Mixdown Magazine 296

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MADE BY MUSICIANS FOR MUSICIANS

#296 — DECEMBER 2018

Give awa y!

RON A

MAS V TER CLA ANT SE E SS T LEC ICKE T MIC TRONI CS V ROP HON 3 E

INTERVIEWS — The Ocean, Code Orange, You Am I, Nickelback and more

REVIEWED — Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray Special, Neumann U87, Audient iD4 Interface,

T-Rex Mudhoney II, Line 6 HX Stomp, Audio-Technica M50xBT, Faith Nexus Neptune and more

SALE ON NOW! livingmusicyamaha.com.au

199

$

GIGMAKERC40 GUITAR PACK Recommended by

SALE ON NOW!

teachers, this full size classical guitar comes with a clip-on digital tuner.

SPIDER V 20, $219 Designed to sound great right out of the box, easy-to-use controls and compact size make it the ideal practice amp for any guitarist. Spider V 30 ($279) and Spider V 60 ($449) also available.

VOX MV50, $299 Half a kilo, 50 watts of power and equipped with Nutube. Available in AC, Clean, Classic Rock, Boutique, and High Gain. BC108 ($119) and BC112 ($399) speaker cabs for MV50 also availble.

STAGEPAS 400BT PA WITH BLUETOOTH, $999 400W portable PA system, 8 channel powered mixer, 2 x 8� speakers, Bluetooth audio connectivity. STAGEPAS 600BT also available, $1,399.

GIGMAKER10 ELECTRIC GUITAR PACK

379

$

Includes Yamaha PAC012 guitar, VOX PATHFINDER10 amp, VOX cable, digital tuner, strings, picks, strap and

GUITAR COLOURS AVAILABLE

STEINBERG UR22MKII RECORDING PACK, $399 Offers everything you need to start producing songs on your computer or iPad. Audio

string winder. Available in Dark Blue Metallic, Red

interface, studio condenser microphone,

Metallic and Black (pictured). PATHFINDER10 also sold

monitor headphones, cables and Steinberg

separately $109 (Bass version $129 pictured).

Cubase AI recording software are all included!

living music ya maha .com .au

P125 DIGITAL PIANO

899

$

New model — now with expanded sounds plus bass and drum accompaniment. 88 weighted keys, graded action and onboard speakers. Compatible with Smart Pianist app. This is your personal piano. Optional L125 wooden stand ($149.99 RRP*) and LP1 3-pedal unit ($129.99 RRP*) available. Limited stock.

NP12 PIANO STYLE KEYBOARD, $289

PSRE263 KEYBOARD, $229

Slim and lightweight, 61 key touch response keyboard with built-in

The ideal first keyboard for musicians who are just starting out,

speakers and 10 pre-set voices. NP32 with 76 keys and graded soft

with hundreds of sounds to start you on your musical journey.

touch action also available, $399.

Includes BONUS HPH50 headphones valued at $49.99 RRP*.

HS8S Sub

HS8

HS SERIES MONITORS

HS7 HS5

Powered nearfield studio monitors designed to reproduce the most honest, precise reference possible.

HS5, $299 HS7, $369 HS8, $469 HS8S Sub, $549

DTX402K PLUS PACK $649

5” woofer, 1” tweeter, 70W power.

6.5” woofer, 1” tweeter, 95Wpower.

8” woofer, 1” tweeter, 120W power.

Powerful 150W subwoofer with an 8” driver.

EAD10 ELECTRONIC ACOUSTIC DRUM MODULE $599

RYDEEN PACK $999

Loaded with 415 amazing new stereo voices, a redesigned rack system for positioning flexibility

Transform you entire drum kit into a powerful electronic-

kit, hardware, sticks and Paiste ride, crash and hi-

and rock solid stability, plus 10 built-in training

acoustic hybrid with sampled sounds and studio quality

hat cymbals plus BONUS drum stool. Limited stock.

functions. Complete with quality Yamaha stereo

digital effects. Every drummer needs one of these for

headphones, drum sticks and drum stool.

practicing, performing or live performance.

FIND A DEALER au.yamaha.com

EVENTS AND PROMOTIONS yamahabackstage.com.au

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/yamahabackstagepass

Complete set-up for drummers. Includes 5 piece

COLOURS AVAILABLE

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM instagram.com/yamahabackstage

WATCH VIDEOS

youtube.com/yamahaaustralia

TERMS AND CONDITIONS. All offers and discounted prices in this catalogue are part of a national sales program conducted by Yamaha Music Australia Pty Ltd and are valid only between 1 November 2018 and 31 December 2018 at participating Yamaha dealers which can be found at livingmusicyamaha.com.au. Not all products listed in this catalogue are available at all Yamaha dealers. While stocks last. The prices as set out or referred to in this catalogue apply for the duration of the program and may be sold at this price or lower. The Yamaha dealer participating in this promotion may not have sold these products in the past and where it has sold these products it may have sold them at more or less than the advertised price. The Yamaha dealer participating in this promotion may not have sold these products in the past and where it has sold these products it may have sold them at less than RRP. Errors and omissions excepted. Only stands, stools and accessories outlined in the product description are included.

Participating dealers may charge freight. Lifestyle images are for illustration purposes only. iPhone, iPod, are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

JOY AS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2019

THU 24 JAN MELBOURNE CORNER HOTEL SOLD OUT FRI 25 JAN MELBOURNE THE CROXTON BANDROOM SAT 26 JAN BRISBANE THE BRIGHTSIDE MON 28 JAN SYDNEY OXFORD ART FACTORY SOLD OUT TUE 29 JAN SYDNEY THE LANSDOWNE ‘JOY AS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE’ OUT NOW ON PARTISAN / INERTIA

TICKETS ON SALE NOW | IDLESBAND.COM | LIVENATION.COM.AU

CONTENTS 08 10 11 12 18 20 21 22 23 24 26 28 29 30 32 56 60 62

Giveaways Industry News Music News Product News Cover Story: Taking Back Sunday Code Orange Muse Nickelback The Ocean Hoodoo Gurus You Am I Progfest Ron Avant Musicology Electronic Music Production Guitar Bass Gift Guide Product Reviews Directory Show & Tell

/MIXDOWNMAGAZINE @MIXDOWNMAGAZINE @MIXDOWNMAGAZINE MIXDOWNMAG.COM.AU

For breaking news, new content and more giveaways visit our website.

Taking Back Sunday PG. 18

Foreword:

The Ocean

Progfest

PG. 22

PG. 24

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Well, not really, but you know what I mean. This has been a huge year in the world of Mixdown and I’m so happy that we get to sign off on 2018 with such a mammoth issue. As always, the December issue of Mixdown features our Christmas Gift Guide and I have to say, this year we went big. Dive on in and find yourself some goodies to pick up this holiday season. Thanks for reading!

NICHOLAS SIMONSEN - EDITOR

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

ONLINE EDITOR Jessica Over jess@furstmedia.com.au

MANAGING DIRECTOR Patrick Carr patrick@furstmedia.com.au

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Erica May

EDITOR Nicholas Simonsen nicholas@furstmedia.com.au

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Will Brewster, Josh Martin

CONTRIBUTORS Rob Gee, Christie Elizer, Nick Brown, David James Young, Adrian Violi, Michael Cusack, Augustus Welby, Luke Shields, Alex Watts, Jessica Over,

Aaron Streatfeild, James Di Fabrizio, Adam Norris, Alex Winter, Will Brewster, Eddy Lim, Lewis Noke-Edwards, Josh Martin

VINYLREVIVAL.COM.AU

MADE BY MUSICIANS, FOR MUSICIANS

JANUARY ISSUE #297: STREET: WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 26 AD BOOKING: MONDAY DECEMBER 17 EDITORIAL: TUESDAY DECEMBER 18 ARTWORK: WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 19 For more information on Mixdown Magazine contact us at: (03) 9428 3600 or email nicholas@furstmedia.com.au

6

info@vinylrevival.com.au 405 Brunswick St, FITZROY. ph 03.9419.5070 128 Sydney Rd, BRUNSWICK. ph 03.9448.8635

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Hoodoo Gurus You Am I Eskimo Joe ^ * Sheppard

The Superjesus British India The Getaway Plan Scott Darlow

ings Foreshore Reserve VIC Saturday January 12th Hast nds, Gold Coast QLD la rk Pa er at dw oa Br th 19 y ar Saturday Janu Coast Stadium QLD ne hi ns Su th 20 y ar nu Ja ay Sund ll, Port Adelaide SA Friday January 25th Harts Mi lhaven City Turf Club NSW Saturday January 26th Shoa Port Macquarie NSW , rk Pa rt po st We th 27 y ar nu Sunday Ja shows only / QLD ^VIC, NSW & SA shows only *

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ails visit For tickets, show & newsletter det

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GIVEAWAYS

Ron Avant Masterclass Ticket Giveaway Abbey Road Institute in Melbourne and Studios 301 in Sydney are set to host three-time Grammy Award nominee Ron Avant (Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Fergie) for two exclusive, three-hour workshops next month. Thanks to our friends at Amber Technology, we have a ticket to give away for each masterclass absolutely free.

Last Month’s Giveaway Winners Ernie Ball Paradigm Strings Giveaway Ernie Ball has been committed to shaping the sound of rock and roll for 50 years, and their Paradigm Strings uphold a glowing reputation.

Featuring increased tensile and fatigue strength, these strings are built to last with unparalleled durability. Thanks to our friends at CMC Music, we had two string sets to give away and the winner is: Christopher from Sydney, NSW. Congratulations!

Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT Headphones Giveaway Audio-Technica has launched the ATH-M50xBT wireless over-ear headphones, adding Bluetooth technology to further improve on an industry standard. The newest model allows users to experience the lauded sonic sounds of the M50x professional studio headphones anytime, anywhere. Thanks to our friends at Audio-Technica Australia, we had a set of these fantastic headphones to give away and the winner is:

sE Electronics V3 Microphone Giveaway The sE Electronics V3 Cardioid Dynamic Microphone is a true workhorse, offering supreme sound and a road-ready design at an affordable price, all without compromising on quality. Thanks to our friends at Sound & Music, we’re giving away one of these incredible microphones to one lucky reader.

Monica from Melbourne, VIC. Congratulations!

Akai Professional Fire Giveaway The Akai Professional Fire is a revolutionary companion controller for FL Studio is a high-performance tool designed to enhance workflow and the creative experience. Get hands-on with your production through plug-and-play integration, easy browsing controls, and a mode for every mood. Thanks to our friends at Electric Factory, we had one to give away and the winner is: Josh from Sydney, NSW. Congratulations!

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

LEGENDARY SOUND. UNMATCHED PERFORMANCE. Shure SM Microphones

Distributed by

www.jands.com.au 8

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INDUSTRY NEWS Eight Great Quotes From The Arias Host Keith Urban on warning prize winners about the sharp pointy ends of the ARIA trophies: “They’re not the biggest pricks in the room, but they are close.”

Nick Littlemore of Pnau: “We’re all about narcotics, obviously, because we’re all about dancing.” Realises he’s in a room full of media, and backpedals quickly: “But dancing doesn’t need narcotics, you can tap into the ones in your – we can talk about DMT all night.”

Kasey Chambers on survival #1: “The two things I have learnt in the music industry are to always be true to yourself and to find your tribe. If you find your real tribe, they’ll make sure you keep true to yourself.”

