds out of the HD 130 depending on which guitar I used.

My Ibanez Talman and Gibson Les Paul Traditional sounded more mellow and complex than I’ve ever heard them, while my Strats and Telecasters had

an almost acoustic-like ring.

The reverb and tremolo circuits certainly aid in injecting more depth and character to the sound beyond whatever your guitar is bringing, so if you have ‘meh’-sounding pickups these can help out. The reverb is also very distinctive and useful for ambient and indie shimmers. If you like to use pedals to generate your overdriven tones, the sheer sonic faithfulness of this circuit means you’ll get excep-

BY PETER HODGSON

HITS • Very clear sound reproduction • Useful reverb and tremolo • Sonically sensitive inputs.

MISSES • No dirty sounds to speak of • No effect loop

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