Kasey Chambers on survival #2: “I still have days when I look in the mirror and think ‘Am I not pretty enough?’ My answer now is ‘I don’t give a fuck.’”

Amy Shark on expectations: “I started so long ago trying to do this, so when you put a whole body of work out and people like it enough to nominate you and then you win it, it’s so far off what I thought I could ever achieve,” she told reporters in the press room.

“I’d given that sort of dream away long ago. So I’m sort of waiting for someone to just wake me up.”

Vance Joy on winning anything: “Luckily my managers printed out all the names that I needed to thank.”

16-year-old Ruel quickly identifies his problem after winning the breakthrough artist category: “If anyone has a fake ID for the after parties, hit me up.”

Pill Testing Debate Shifts To Tassie

Live Awards To Induct Magic Dirt

While attempts to allow a second pill testing at a music festival in the ACT seem to have hit a wall, the debate has shifted to Tasmania. The issue in the ACT is the fear that there is no clear framework on the legal consequences of someone choosing to test their drugs.

The National Live Music Awards is inducting Magic Dirt as its inaugural Live Legends.

The Melbourne band will be honoured at the Brisbane gala of the NLMAs on Thursday December 6 at The Triffid. The event also includes satellite ceremonies in Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Darwin, Hobart and Wollongong.

Member of Franklin, Rosalie Woodruff of the Greens party, has tabled a bill in parliament that takes the first step. The Misuse of Drugs Amendment (Drug Analysis) Bill 2018 sets up the legal framework which protects those who have their drugs tested at festivals from being prosecuted by police for possessing them. It also sets up the establishment of an advisory committee to deal with the issues.

The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) supports pill testing because they believe it would stop deaths. Leigh Carmichael, creative director of the Dark Mofo festival, weighed in for the same reason, saying, “We urge all political parties to stop playing politics with young Tasmanian lives.” However, the Police Association of Tasmania’s acting president Gavin Cashion argued that supporting tests is “sending the wrong message by saying it‘s okay to break the law. Pill testing is effectively doing quality assurance for drug pushers. People have a choice – to take drugs or not take drugs.”

No Sleep Until Austin Seven more Australian acts have been invited to showcase at SXSW in Austin next March. They are Vacations (Newcastle), Emerson Snowe (Brisbane), I Know Leopard (Sydney), Denise le Menice (Perth), Odette (Sydney), Jo Schornikow (Melbourne) and Haiku Hands (Sydney). The first round saw 18 acts announced, including Bloods, Amyl & The Sniffers, Catherine Britt, Feels, Gooch Palms, Skegss and Tia Gostelow.

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“We were and are primarily a live band,” said Raul Sanchez of Magic Dirt. “As much as we love our recordings, we lived to hit the road and play live to a sweaty audience, that came to see some chaos, noise and the beautiful spontaneous magic that occurs when musicians put their souls on the line.

It doesn’t get much better than that. “

Australian Music Exports Set To Grow Australian Recording Industry Association chief executive Dan Rosen told the Australian Financial Review that ARIA global exports have risen 30 percent over the last two years, thanks to streaming and stronger copyright laws. He believes it will grow from there and Aussies will grab a larger piece of the $50 billion global record industry. “The opportunity is massive,” said Rosen. “We’re moving from a potential market of 25 million people to a potential market of 2 billion who are connected to global streaming platforms.” Just to poke this move along, ARIA has suggested that the Federal Government could help global musicians with grants, funding, use of embassies abroad, strengthening copyright laws etc. to push Australia’s share of the global market from its current less-than-one percent to five percent in a few years.

Indigenous Chart Launches The National Indigenous Music Awards has launched Australia’s first national indigenous

music chart. The awards, which were initially Northern Territory-based, changed strategy and rebranded by organiser Music NT as the national awards for indigenous music.

The awards were instrumental in exposing the talents of Baker Boy, Yirrmal, Thelma Plum, Tia Gostelow, Emily Wurramara and the Central Australian Women’s Choir.

Now the intent of the charts is to continue to cast the spotlight on both emerging and established First Nation artists throughout the whole year. Set up in partnership with Radio Monitor and the SGC Group, the charts are compiled weekly and released every Friday, creating a list of the most-heard Indigenous songs across Australian radio, including commercial, community, ABC, digital, metro and regional radio stations.

Applications For $100,000 Art Music Fund For the fourth consecutive year, Australian and New Zealand art music composers are encouraged to apply for a share in $100,000 worth of funding to create new commissioned work thanks to the APRA AMCOS Art Music Fund. Applications close on Wednesday February 20.

The funding pool of $100,000 is available for the creation of commissioned work that is innovative, displays professional compositional craft, and represents a benchmark of excellence in its field. The intention is to support composers to create works with a long artistic life. For application guidelines and details, see apraamcos.com.au/artmusicfund.

who for five years was House Party host on Saturday nights. Triple j will announce a new House Party presenter in early 2019, while Double J will announce two new programs.

Ticketek Launches PriceCapped Ticket Exchange Australian ticketing company Ticketek launched an exchange system called Ticketek Marketplace last month. A key feature is that resold ticket prices are capped at 10 percent above face value. Once tickets have been purchased on Ticketek Marketplace, the original barcodes will be cancelled and new barcodes reissued into the name of the new customer, guaranteeing all tickets are valid. A single Ticketek user ID and login will apply across both Ticketek and Ticketek Marketplace “to further underpin the integrity of the new platform.”

More Venues Shuttering Up Sydney’s World Bar called it quits after 18 years last month, after giving starts to the likes of Gang Of Youths, Alison Wonderland, Flume, and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Five thousand people signed a petition urging South Australia’s minister for planning, Stephan Knoll, to help revive Adelaide’s Ed Castle Hotel, which is set to be destroyed to make way for development. Melbourne’s Reverence Hotel announced it will close on Saturday March 2 explaining they haven’t been able to get a permanent lease, and that extending it month-by-month means “we are unable to plan long-term and have had to stop investing back into the venue.”

Triple J Moves There’ll be some changes at triple j in 2019.

Breakfast news reader Brooke Boney will bow out at the end of the year. She will remain with the ABC creating new content elsewhere. Her replacement in 2019 is Alice Matthews, already a triple j newsreader and Hack reporter. Also leaving triple j is electropop producer and singer-songwriter KLP,

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MUSIC NEWS

Say Goodbye to 2018 with a Road Trip to Falls Festival

Good Things Festival Prepares for a Huge Debut

The Kooks Hit the Road for East Coast Tour

Falls Festival is back, with local and international heavyweights gathering for the NYE event, including the likes of Anderson.Paak & The Free Nationals, Interpol, Vance Joy, and CHVRCHES. The festival has also enlisted the help of rock legends Toto to bless the rains and hopefully offer a stirring rendition of ‘Africa’ as the clock strikes midnight.

Falls will take over Lorne, Marion Bay, Byron Bay and Fremantle from December 28 to see out 2018 in style.

The inaugural Good Things Festival is almost upon us, featuring a veritable who’s who of musicians from local and international rock, metal and punk scenes. US icons The Offspring are leading the way for the 2018 event, alongside BABYMETAL, Stone Sour, All Time Low, Bullet For My Valentine, Dropkick Murphys and Northlane. The festival will make its debut in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane from Friday December 7. Full details at mixdownmag.com.au.

The Kooks are making their way back to Australia for a string of festival appearances this summer and will make the most of the trip with a selection of headline shows to bring in the New Year. The indie four-piece is set to take over venues in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in early January after performances at some of the country’s biggest NYE festivals, including Beyond the Valley, Origin Fields, Lost Paradise and Beach Life.

Catch The Presets, Pond and More at Meredith 2018

Celebrate 20 Years of Taking Back Sunday This Month

With a long and successful legacy of bringing together some of the most creative and unique musical acts, Meredith’s 2018 lineup has proved it’s no exception. Kicking off once again at the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre from Friday December 7 to Sunday December 9, MMF 28 has delivered once more with artists like The Presets, Mental As Anything, The Pharcyde and The Aints to name just a few. For the full lineup, visit mixdownmag.com.au.

US alt-rock legends Taking Back Sunday are set to celebrate 20 years of music on an Australian tour with a twist. The group will recognise their ongoing success through a series of special performances where audiences will be treated to double album plays each night, featuring Tell All Your Friends, Where You Want To Be, and Louder Now. The tour kicks off on Wednesday January 9 in Adelaide, wrapping up in Brisbane on Thursday January 17.

The Pleasure Garden is Taking Over St Kilda

Twenty One Pilots Bring the Bandito Tour to Australia

Wu-Tang Clan Celebrate 25 Years of ‘36 Chambers’

The Pleasure Garden is back for 2018 with another stellar lineup across five arena stages. The open-air Conservatory Stage will play host to some of the festival’s biggest names, including Temper Trap, Xavier Rudd, Confidence Man, and Northeast Party House, while the Aurora Stage and Bass Station will be spearheaded by Sampa the Great and Uone & Western respectively. The Pleasure Garden hits Catani Gardens, St Kilda on Saturday December 8.

Twenty One Pilots are set to embark on another worldwide conquest in support of their new album, Trench. The Bandito tour kicks off in the U.S. before the dynamic duo make their way to Australia for their fifth and biggest run of the country, with five huge all-ages arena shows in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The headline tour starts from Friday December 7, with tickets available via Live Nation.

Hip-hop legends Wu-Tang Clan are celebrating 25 years of their landmark LP Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) with a visit to Australia for two special anniversary shows. The iconic group will return to our shores for the first time since 2016 with four headline shows at the Sydney Opera House.

Expect to hear everything from ‘Method Man’ to ‘Protect Ya Neck’ when Wu-Tang touch down in Australia this month.

mixdownmag.com.au

Conversations with Nick Cave to Make Australian Debut Conversations with Nick Cave, a unique touring experience which combines music and open discussion, is set to make its Australian debut next month. Inspired by the audience response received when touring Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ melancholic 2016 LP Skeleton Tree, Cave’s latest tour will feature both solo piano performances and a direct open Q&A. It kicks off on Saturday January 5 in Wangaratta before finishing up at Perth’s Concert Hall on Wednesday January 23.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Faith Naked Venus Guitar LeftHanded Version Now Available CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU Left-handers often find themselves forgotten, but that’s not the case with Patrick James Eggle’s Naked series of acoustic guitars. The iconic Faith Venus shape is now available in a left-handed version, retaining all the classic features of the right-handed model. With a 15” lower bout and slimmer body depth, the Venus is the ultimate all-rounder, perfect for both unplugged performances and for taking to the stage.

Ron Avant to Host Two Exclusive Australian Masterclasses

Gruv Gear’s DuoStrap Neo is Saving Bassists From Back Pain

AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU

CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU

Three-time Grammy Award nominee Ron Avant (Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Fergie) will share his expertise with audiences in Melbourne and Sydney next month through two exclusive masterclasses. Hosted by Abbey Road Institute and Studios 301, the three-hour workshops will feature advice on production, songwriting, performance, career tips and how to get the best out of your equipment, with reference to Mackie gear in particular. Tickets are available via Eventbrite

If you’re a bass player that wants to spend more on gear and less on chiropractic bills, the Gruv Gear DuoStrap Neo is the answer. Designed to offer supreme comfort, the DuoStrap Neo features an ergonomically-correct design endorsed by professional chiropractors and physicians. Through patentpending balanced weight distribution, the strap offers a significant reduction in shoulder pain and strain, while still maintaining a natural playing position. To top it all off, adjustable length options are also available.

Achieve the Perfect Mix Every Time with TC Helicon’s GOXLR AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU Take control of your broadcast’s audio with the TC Helicon GOXLR, an intuitive solution to mixing and altering your audio in real time. Perfect for gamers and audiophiles alike, the GOXLR offers professional functions in an easy-to-use design, complete with a four-channel mixer, customisable motorised faders, and an extensive suite of audio effects.

It’s the fully-customisable audio companion you’ve been waiting for.

Sterling by Music Man Enhance a Classic with the Ray24CA StingRay CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU The Sterling by Music Man StingRay Ray24CA has arrived to offer an updated version of a classic design, perfect for the modern musician. The Ray24CA packs in a host of premium features, including a bridge modelled after the heavy duty Music Man design, a 9V powered active two-band preamp and alnico pickup, and fully adjustable and intonatable steel barrel saddles. With traditional Butterscotch and Three-Tone Sunburst finishes, the Ray24CA will bring a vintage touch to any stage.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Fender Announces 2018 Jimi Hendrix Stratocasters in Pantone’s Colour of the Year FENDER| FENDER.COM.AU Fender has announced a new Ultra Violet and three-colour Sunburst palette for their winter 2018 Jimi Hendrix Stratocasters.

The striking Ultra Violet finish doubles as a special tribute to the year that was, as the colour itself is Pantone’s colour of the year for 2018. The guitar sports American Vintage ‘65 single-coil pickups to reproduce a modern iteration of the face-melting Hendrix tone. The maple neck is also ultra-playable, with medium jumbo frets for a flatter playing surface.

Never Miss a Performance with the Zoom Q2n-4K

Alesis Launches a New Era with Strike MultiPad

Mad Professor Loud’n Proud Arrives in Australian Stores

DYNAMIC MUSIC | DYNAMICMUSIC.COM.AU

ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU

DI MUSIC | MADPROFESSOR.COM.AU

Capture your sound like never before with the Zoom Q2n-4K, the 4K camera for musicians. Featuring a high-quality 150° wide-angle lens, five field of view settings, and a 1/8” stereo output jack, the Q2n-4K is the ultimate solution for recording rehearsals, live performances and livestreams.

Simply point, aim and capture quality sound through stereo microphones and crisp visuals thanks to 4K Ultra HD recording capabilities.

The Alesis Strike MultiPad percussion module and drum surface has arrived, allowing users to sample, edit, loop and perform with more ease than ever before. Incorporating Pro Tools First and Ableton Live, the Strike MultiPad features nine velocity-sensitive pads with customisable RGB lights, five built-in effects processors, custom effect control, and easy audio routing. Take your performance to the next level when the Strike MultiPad hits stores this month.

It’s hard to define the sound of classic hard rock, but the tones of a vintage four-input Marshall might be the closest you’ll get. Mad Professor has captured this sound in their compact Loud’n Proud pedal, complete with an advanced internal structure that makes it sound and behave like a real amp. The pedal features a moderate amount of gain, much like a vintage Marshall, and boasts an additional boost/fuzz effect.

Albert Hammond Jr.’s Signature Stratocaster Hits Stores FENDER | FENDER.COM.AU Albert Hammond Jr. and his role in The Strokes defined the garagerock sound and aesthetic for the 21st century. It’s only fitting that Fender has collaborated with Hammond Jr. to offer a commercial signature of a 1985 reissue of a ‘72 Strat, in an iconic Olympic White. The guitar is suitably ‘70s and very Hammond, featuring his customised pickups switching to produce the wiry guitar-pop tone he’s renowned for, plus period correct branding and a Micro Tilt neck.

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PRODUCT NEWS Shure Introduces HighResolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable JANDS | JANDS.COM.AU Shure has raised the bar for audio innovation once more, unveiling the all-new High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable. The Bluetooth communication accessory builds on the success of Shure’s detachable SE Sound Isolating Earphones, creating a high-quality option for listeners who prefer wireless solutions. Users can experience lower noise and distortion with accurate frequency response in Shure’s latest design. If you’re looking for wireless sound without sacrificing quality, you’ll find it here.

HeadRush Gigboard is Now Available in Australian Stores

Sennheiser and Neumann Launch Special Wireless Bundle

ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU

SENNHEISER | EN-AU.SENNHEISER.COM

HeadRush is continuing to hold a place at the forefront of music technology with the innovative Gigboard guitar FX processor. Gigboard incorporates a host of advanced features, offering authentic amplifier, microphone and FX models in one compact, gig-ready unit. Powered by a ne-tuned quod-core processor, the Gigboard packs a hefty punch, boasting premium elements like a 7” touch display, colour assignable LED strips, and four footswitches. Best of all, it’s now available.

To celebrate Neumann’s 90th birthday, Sennheiser has announced a new wireless bundle just in time for Christmas.

Sennheiser’s evolution wireless 500 G4 microphone system and the Neumann KK 205 true condenser capsule will be sold together, marking the first time Neumann microphone heads will be available to a wide audience. Impressively, the condenser takes sound pressure levels of up to 150dB without clipping, while the microphone offers 50mW of transmission power and switching bandwidth of 88MHz.

Experience Greatness with Sennheiser’s IE 40 Pro In-Ear Monitors SENNHEISER | EN-AU.SENNHEISER.COM In-ear monitors are your best bet to combat the inescapable sound issues that can arise on stage, and there are few options that can outpace the IE 40 Pros. The dynamic earbuds offer accurate sound reproduction at both high and low sound pressure levels, providing maximum mix variances while you’re on stage. To top it off, they’re designed for ergonomic comfort and to be battle-ready for whatever apocalyptic stage shenanigans occur.

Cort G Series Guitars to Receive New Colours This Christmas DYNAMIC MUSIC | DYNAMICMUSIC.COM.AU Cort Guitars maintain a logical evolution of “vintage” designs through their esteemed G Series, including the G110 and G200DX. These instruments strike the perfect balance between classic and modern, and guitarists will soon be spoilt for choice, with new finishes unveiled just in time for Christmas. The G110 is now available in Lake Placid Blue and Vintage White, while the G200DX is now offered in a Vintage Tobacco Burst finish.

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Evolving with you.

With a sleek new user interface, a generously expanded switching bandwidth and higher RF output power for the 500 Series, and new multi-channel functionality for the 100 Series, G4 delivers high-quality, reliable audio for musical performances, houses of worship, and theaters. www.sennheiser.com/g4

PAGE HEADER

TWENTY YEARS OF TAKING BACK SUNDAY Despite yielding a stage aesthetic with more swagger than you could pelt a can of hairspray at, Adam Lazzara is cripplingly humble. He won’t budge when grilled for a catalyst in Taking Back Sunday’s sustained longevity. “I just think we’re some of the luckiest guys you’ll ever meet,” he says.

“...THIS IS THE ONLY THING ANY OF US HAVE EVER WANTED TO DO.”

But his modesty is uncalled for. It’s the Long Island quartet’s visceral energy, enigmatic personalities and furiously potent songwriting – plus, you know, a few choice scene beefs throughout the years – that have led Taking Back Sunday to their throne atop the aughts’ alt-rock hierarchy.

be giving them the same feeling that our favourite bands and artists give us. It’s this grand thing of being like, ‘You are not alone.’

So hopefully we can keep that up.”

“We’ve definitely had our ups and downs,” says Lazzara. “But I think what it comes down to, as far as us always trying to move forward goes, is that this is the only thing any of us have ever wanted to do.

That’s been a big driving force behind each of us in the band – we kind of put all of our eggs in one basket, as they tell you not to do.

So I think that’s what’s gotten us through all the bad times and the good times. That, and we’ve just been extremely fortunate.”

It’s weird to think about: Taking Back Sunday have survived the fall of Nickelodeon, the smartphone boom and the uprising of emo-rap.

In a landscape where their peers struggled to stay relevant past LP3, the MTV staples and Warped Tour pit-starters have made damn sure that even seven albums down, they’re still a go-to for kids looking for a loud and livid musical outlet.

Part of that is luck. Part of it is churning out a steady stream of smash hits, and part of it is careful manipulation of the scene’s passing trends and strategic manoeuvring through the music industry’s recent evolutions. But most of it comes down to the fact that Lazzara and co. don’t set unwieldy goals or make outlandish promises to their fanbase. They roll with the punches, and they’re defiantly blasé about how they’re building on two decades of legacy.

“It’s funny,” says Lazzara. “If you had asked us 20 years ago, ‘So, in 20 years, do you think you guys are still gonna be doing this?’

I think we all would have said, ‘No,’ because it just didn’t seem like that could be real, you know? That didn’t sound like an actual thing that could happen. But this is the only thing that any of us have ever wanted – to be able to write songs and play them to kids all over the world, to have people at the shows and, hopefully,

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Lazzara had just turned 18 when John Nolan half-jokingly asked him to join Taking Back Sunday. Growing up alongside the band, he’s learned a few key lessons about maintaining a strong relationship with his bandmates.

“There’s one thing I do think back on often, which is that you’re not always going to be right,” he says. “And that’s okay. There’s a lot of things out there that I don’t know, and a lot of people to learn from, and that’s a big, resounding thing that’s stuck with me since the earlier days of the band.”

To celebrate their 20-year milestone, Taking Back Sunday are dropping their first slab of greatest hits in the aptly titled Twenty.

Alongside two new jams (both stemming from the mysterious mind of drummer Mark O’Connell), the LP chronicles the entire stretch of the band’s dynamic discography.

“At first, I wasn’t too keen on the idea because I was worried it would be like a closing of a book,” Lazzara admits. “None of us are anywhere near done, so it didn’t make sense to do a ‘career retrospective’ thing.

I didn’t want it to be purely for nostalgia’s sake, either. But then when we got to talking about it, I started to realise that it’s more just a celebration of where we’ve gone

in the past 20 years. I really think that’s something to be celebrated.

“Plus, we kind of live in this world of streaming right now. Everybody listens to playlists, so I think if anything, we’ve just put together the best Taking Back Sunday playlist we could, all in one neat little package for you so you don’t have to go through everything and move stuff around.”

Next year will see Taking Back Sunday take their celebration on the road for a career-defining world tour. They’re set to kick it all off with an Australian run in January, ripping through theatres in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane (plus a festival drop-in at UNIFY Gathering), with choice cuts from their first three records in tow. As for what will follow, Lazzara says the band has only just begun thinking about where LP8 will take them, but 2019 will be the year they throw a new tank of fuel on their creative fire. And as for what that fire will brew?

“It really just depends on what everybody has to bring to the table,” says Lazzara. “One of the things I think we all enjoy the most is when we can get together and just start hashing out ideas, because typically what will happen is one person will come in with either a part or a whole song, and then everyone else in the band will get their hands on it and it will evolve into this new thing. So as far as going, ‘Here’s directly where we’re headed, it’s going to sound like this’ – I can’t do that, but only because I have no idea what that’s going to be myself. And that’s one of the things that keeps it exciting. You never know what’s going to happen.”

BY MATT DORIA

Twenty is out Friday January 11 via Craft Recordings. Taking Back Sunday are touring Australia in January 2019.

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MUSIC INTERVIEWS “In the past, I think we’ve definitely struggled because we can’t always do everything live. We always have so many ideas for layers, different colours and these bits and pieces that we can’t do live. It’s been hard to figure out a balance, but we have a much better idea of it now. The songs have changed a little bit from recording to when we do it live, but having five people on stage now gives us a lot more to work with.”

Meyers is alluding to Dominic Landolina, who officially joined the band in mid-2017 on guitar. Landolina was previously the lead guitarist in Meyers’ indie-rock band Adventures, which also featured fellow Code Orange members Jami Morgan and Joe Goldman on drums and bass respectively.

When it came to bringing in a fifth member of the band, which had previously only ever been a quartet, the group knew hiring Landolina was a no-brainer. “He spent time with us while we were writing Forever,” says Meyers.

Code Orange Forever With the release of their third album Forever in 2017, Code Orange have become one of American hardcore’s prime exports. With a slew of hard-hitting tracks and an even more hard-hitting live show, the Philadelphia natives have made the most of their steady ascent by touring Forever extensively, particularly across the US and through Europe. “We’ve definitely figured out a way to recreate these songs while still keeping it high-energy and captivating,” says Reba Meyers, one of the band’s three guitarists/vocalists.

“He was great to have around, because he helped us shape a lot of the riffs. When we were working on the songs, we got him to play guitar for songs where Shade [AKA multiinstrumentalist Eric Balderose] was doing stuff with the synthesiser and programming. We have a pretty scattered process, so it was really hard to do things on the spot. When we had him around, we kind of got a taste for what it would be like to operate as a five-piece and it felt right. Besides everything else, we’ve known Dominic since we were all little kids. We didn’t want to bring in anyone who was just going to be a hired-gun touring member – that’s not our style. We like to have a complete working unit, and that’s what we have now.”

Code Orange have released three new songs in 2018, their first since becoming a five-piece. Among them are ‘Only One Way’, which was released as a part of Adult Swim’s singles program, and ‘The Hunt’, which features none other than Slipknot’s Corey Taylor as a guest vocalist. At the time of interviewing, Meyers and co. were using their downtime

“The younger generation of music listeners don’t place as much importance on an album,” says bassist Chris Wolstenholme. “I personally, like the idea of an album, because it’s what I grew up with. I like the feeling of anticipation and the hype you get when a band that you like is about to release this new body of work. But I don’t think everybody feels that way. There are people out there who just like to dip in and out.”

Wolstenholme hopes the slow death of the album will break down the hierarchy between singles and album tracks – the songs that, for many, act as filler between the two or three catchy and recognisable tunes on a record.

Simulation Theory began as a series of unconnected singles released during 2017 and 2018. The band only decided to collect the songs as an album on the condition that each track would be given the importance of a single. Simulation Theory was to be an album that would hold together even under the disintegrating force of the Spotify mix.

Muse Put Theory Into Practice Can an album be all singles? Services like Spotify are undermining the importance of the album as a self-contained work, transforming it into a collection of tracks to be broken down and rebuilt like Lego. Muse are testing the waters with Simulation Theory, an 11-track album to feature 11 music videos and five singles.

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“My personal view is that every song should be important,” says Wolstenholme. “It’s a downside of the way the music industry works, in terms of having singles to promote albums. If one song is a single, why should that song have a video while an album track doesn’t? They’re all part of the same thing. It’s a nice approach to take, to try to put importance on every single song. Otherwise, you have to ask yourself: Why is that song there if it’s not important?”

Gluing Simulation Theory together is a strong sense of ‘80s nostalgia. Art by Kyle Lambert looks more like a movie poster than an album cover – the band, bathed in electronic pinks and cyans, are surrounded by vampires, retrofuturistic gadgetry and a time-warping Lamborghini Countach. Lambert is strongly influenced by Drew Struzan, whose poster art has become synonymous with franchises like Back to the Future, Indiana Jones and Star Wars.

“Before, every time we’ve made an album, the visual side of it has always been an afterthought,” says Wolstenholme. “You finish the music and somebody says, ‘Right, you need a cover.’

And you say, ‘Oh, shit. What’s the cover going to be? What’s

away from touring to work on even more new songs, which are likely to end up on album number four. Although she plays her cards close to the chest, Meyers does let on that one should certainly expect the unexpected with this next batch of songs.

“It’s sounding pretty sick, man,” she says. “I mean, it’s a process. It’s exhausting, but it’s going well. I’m stoked to be doing this again. I don’t want to give too much away, but songs like ‘One Way’ and ‘The Hunt’ were kind of meant as transitional songs – to give people a taste of what it will feel like when we do another record. They’re great songs, but when you’re doing small stuff like a single or an EP, you can’t really get as deep as you would for an album. We’re going to reach a lot further into our sound, for sure.”

In the meantime, Code Orange will ostensibly wrap over two years of touring Forever when they arrive in Australia next March for their second-ever tour here. The primary reason for their tour is to be a part of the mammoth 2019 Download Festival, the UK version of which Code Orange has played multiple times. “It’s definitely a highlight of our year every time we get to do it,” says Meyers. “If the Australian version is anything like that, then it’s going to be a really good time.”

BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG

Code Orange will perform at Download Festival in March as well as a headline show in Brisbane.

Forever is out now via Roadrunner Records.

the first video going to be?’ You’re always scrabbling around for ideas, whereas the way this album was made gave us a lot more time to think about these things.

“One thing we really like about the ‘80s is that they do give a very strong visual reference. There’s so much that’s retrospective, but still has that futuristic feel as well, which creates this almost timeless vibe.”

Although the look of Simulation Theory owes much to synthwave, an‘80s-influenced musical and artistic movement, Wolstenholme says that Muse’s sound draws nothing from synthwave. The album’s retrofuturistic vibe comes through less in its music than through a series of delightfully audacious videos featuring frontman Matt Bellamy transforming into a Teen Wolf, fighting mutated hamsters that look a lot like the aliens from Critters and dressing up à la Marty McFly at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance. This patchwork of pop culture callbacks would be utterly unbearable if it weren’t carried off with such whimsy.

Simulation Theory draws together many genres – gospel in ‘Dig Down’, power pop in ‘Pressure’ – but remains united by Bellamy’s soaring and melisma-embroidered vocal work, which has remained basically constant since the days of Black Holes and Revelations. The YouTube comments section has complained that tracks like the folk-influenced ‘Something Human’ “don’t sound like Muse,” but Wolstenholme sees this as a good sign, and jokes that their next album might be fully acoustic.

“We’re not afraid to step into the unknown a little bit and try some new ideas. I’m sure some people will love [Simulation Theory] and some people will absolutely hate it. But that’s the beauty of music, isn’t it? That so many people can take so many different things from it.”

BY ZACHARY SNOWDON SMITH Simulation Theory is out now via Warner Bros Records/Helium-3.

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MUSIC INTERVIEWS Canada’s most polarising musicians plan to greet 2019 with three east coast shows, supported by heavy metal supergroup Bad Wolves and bringing in tow their ninth studio album, Feed the Machine. Kroeger believes this tour will be more memorable than the last one.

take that seriously, but criticism for the sake of criticism, to me, lacks credibility,” he says. “If you have six people standing around a guy digging a hole with a shovel, they’ll all have a different idea of how that person should do it. Is that credible?

“This is going to be different,” he says. “I’ll have a much clearer memory of events this time, because I’ve given up on the evil sauce.”

“It seems kind of crazy that someone gets paid to criticise art. Art’s supposed to be an individual expression, not an analytical, gradable thing. Critics love records like The Velvet Underground. There’s all those ridiculous adages that they only pressed 100 copies, but it spawned 10,000 bands, or whatever.

Those are critics’ darlings. Good for them, I guess.”

The lyrics of Feed The Machine’s title track describe a chaotic, predatory society ruled over not by an omniscient dictator, but by a charismatic fraud. The song underwent a long evolution from 2016, with all members of the band participating.

“It was in that whole period of time when everybody was jockeying for attention,” says Kroeger. “At the time we wrote ‘Feed the Machine’, all the nationalist zealots were coming out of the woodwork with their crazy haircuts. It seems like, the crazier the person’s haircut, the nuttier their political views are. I’ve noticed, globally, we have this thing: the US has it, the UK has it, Holland has it. Oz doesn’t have it.”

Being Nickelback When Nickelback last visited Australia in 2015 for their No Fixed Address Tour, they had a brilliant time – they think. “Each time previously that I’ve been to Australia, I’ve done it as a regular imbiber of alcoholic beverages, so some of my memories of Oz are rather hazy, looking through a cloud of awesome South Australian wine,” laughs bassist Mike Kroeger.

“The Penfolds people were very nice to us.

We smuggled back literal pallets of wine from Penfolds.”

The gradual pace of work on Feed the Machine, which was shelved and then dusted off many times, made it easier for Kroeger to contribute. Mike Kroeger describes himself as more contemplative than Chad Kroeger, his brother and Nickelback’s ebullient frontman.

“A lot of these songs come together and get down real fast,” says Kroeger. “Chad’s a very agile songwriter that can work at that pace and at full creativity. I’m not like that. I need more time with ideas.”

It’s no secret that Nickelback are better at charming crowds than critics. The New York Times awarded one half-star of five to Nickelback’s All the Right Reasons, an album that later went platinum in Canada and diamond in the US, becoming one of the higher-selling records in history. Kroeger, unsurprisingly, takes a dim view of the professional critic.

“If I’m reading criticism by someone who’s also a creator, I’ll

Fifty million records sold, 1.4 billion plays on Spotify and 1.5 billion on YouTube – Nickelback’s commercial achievements beg the question of how large numbers can get before they stop acting as milestones and become simply incomprehensible accolades.

“Counting things in millions is quite mind-boggling,” says Kroeger. “Billions – there’s just no way. That’s the point at which you’ve just got to do what you do and try not to focus too much on that. And two billion Spotify streams is, like, 150 dollars, so that’s kind of irrelevant anyway. Now, it’s almost to the point where you tell by the sentiment when you put a tour on sale. If it looks strong, it’s an indication that you did something right with your last record.”

What comes next for Canada’s prodigal sons after their Feed the Machine tour? Kroeger stopped planning that far ahead years ago.

“You never know what life’s going to bring you. The tour is selling well, which looks good, but as far as what happens after that, I couldn’t tell you. So many things could happen.”

BY ZACHARY SNOWDON SMITH Nickelback will tour Australia in February thanks to Live Nation.

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MUSIC INTERVIEWS “It always helps to take a step back and look at what you’ve done before,” says Staps. “It’s a natural part of every artistic process. We reflected a lot on Pelagial, especially since we’d played every single one of those songs nearly 300 times.

We played close to 300 shows on that album cycle, and we played the album in its entirety every single night, because that’s how it was written and conceptualised – as one hourlong piece of music, basically. On one hand, that was getting a little tiring for us, because we felt like we were tied to that concept; there was no leeway to move things around or change up the setlist.

“But on the other hand, that allowed us to reflect deeply on the record – what was good about it and what wasn’t so good about it, and what we wanted to do differently the next time around. And the other thing is that Pelagial got us more attention than any previous record had, so there were a lot of high expectations for its follow-up. I just wanted to do this right and take my time with it, rather than just rehash what we’d done before.

Reflecting on The Ocean It’s been a hot minute since we last heard from The Ocean. After three years of persistent international grinding on the back of their monumental Pelagial record, the German progmetal crew was understandably burnt out. Robin Staps – the band’s guitarist, programmer, primary songwriter and only consistent member – had every winding, djentle thwack and rumbling breakdown glued to his brain like ice cream stains on a toddler’s shirt, so when it came time to figure out what would come next for the project, he was keen to unearth a new corner of his self-described elusive mind.

The end result of a two-year hiatus (sans a lone gig in Romania) spent noodling away in solitude – as he’d done with the last four records, Staps would hole himself up in a seaside house in Spain to get the creative juices flowing – is Phanerozoic (fen-air-a-zoh-ick). Part sequel to 2007’s fanfavourite Precambrian LP, the record’s scope usurps Pelagial in more ways than one. For starters, its concept dives into the titular eon spanning the past 541 million years – a fair bit of time to scribble up a story on. The project itself is split into two distinct studio albums: the first, dubbed Palaeozoic, hit shelves at the start of November, and Staps tells us its counterpart will land in 2020.

“It’s just a mammoth project,” Staps says, noting its magnitude not only in literal size, but in personal significance. “It definitely feels like a weight off my shoulders, because I think for the first time ever, it sounds exactly the way I’ve always wanted this band to sound – even in the beginning, back in 2001 when we were starting out. I feel like this record is the closest I’ve come to the

The Gurus are headlining the jam-packed Under The Southern Stars festival in January alongside longtime peers like You Am I, Eskimo Joe and The Superjesus. Even though it’s a casual soirée with some of his best mates – not to mention, the Gurus are a force to be reckoned with on their worst days – guitarist Brad Shepherd is veritably shitting bricks over the whole affair.

“We’re all good friends and we’ve played shows with every single one of those bands,” he says. “But when you put us all on the same bill, at the same time… We’re all competitive people, so it gets pretty brutal. Nobody wants to suck on the day. You don’t want to stick around after your show and think, ‘Well, they got the better of us today.’

Everyone’s aware of that, so everyone brings their A-game and there’s a sort of knock-on effect where everyone is trying to outdo each other. We’re up against some of the best bands in Australia at the moment, so I need to start getting ready now to be on fire in January.”

Hoodoo Gurus Bring Their A-Game It is an undeniable fact that at some point in every Australian’s life, they’ve at least heard a Hoodoo Gurus song, if not had every memorable lyric ingrained in their minds from childhood like an honourary national anthem. They’re a national treasure in every sense; as Aussie as a Bunnings snag and a tin of VB, and as recognisable as your Aunty Bev’s Christmas pav.

He’s excited though, of course. Music is Shepherd’s life, and though he’s been blessed to call it his 9-to-5 for almost 40 years, not a day goes past that he takes it for granted.

As such, he isn’t kidding when he says he’s already started practising for the shows.

“I just want to be good,” Shepherd says. “That simple philosophy has motivated me throughout my entire career.

If you think about the Hoodoo Gurus at all, our consistency might be a big part of how you perceive what we’re about.

It’s extraordinarily rare for us to play a show where we truly suck. There’s always the potential for that with any live performance, because there’s no hard drive flying in our performance for us. It’s four blokes playing their instruments, so there’s always the chance that you can fail spectacularly, but we’re still pretty consistent, and that’s because what motivates us is our desire to be consistent.”

At face value, that’s what keeps the Gurus from disintegrating into the void of acts whose peaks have long since rounded. We’re nearing a decade since their last full

22

initial vision and idea I had of what I wanted to do, and it makes me very happy to be able to say that.”

Australian fans will have the chance to see Phanerozoic come to life in January, when The Ocean headline a juicy Progfest lineup alongside Monuments, Skyharbor and Circles (to name just a few). It’ll be a different kind of set than we’re used to seeing from the outfit, thanks in no short part to the recent induction of keyboardist Peter Voigtmann. Though Staps has been at the forefront of The Ocean’s synthesised wizardry on records past, Voigtmann took over with an analogue-driven spate of sharp, cerebral atmospherics.

“He was our lighting guy for a long time and I knew he was a very good sound designer as well,” Staps explains. “He had this solo project I really liked, which was doing this kind of dark, electronic stuff in the vein of Subheim or something like that. I invited him to contribute some sounds to this record, so he sent along some things that he created in my absence. It was working out great so we asked him for more, and in the end, he ended up playing over pretty much every part of every track on the record. And that’s when we decided that he needed to be onstage with us. This last tour was the first time we’ve done that, and I think it brings something special to the live show that I can’t even describe.”

BY MATT DORIA

Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic is out now on Metal Blade Records. The Ocean are touring Australia in January as part of the Progfest lineup.

release, but they’ve managed to avoid becoming the band you catch at a festival for nostalgia’s sake. They’ve got no formula. There’s no magic key to Shepherd’s alchemy nor a single trick up his sleeve – not because he’s simplistic in his performance, but rather because he outright refuses to rest on his laurels.

“That’s exactly what we’re about,” says Shepherd. “We want to blow you away. We want to blow people’s minds. We’ve been around for so long that we’ve kind of seeped, in some regard, into the collective consciousness. You might have a vague perception of what the Hoodoo Gurus are, but my favourite thing is when you can feel in the audience that someone thinks they know what we’re all about, but then walks away having their perception changed – that they were more than pleasantly surprised. They leave going, ‘Woah, these guys that have been around for four decades were ferocious, and intimidating, and defiant.’ That’s another powerful motivation for me.”

As motivated today as he was in his pub-grinding ‘80s heyday, Shepherd sees a long road ahead for the Gurus. Take this next bit with a grain of salt, but they might even have a new record out in 2019. “No-one’s talked about a new album yet,” Shepherd admits, but adds, “We’re all creative people.

You can’t really turn that off.

“I’ve got hundreds of ideas on my computer. Some of them are just half-baked, two-note riffs, and some of them are fully formed epics. We haven’t had any proper discussions about it, but I suspect Dave [Faulkner, vocals] equally has some places to start with regards to Hoodoo Gurus songs. I anticipate that we may have that conversation before too long, and next year seems like the right time to start looking at it. It’s been almost ten years since our last album, after all.”

BY MATT DORIA Hoodoo Gurus are touring Australia in January 2019 as part of the Under The Southern Stars lineup. mixdownmag.com.au

MUSIC INTERVIEWS “I had nothing to do with it, apart from being asked if it was okay to release it,” says Rogers. “I pretty much just look after trying to write the songs. The actual recording and compiling and releasing – I’ve taken myself out of that equation. With an ensemble, there are times you’ve just got to say, ‘This isn’t my forté, this isn’t my strength,’ so I trust my brothers to make those decisions.”

Rogers, who is as nimble and articulate a conversationalist as he is a songwriter, recognises that mixing and mic placement lie outside his domain. By the same token, he doesn’t gladly tolerate executive intrusions into his creative process. American execs and producers tend to be more obtrusive than Australian ones, says Rogers, although he fondly recalls spending nights out with prominent LA-based A&R consultant Joe McEwen during the ‘90s.

The Story of You Am I Have you listened to You Am I’s latest album?

If so, you’re one step ahead of You Am I frontman Tim Rogers. The ARIA-monopolising singer-songwriter says he wasn’t even aware he was being recorded when he played the set that was to become the live album All Onboard.

“I tend to live in the clouds a little bit,” says Rogers. “While I’ve got some good ideas and have written some okay songs, if an engineer says to me, ‘Tim, that’s kind of naff,’ I’ll definitely listen to it. I won’t disregard what they say – unless the person is a fucking idiot. You should listen to everything, but then have a martini and think about what’s been said to you: Does this make me feel uncomfortable in an exciting way or uncomfortable in a depressing way?”

You Am I will be hopscotching across Australia with the Under The Southern Stars festival alongside six other artists, including British India and mid-noughties alt darlings Eskimo Joe. Rogers, however, is most pleased to share the bill with Sydney new wave icons Hoodoo Gurus. Rogers admires the Gurus’ extensive back catalogue of hits, but mostly, he admires the things they can do that he cannot. To hear it from Rogers, the Hoodoo Gurus are something like the yang to You Am I’s yin.

“They’re not slick, but they’re very professional in their delivery,” he says. “I respect that enormously, but there’s something about their professionality that makes me want to go the other way, to be a little more like NRBQ. Maybe it’s just being a little contrarian, but there’s a part of me

that wants to get looser and say, ‘Let’s just have a couple more cocktails and try out some things, play some songs we haven’t played in 30 years.’ They’re reliable, and I love their reliability. But I don’t know if I can be that reliable.”

After the festival wraps, Rogers will be accompanying prolific Texan alt-country artist Alejandro Escovedo on his first Australian tour, followed by some theatre work, recording new singles with You Am I and writing a suite of songs for other artists.

“Next year is looking full-up,” says Rogers. “I don’t know if I like that. But thankfully, now that I’m being asked to write songs for some other people, that means that, when I’m travelling around, I can concentrate on doing something creative. That’s great, rather than just reading books and drinking. Well, actually, no; nothing’s better than reading books and drinking.”

Most musicians in the process of loading the trucks for a national tour wish, first and foremost, for things to go smoothly. Rogers, however, says that a smoothly-run Under The Southern Stars festival is the last thing he’s interested in. The best rock, he claims, is practiced at the very precipice of total breakdown.

“I always get excited by loose, powerful rock ‘n’ roll. It’s not all I listen to, but I do love seeing a powerful performance that could fall down at any minute – because it can. We’re just four humans, 16 limbs, and a lot can go wrong, and I like that that can happen. And I think that’s all I can offer, apart from some occasionally mind-bendingly brilliant songwriting, of course.”

BY ZACHARY SNOWDON SMITH

You Am I will tour Australia throughout January 2019.

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EVENT SPOTLIGHT - PROGFEST

CHAOS DIVINE

CIRCLES

Who are we chatting to and what do you do in the band? Ryan Felton, guitarist of Chaos Divine.

Who are we chatting to and what do you do in the band? Ted Furuhashi – Guitars/Producer.

Who are your biggest influences? Our sound is heavily influenced by bands like Devin Townsend, Mastodon, Gojira, and Katatonia, as well as older stuff like Pink Floyd and a lot of ‘80s music.

What do you love about making music? The process of creating something from scratch and putting in the long hours to build a record with a close group of friends that, once you have finished, allows you to stand back and be proud of what you’ve achieved and share it with the world.

What drew you to progressive music? Initially it was all of the big ‘90s guitar heroes – Vai, Satriani and Petrucci. It then became more about the songs themselves and starting a band, spending countless hours in the rehearsal room making our songs as big and epic as they could be and keeping things interesting. I think this is why prog is such a great avenue of music, because it allows you to be totally independent and creative without having to fit the confines of more commercial music.

Who are your biggest influences? Michael Jackson, Meshuggah, SikTh, Prince, NSYNC and Pantera.

What do you love about making music? There’s nothing else that can give me the same feeling. The best feeling is when you create a piece of music and it can mean something to someone on the other side of the planet who doesn’t even speak the same language. We’ve recently toured Europe and met fans that our music has reached and we were completely blown away. When someone tells you that your music has helped them through a tough time, it’s a very special thing and to be able to help a fellow human in that way is the reason why I make music.

What drew you to progressive music? I wanted to hear something more challenging both musically and emotionally. It felt like a natural progression coming from pop to rock then metal. Being a young musician, playing an instrument can motivate you into searching for more challenging music both technically and in songwriting.

If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your music, who would it be and why? It would have to be the great man, Max Cavalera. Sepultura was one of the first heavy bands I discovered when I was younger and I’d love to show Maxy how he has inspired me to follow my passion in heavy music.

If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your music, who would it be and why? Probably a producer/audio engineer/songwriter, just to see how they would critique the songwriting/mix. It depends on what you want from them, really – do you want to show them just because you admire them? Because they’ll probably just try to be nice and say it sounds great.

What can a punter expect from your live show? Big sounds, high stage energy and catchy music – and some brand new songs.

What can a punter expect from your live show? Four dudes playing honest music, energy and good times.

CITY|OF|SOULS

SKYHARBOR

Who are we chatting to and what do you do in the band? Trajan, guitarist/backing vocalist for CITY|OF|SOULS. Handsome guy, far left of stage.

Who are we chatting to and what do you do in the band? This is Keshav Dhar and I play guitar in Skyharbor.

Who are your biggest influences? In the early days I used to be all about thrash metal and the Big Four. I must have watched Metallica live in Seattle ‘89 every day of high school. My later musical years were more chill. I draw a lot of influence from bands with anthemic songs like Deftones, Alice in Chains, Thrice, and A Perfect Circle.

Who are your biggest influences? Karnivool, Radiohead, Deftones – those are probably the collective ones. Personally for me, Oceansize are a huge influence, as is Devin Townsend.

What do you love about making music? You’re in control of setting the vibes. You get to tailor songs, parts, and layers in ways that cause people to feel, and then you get to take that music and share it with likeminded people all over the world. Music is life.

What drew you to progressive music? Growing up, my dad would crank ELP and Jethro Tull on vinyl. My brain would start to trickle out of my ears trying to pick apart all the instruments and layers.

If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your music, who would it be and why? I would have loved to hang out with Brian May in his early days. He seems like a very down to earth guy with an incredible mind. Either him or Jim Morrison.

I’d just be interested to see what he had to say, provided he wasn’t peaking and about to shank me.

What can a punter expect from your live show? Loud, good vibes. Performing is where we really come alive. This is CITY|OF|SOULS’ first time in Australia, so we are most definitely going to bring the party.

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What do you love about making music? The process of it. There’s a very primal joy in creating something from your imagination, and seeing it come to life. I actually get over songs fairly quickly after I’m done making them. It’s the making which is beautiful. It’s like meditation, and can be wonderful medicine for mental health.

What drew you to progressive music? It was the music of un-cool people when I was growing up, and I was always a bit of a misfit in my teens, very socially awkward, and just unable to get into the music that the cool kids were into. I was painfully bored with it and how safe it played. Progressive music allowed me to be king in my awkwardness, not needing to conform to anything or anyone.

If you could travel back in time and show one of your musical heroes your music, who would it be and why? Maybe Mark Knopfler, for no other reason than to see what his reaction would be.

What can a punter expect from your live show? Lots of intensity, a vibe that’s so dense it hangs in the air like clouds over you, and hopefully an experience that will stay with you for a while.

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GEAR RUNDOWN

RON AVANT HOLDS THE KEYS TO NEO-SOUL’S NEW GUARD While interviewing Ron Avant, keyboardist of international neosoul extraordinaire Anderson Paak’s band The Free Nationals, the dramatic contrast between our lives is heightened. We’re both on tight schedules; Avant is about to start a recording session in the distant glitz of Los Angeles and I’m trying to finish my grocery shop at ALDI. You wouldn’t know it from the player’s phone-line modesty, but Avant is hours away from the release of Paak’s third record Oxnard on Dr Dre’s eminent major label, Aftermath. The album features ‘Headlow’, a track Avant produced and co-wrote, and yet he still manages to downplay his success.

“A lot of songs were recorded for that album,” says Avant. “I’m just lucky enough it was one of the ones that made it on.”

‘Headlow’, it turns out, was more than a lucky fluke for Avant. The skeleton was written by the keyboardist nearly four years ago, gestating until it caught Paak’s ear by chance at Avant’s house.

Avant says Paak sent an unmixed version of the song to Dre, who was on holiday in Hawaii. When the reply came back, Dre said he had been listening to it on repeat.

“It’s that whole first major thing. I’ve done a lot of writing and keyboard work for different artists, but actually being a main producer on this record is pretty exciting.”

Avant’s musical roots are not in hip-hop, nor does he hail from the city of stars. The keyboardist began life in Cincinnati, Ohio where he learned to play drums in church with the encouragement of his father, a guitarist. Many of his extended family played alongside him, with an instrumental-age linked hierarchy giving the keyboard role to older players.

“I played in church every Sunday, and naturally I got better and better,” he says. “It was when I went to high school, a performing arts school, that I found jazz with keys.”

Though Stevie Wonder’s ‘70s output inspired much of his early playing, it was Herbie Hancock that kept him practising, edging him toward the Musical Institute Hollywood to study a performance degree. It was here Avant met Paak, playing on the same gig as three other future Free Nationals, sparking the musical relationship that has brought him here today.

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“At the time, I played in a neo-soul trio with, like, the best drummer I had ever played with,” says Avant. “Until I met Anderson, I thought nobody could beat him.

His [Paak’s] drumming is what impressed me first.”

Post-graduation, Avant’s malleable talent found him working with the then unknown Paak as an aside to touring with Snoop Dogg.

As Avant describes it, the Free Nationals’ human chemistry laid the tracks of touring success, while Paak’s monasticism during sessions for his 2016 breakthrough Malibu honed the sound that brought them to the world.

“Malibu was a lot more structured,” he says.

“He [Paak] was trying to figure out his sound and he didn’t do anything but wake up and go to the studio and work all day. He wasn’t eating, he wasn’t drinking, he wasn’t partying, he wasn’t doing nothin’. It was super focused.

“His [Paak’s] process for this next record Oxnard, I’d say was party vibes. Every time I’d go to the studio, it was always a party.”

The Free National’s viral NPR Tiny Desk concert might be the best document of the band’s musical bond. Avant, guitarist Jose Rios, and bassist Kelsey Gonzalez (without DJ Callum Connor) switch feel breathlessly under Paak’s free-wheeling musical direction, with little more than a faint shout.

“It’s more of a jam band, as opposed to having an RnB gig or something where everything is computerised, [and] you play the same shit every night,” says Avant. “We don’t do that. We only just got hip to the

click [track]. I’ve always been hip to the click, but Anderson just got hip to the click. He never wanted to play with it but now as we’re doing it, he knows it makes shit a lot easier.”

The Free Nationals have recently surfaced with their own music sans Paak, upon his encouragement. Debut single ‘Beauty and Essex’ features Canadian RnB upstart Daniel Caesar, and pops off an offkilter groove.

“He [Caesar] was trying to get into the game, and Anderson sent him that song and was like, ‘Yo, get on my band’s record.’ He sent his part back. Once we messed with the production some more and got it sounding right, it was like, this is dope.”

A hellishly congested Oxnard touring schedule means the full Free Nationals project might be a year off, though more singles are set to arrive. There is certainly no shortage of Avant and Paak to go around in the meantime: the Free Nationals will bring Oxnard to Australia on tour this January, and Avant has decided to make the most of it with two production masterclasses in Melbourne and Sydney. If there’s anything he wants you to learn, it’s that you as a producer should take learning instruments more seriously.

“You don’t have to be a beast at an instrument, but at least learn theory and see how still important it is to learn it,” he says.

“Nowadays a lot of stuff people are making, to an older person it just don’t sound right. Because a lot of times, they just guessing.”

Though Avant never said it, it seems fair to say the keyboardist’s guiding musical principle is feel. Guessing is the last thing he’d do – Ron Avant’s feel is as good as science.

BY JOSHUA MARTIN

Mackie and Ron Avant’s masterclasses go down in Melbourne and Sydney on Wednesday January 9 and Thursday January 10 at Abbey Road Institute and Studio 301 respectively. Tickets are available via Eventbrite. Catch Anderson Paak and the Free Nationals at Falls Festival from Friday December 28, with sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne.

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MUSICOLOGY:

THE RISE & FALL OF THE CASSETTE The introduction of the compact cassette

by Philips in 1963 would prove to become one of the most influential innovations in the way people would consume and distribute music for the next 30 years.

The clue to its importance was in the name.

The compact cassette was not trying to reinvent the wheel – or in this case, the reel-to-reel recorder and ¼” tape – but instead, was merely shrinking it down into something portable and affordable that anyone would be able to use. Never intended to rival the audio quality of the existing larger tape formats, the cassette’s design was its genius, with a narrow 3.15 millimetres width of tape that ran at 1-7/8 inches per second. Indeed, Philips was merely reacting to what it perceived as a gap in the home entertainment market, following on from its success in producing the EL 3585 portable home reel-to-reel system in the 1950s.

They were also informed in their decision by work being carried out by the US broadcaster CBS, who had developed a single-reel cartridge tape in the late 1950s. Although not pursued as a commercial product, the work by CBS in conjunction with a company called 3M resulted in advances in tape particle formulation, as well as proving that a thinner tape was capable of sound reproduction of an adequate quality for the casual listener. Interestingly, those early cartridges also featured three-track stereo, with the third track being used for adding reverb and ambient noise.

Philips released the EL3300 Compact Cassette Recorder in 1963, which was a transistor device powered by 1.5V C cell

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batteries. Although intended for dictation purposes, Philips’ decision in 1964 to freely license the cassette standard — including the bias, EQ circuitry, frequency response, tape width and head gap — meant that it was quickly adopted by other electronics manufacturers, resulting in advances in the quality of tape recorders and widespread popularity of the format.

By 1965 Philips was producing Musicassettes, which were tapes containing pre-recorded music. This coincided with the development of the Dolby B noise reduction feature on cassette machines, an analogue signal processing component that helped to better reproduce the dynamic range and EQ curve of the sound, resulting in a much more musical listening experience.

Fostex and Tascam were quick to pursue the home recording possibilities the cassette offered, with the Fostex 250 and Tascam Portastudio becoming widely used by musicians. Keith Richards famously bought an early machine for recording home demos, enjoying the distorted sound he could achieve from pushing the signal into the red so much that he used it to record guitar parts on songs such as ‘Street Fighting Man’ and ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ with the Rolling Stones.

The next advancement that solidified the popularity of the tape and helped to eradicate the eight-track format was the development of the car radio cassette system in the late 1960s. This development meant that not only could you buy new music releases in a conveniently compact format as well as record whatever you wanted onto them, you could even listen to them in your car.

Several major musical bodies in the US and Europe, such as the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), became concerned at the potential threat to copyright infringement and musical sales that home taping posed, resulting in the launch of the ‘Home Taping is Killing Music’ campaign in the 1980s.

Such attempts to scare people out of taping copies of vinyl albums or radio shows were unsurprisingly ineffective due to the format’s sheer convenience. Once Sony released a portable cassette player called the Walkman in 1979, such anti-taping arguments were more or less dismissed by the general public. Complete with portable headphones, the Walkman encouraged a generation of music fans to take their sounds with them wherever they went, and the advent of the boom box, which featured dual cassette decks, provided portability and seemingly encouraged music duplication through its design.

By 1983 pre-recorded cassettes were beginning to outsell vinyl records. Although the major labels were concerned at the drop in sales figures in one format — hence the anti-piracy campaigns — they were also enjoying selling the one product across two formats. In order to encourage people buying both the vinyl and tape versions of new music, some releases would feature additional material on the cassette version, and cassette singles would often feature songs not available in other formats.

embraced as a format in the US until 1987, when Bryan Adams’ ‘Heat of the Night’ was the first American commercial release in the format.

By this time the popularity of the Compact Disc (CD) had sounded the death knell for the cassette, as the new discs offered both portability and a much higher audio quality. However, the cassingle remained a popular format until the mid-‘90s, with The Simpsons’ Michael Jackson-assisted ‘Do the Bartman’, which was only released as a cassingle, claiming the top spot on the ARIA charts in 1991.

By 2005 the major record labels in the US had ceased production of pre-recorded cassettes. Although the format continues to return to this day thanks to both its DIY possibilities and novelty factor, the compact cassette’s time as a major music format had officially met its end.

BY ALEX WATTS

The first cassette single, or cassingle, was released in the UK in 1980 by Bow Wow Wow, and was itself a pro-home piracy song titled ‘C30 C60 C90 Go!’. The cassette featured one blank side, presumably intended to be filled with whatever music the listener desired. Cassingles were not

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ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION

Convolution Reverb Explained A standard digital reverb uses a set of algorithms to generate a reverb tail from an audio input. An old school spring reverb sends your audio along a spring in a metal box causing sound reflections, and then adds those sounds to your dry audio. A plate reverb is a similar principle, but runs audio through a suspended sheet of metal. There are a few other variations, of course, but let’s talk about the type that causes the most confusion: convolution reverb.

Convolution reverb uses an actual recording done in a specific space as a basis for adding reverb to your input signal. This recording is called an ‘impulse response’ recording, often shortened to IR. The IR will usually be a short sharp bang or sine wave sweep, the idea being to have a recording that demonstrates how frequencies across a broad range behave in this space. The point is to accurately model a specific space’s reverb signature. For producers, this allows you to use a convolution reverb plug-in to place your instrument or sound in any specific space as long as you have an IR file for that space.

There are an astonishing amount of IR files to be found online. Want to put your piano in an abandoned Berlin power station? No problem. How about the Batcave from the original ‘60s Batman series? Yep. What about beneath a glacier? Easy. Of course, more conventional spaces are readily available too if you just want to put a guitar player in something trivial like a room, but where’s the fun in that?

Unsurprisingly, convolution reverb is used a lot in film production, with sound engineers often recording impulse responses of film sets and locations so that the sound FX wizards can accurately add sounds in post production – or, as is so unfortunately common these days, adding realism to scenes created entirely with CGI and green screens.

Now that we’ve covered the practical and intended use of convolution reverb, let’s talk about ways to abuse it. As you can imagine, convolution reverb was a fairly taxing task for a 1990s era computer to do on the fly when this technology first came about, but fortunately, it’s 2018 now. In the past, convolution reverb software has had limitations on what can be used as an IR file – specific file type, bit rate, length, etc.

Now quite a few convolution plug-ins will accept any old audio file, with the length only limited by your computer’s RAM. If you’re a bit of a sonic explorer, there’s a lot of fun to be had here. Try putting

all sorts of audio samples in the IR slot: instruments, vocals – hell, put an entire song in there if your computer can handle it. Things will get weird.

BY MICHAEL CUSACK

A journey of 10,000 gigs begins with the very first one. Make it count.

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ADVICE COLUMNS GUITAR

BASS GUITAR

More Mixolydian

What’s My Range Again?

This month we’re going to continue with our Mixolydian discussion from a few issues back.

This mode can be thought of in a number of ways, perhaps the easiest/quickest of which is to think of it as a major scale with a flattened 7th. To make C Mixolydian, you would then use a C Major scale as a starting point (and flatten the 7th), which would create C-D-E-F-G-A-Bb. This mode is commonly used over dominant 7 chords (C7 in this instance). But where/when to use it?

I had a great discussion recently with a bass player mate regarding range – using the whole range of the instrument, when to play high, when to play low, when to use chords and so on.

Bass is a great instrument as it can play low to keep the fundamental groove and harmony together, but then has the power to play with time, rhythm, chord voicings and accent to influence the rest of the band. When we play the top few strings, we’re typically lower than guitar, which is great for doubling lines or holding it down, but we can then move up the neck when piano or guitar is comping down low.

Those of you with some theory skills will know that C Mixolydian doesn’t belong to the key of C. The key of F Major has a Bb in the key signature, meaning C7 comes from the key of F. Figure A shows one position/pattern for C Mixolydian (two octaves). Get used to the sound; hopefully you’ll notice the flat 7 (Bb).

I can’t stress how beneficial it is to have an understanding of the notes you’re playing too.

Knowing the notes lets you break away from these shapes and gives you the freedom to move around the fretboard. Yes, it can be tough, but it can also be very rewarding in the long run.

So C Mixolydian can be used over C7 chords, but comes from the key of F Major? Got it. A 12 bar blues in F is a good starting point (playing C Mixolydian over the C7 chord). Figure B contains four short, one-bar C Mixolydian licks. Try playing them with both a swung and straight feel. Bars two and three incorporate triplets, while bar four uses semiquavers. Start slow and make sure you count/use subdivisions to get the rhythms right.

Of course, C7 chords don’t just have to be the V chord in the key of F Major. They can be treated individually and you might have a song with a succession of dominant 7th chords.

In that case you could play the corresponding Mixolydian mode over each them (which highlights the need to get used to both shapes and the actual notes). Now let’s take Figure C as our new chord progression with multiple dominant 7th chords.

Treating each chord as its own Mixolydian mode would be a good starting point. You could move the shape from Figure A around the neck as a start to get used to the sound. Then perhaps try restricting your movement on the fretboard to really get used to the notes. That might result in something like Figure D.

Thinking of bands like Rage Against The Machine, Soundgarden, Muse or even Tame Impala or The Kooks, Figure A combines low and high notes to add some contrast to the overall sound of the riff. This could be played in unison with guitar or keys or played as a solitary bass line against a chordal vamp. The low E takes care of the punch and depth, while the D-E and D-F# up two octaves adds some emphasis and character.

For a busier line, Figure B could be played as a syncopated funk groove (think straight 16ths at a slower to medium tempo). Again, the low notes hold down the groove and state the general harmony, while the higher notes add some information and syncopation. These could be played in unison or accented with another instrument. Bar 1 has an A7 type sound and uses G-A and F#-G up the register to add some flavour, while Bar 2 has an E7 sound highlighted by the E7 chord (low E with a high D-G#). This higher voicing is approached from a half step below for character.

Often used in jazz, but compatible with any style, this method enables bass players to still hold it down or state the movement/harmony/chord progression when played up higher.

Meanwhile, Figure C highlights the first four bars of a blues in G.

These are just some ideas to get you thinking. You can play whole lines, accent notes or chords or transpose sections up or down the octave. Try moving an existing line you have to see how it sounds higher or lower. Sometimes playing high in the verse then adds emphasis when you drop down an octave (or two) for the chorus or vice versa. Be careful though as too much jumping around can get a bit disjointed. Be sure to use your ear at all times to check what sounds right.

BY NICK BROWN

Try recording the chords and playing the lick over them as a start to get your ear used to the sound. Then play just the lick and listen for the chord changes. Think of the possibilities all over the neck in terms of dominant 7th chords, progressions with dominant 7th chords and then playing Mixolydian over these chords.

BY NICK BROWN

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ADVICE COLUMNS PERCUSSION

Another Handy Fill If you haven’t heard of Aaron Spears, he’s the powerhouse RnB drummer best known for his work with Usher, but he’s also played with heaps of other people including the Backstreet Boys, Alicia Keys and Chaka Khan.

One thing that Spears knows how to do on the drums is groove, but it’s the chops that first hit you. His solos today feature cool triplet ideas heavily, but here’s one lick I thought I’d expand on a little so we could find some inspiration. I certainly did.

The idea is really simple. Figure A has the three basic variations you can have using the easy and most common sticking RLF (Right Hand, Left Hand, Foot). By shifting the bass drum stroke by one each time, you get these three variations. If nothing else, you can move these around the drums and have some fun, but I want to focus in on the second particular example and see what we do with it.

This simple idea could initially be interpreted as RFL RFL (Figure B) – the hand combination that mostly comes to mind first. Spears suggested playing the idea as RFR LFL (Figure C). This enables the fill to become a little easier on the hands in some ways and a little less predictable on the drums. I had fun just moving the hands around slightly to get some ideas from this one sticking. Check out the fills at Figure D for an example of this – using the hats, split toms etc. The basic way to practise this is to play a groove and use these ideas as fills – far less mundane than just singles strokes or something similar.

Another idea is to play the same stickings/ ideas, but trying them as 16th notes. See Figure E for a basic breakdown of this.

Essentially, each group of 16th notes (groups of four) starts on a different limb. You could actually keep this going and it’ll resolve itself, but for the purpose of illustration, I’ve stopped at two bars and just added a right hand to finish the lick. From here you can apply the same processes, variations and movement ideas you had with the triplets, now with a few added benefits.

Sometimes, the tempo of the music you’re playing doesn’t lend itself that well to triplets and they can sound too slow. Slow triplets can have massive impact, but we’re talking about gospel chops here, so faster is more in line with the goal. In some cases, the most natural subdivision is best. Of course, if by contrast the music is way too fast for 16th notes, you can then use triplets.

Don’t forget you can ‘double time’ the triplets and 16th notes to become 16th note triplets or 32nd notes.

Furthermore, the style could be swung in which case triplets would work, but 16th notes could also sound cool. Secondly, by playing 16th notes, you get the crossing beat idea, which is interesting if not completely comprehensible to the average listener initially. With some variations, you can get some good mileage out of one concept and extend your solo/fill vocabulary, all the while making your ideas sound more interesting and complicated than they actually are – typical of most basic fill ideas.

This is always a good thing and means you’re maximising your learning.

Check out some of the variations within 16th notes (Figure E). You can also start to mix and match some of the original stickings from Figure A into the mix, or even mix and match triplets and 16ths in one phrase.

Exchange a bass drum for left foot hi-hat?

Do it. You’ll have some pretty awesome chops happening, inspired by Aaron Spears yes, but he’ll tell you it’s all Dave Weckl.

Either way, count me in.

BY ADRIAN VIOLI

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GIFT GUIDE

Gift guide CIOKS Schizophrenic Link

Mackie CR-Buds

AMBER TECHNOLOGY EXPECT TO PAY: $269

AMBER TECHNOLOGY EXPECT TO PAY: $89

RECOMMENDED FOR: Any serious pedalhead with a power-hungry board, particularly those with vintage stompboxes that need the extra voltage.

RECOMMENDED FOR: These wouldn’t go astray as a gift to any music lover or traveller.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: In the admittedly limited world of small power supply units, it doesn’t really get more versatile than the Schizophrenic Link. Packing six isolated outlets in 9V, 12V and 18V, the Link also offers the extraordinary ability to reconfigure the outlets. The first two 9V outlets can be set to 18V, the last two can be set to 12V, while all six can be set to give you a regular ol’ 9V DC. USABILITY: CIOKS hasn’t made this unit for sound technicians; this is for the player who needs cable economy in a simple compact chassis. Hyper-accurate LED monitors of each outlet keep you in the know, a simple black switch on the bottom configures the

voltage, while an all-inclusive package leaves you with nine flex cables and pedalboard mounting hardware out of the box.

CONSTRUCTION: A modest black chassis houses the mighty power of this small unit. Weighing just a kilo and measuring 130x88x39mm, the Link will slot into your board like it was meant to be there all along.

OVERALL: CIOKS have created a workhorse power supply in a shockingly affordable package.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The CR-Buds Series includes the CR-Buds and the CR-Buds+ designed to deliver balanced sound, but not as clinical as monitoring headphones. These are earphones that are great for enjoying music, TV shows and podcasts.

USABILITY: While the CR-Buds are designed to be everyday earphones for a great music experience, they can also be used to check professional mixes and reference tracks (whether you’re in the studio or on the go).

CONSTRUCTION: The headphones are well constructed and the handy carry bag will keep them safe when they’re not being used. The earphones provide great isolation and the 120cm tangle-free cable will keep you focused on your music and stay out of your way while

Mackie HM-4 Headphone Amplifier

Mackie MP-120 In-Ear Monitors

AMBER TECHNOLOGY EXPECT TO PAY: $69

AMBER TECHNOLOGY EXPECT TO PAY: $219

RECOMMENDED FOR: Those looking to achieve quality amplification in a professional studio environment.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Regularly gigging musicians looking for sonic clarity in their live mixes.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The HM-4 provides a clear, undegraded signal of whatever you send to it and can offer a quick solution to ensure the creativity continues flowing in a recording session. The HM-4 is incredibly easy to use and will have you up and running in no time, delivering clear headphone signal to yourself or your artists.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Like most Mackie equipment, the MP-120 In-Ears offer only the highest quality sonic response, providing a perfect balance of crisp highs and an enhanced low-end response to satisfy even the heaviest of bass junkies.

USABILITY: For more routing and a higher level of control, the HM400 and HM800 would be a great option, with up to 12 headphone outputs on the HM400, 16 outputs on the HM800 and a multitude of mix options on the 19” 1U rack units.

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CONSTRUCTION: The HM-4 is Built-Like-ATank (Mackie’s own patented construction technology) and is a one-in, four-out stereo monitoring solution for the bedroom producer or small studio owner. Each output features its own volume control and the unit is powered by a tidy 12V AC adaptor.

OVERALL: Mackie’s products continue to be incredibly reliable in a professional environment, and the HM-4 headphone amplifier is no exception.

USABILITY: I’ve always struggled with getting used to in-ear monitors on stage, but I found the Mackie MP-120’s surprisingly comfortable.

I certainly could notice the difference proper sound isolation makes to a gigging experience.

Hard to find fault here.

CONSTRUCTION: Mackie nailed it. As well as being extremely comfortable over long periods

answering calls with the answer, play and pause buttons.

OVERALL: Musicians and audiophiles alike have forever sacrificed audio quality to be able to listen to music on the move.

Expensive headphones sound great, but they’re not the ideal product to be thrown around, and cheaper headphones don’t sound as good. Mackie has faced the same issues and produced a set of headphones that deliver studio quality sound in the Mackie CR-Buds.

of time, the ergonomic construction of the MP120s and their detachable braided audio cable feel incredibly rugged, and I loved that the unit included three different ear tips for the perfect fit. The hard case is also a winner.

OVERALL: If you’re looking to get the most out of your mix when playing live, the Mackie MP-120 in-ear monitors are going to be your best friend. The overall sound quality and ergonomic design of these units are extremely desirable for any live performer, and you’ll certainly notice the difference that proper sound isolation makes to your ears after a gig.

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GIFT GUIDE T-Rex Mudhoney II

T-Rex ToneTrunk 56

AMBER TECHNOLOGY EXPECT TO PAY: $349

AMBER TECHNOLOGY EXPECT TO PAY: $219

RECOMMENDED FOR: Guitarists in need of a classic yet versatile distortion sound.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Players looking for an adaptable two-in-one pedalboard package in an unostentatious travel-friendly design.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The Mudhoney’s tone is famed for its edgy distortion that retains the character of your amp, which makes it great for leads with emotion and feel. A little (or a lot of) extra bite helps a lead cut through a dense mix to deliver a punchy tone before slipping back into your rhythm tone.

USABILITY: The dual circuits make this pedal incredibly versatile and usable, allowing you to push a clean amp on one channel, and create a thick wall of sound on the other – and anything in between.

CONSTRUCTION: The T-Rex Mudhoney II is housed in an iconic golden yellow chassis.

Weighing in at just 0.35kg, it won’t weigh down your pedalboard, despite the dual circuitry.

OVERALL: The T-Rex Mudhoney delivers a classic tone, twice. It’s versatile in the level, gain, boost and tone controls, and enables switching between three tones (including your amp’s clean tone), bringing presence and punch, clarity and bite or obliterating tone and snarky clean.

Warwick Guitar Maintenance Kit

CONSTRUCTION: Unlike some other guitar maintenance kits, everything packed into the Warwick Guitar Maintenance Kit is pretty high quality, and I liked how compact and durable the leather case for the kit felt. Slip this bad boy into your gig bag, and you’re good to go.

OVERALL: It’s super important to maintain the quality and overall looks of your guitar, and Warwick have bundled everything you need to perform essential adjustments on your instrument into this kit. This one’s definitely a worthy stocking filler.

USABILITY: In addition to the balanced DI out, auxiliary input and speakON speaker out, the BQ500’s headphone out is a studio-quality headphone amplifier with speaker emulation for silently rehearsing whenever inspiration strikes.

CONSTRUCTION: The amplifier and circuitry itself is housed in a rugged steel chassis, and is compact and well-built. It’s protected by thermal overload, lower speaker impedance and short circuits, so it won’t let you down.

OVERALL: The BQ500 is a great option for musicians or recording studios of any level.

It’s compact, simple to use and built to last, with features that make sense.

AMBER TECHNOLOGY EXPECT TO PAY: $109

RECOMMENDED FOR: Musicians, karaoke aficionados, slam poets – you name it.

mixdownmag.com.au

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The TC Electronic BQ500 is a 500 watt, class-D bass amplifier housed a in a compact yet striking package.

An authentic Mosfet preamplifier delivers an authentic tube sound and feel, before the Thrust compressor takes hold to control your dynamics. The BQ500 also features a power supply with auto-ranging universal switch mode so it can be used anywhere in the world.

TC Electronic Polytune 2 Clip

BOSCH COMMUNICATIONS EXPECT TO PAY: $290

USABILITY: The ND86 retains excellent acoustic control in even the largest of venues. Its large diaphragm creates a rich and detailed frequency response, delivered in a smooth and detailed sound. The capsule is also shock-mounted, which means accidental bumps won’t be transferred and

OVERALL: The T-Rex ToneTrunk 56 is a stalwart option for your chosen pedalboard travel arrangement.

RECOMMENDED FOR: The perfect little amp for any bass player,or a great addition to a collection of amps for a recording studio.

Electro-Voice ND86 Microphone

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The ND86 is a highperformance, large-diaphragm, supercardioid vocal microphone. A supercardioid mic has a tighter pickup angle than most microphones and provides better isolation from room noise and nearby instruments. Furthermore, Electro-Voice have added extra functionality into the ND86 to reduce the amount of audio interference, while increasing isolation from onstage sound.

CONSTRUCTION: The soft bag’s design isn’t a high-tech Kathmandu-jacket level fabric operation, nor does it need to be. The black canvas is rugged, padded and lightweight, weighing just 2.9kg with the board in the bag. The board accounts for nearly 2kg of that, constructed from a sturdy aluminum base. Pre-drilled holes for patch cables, power supplies, and brackets save you the trouble.

AMBER TECHNOLOGY EXPECT TO PAY: $2499

RECOMMENDED FOR: Literally anyone – grubby guitars aren’t very rock ‘n’ roll.

USABILITY: Pretty straightforward here – just spray, wipe, wind, snip, and swivel until your axe looks as good as you’d want to hope it sounds. The naturally-based spray works a treat on both acoustic and electric instruments, so you won’t need to worry about damaging your guitar’s finish at all. It’s also always nice to have multiple hex keys on standby at all times.

USABILITY: The multi-tiered design really is T-Rex’s great triumph, ensuring you don’t end up in a phaser-whammy mess with an overly crowded board. You could arguably

knock up to ten small 9V pedals or more on with creative arrangement, while being able to transport it as comfortably as you would a laptop bag.

TC Electronic BQ500

AMBER TECHNOLOGY EXPECT TO PAY: $69

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Warwick’s Guitar Maintenance Kit is an absolute essential stocking filler for the regularly gigging musician. The string cutters and winder make restringing a cinch when you’re in a pinch, while the citrus-based cleaning solution will make your guitar glisten like it’s brand new again.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The 56 is the ToneTrunk’s mid-range offering, managing the best compact and spacious balance across the brand. The black canvas bag is decidedly unfussy, packing two accessory pockets and a padded shoulder strap for comfortable tour-travelling, while the board’s multi-tiered design provides troublefree stomp access to all of your pedals.

T-Rex have provided hook-and-loop fasteners unmounted, and dodgy sticky tape is no longer needed to prevent stage-slide – a low profile design and sturdy rubber feet keep it firmly grounded onstage.

heard by your audience. Additionally, an internal humbucking coil prevents line hum, allowing you to use this with confidence near your speaker cabinets or EMF-producing equipment racks.

CONSTRUCTION: The case is made of sturdy die-cast zinc, with a standard three-pin XLR connector at the bottom. It weighs a comfortable 326 grams and is 182.5mm in height. The Memraflex grille is dent-resistant and will withstand extraordinarily rough treatment.

OVERALL: This is a great gift for any musician utilising the finest instrument known to man – the voice. With such a clean, no-nonsense look about it, the ND86 is a suitable candidate for literally everyone.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Performers who want lightning-fast onstage tuning.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Without sounding too hyperbolic, the Polytune Clip is the clip-on tuner of the future. The Clip accommodates three primary modes of tuning, these being standard chromatic, polyphonic and stroboscopic. In case you’re hazy on what polyphonic tuning entails, this means being able to tune all six string strings at once – just strum and tune to the stroboscopic needle on screen, and you’ll be set within seconds.

USABILITY: The Clip is more intuitive than some humans, automatically switching between monophonic and polyphonic tuning off your playing, changing orientation as you move it about and holding all of your settings within internal memory, even after

a power outage. Not to mention the ultrabright 108-LED matrix display means rain, shine, darkness or tornadoes will not stop you from accurately reading the display.

CONSTRUCTION: As described by the modest manufacturers themselves, the Clip is the ultimate collision of beauty and brains. Say goodbye to the ugly maximalist chunk of your old clip-on, and say hello to a Blade Runner-esque work of art. The elegant black, minimal stainless steel clip is highly durable and pocket-sized.

OVERALL: The Polytune Clip is a superlative stocking stuffer that you or your musician relative will both use and adore. It’s beautiful, ultra-functional and affordable.

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GIFT GUIDE EV Evolve 50 Portable Column System

Electro-Voice ZLX-12BT Powered Loudspeaker

BOSCH COMMUNICATIONS EXPECT TO PAY: $1899

BOSCH COMMUNICATIONS EXPECT TO PAY: $750

RECOMMENDED FOR: Soloists, duos, small venues, rehearsals, gigs.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Musicians and DJs, or anyone looking for a huge, PA-sized, quality Bluetooth speaker with gig-level volume.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The ZLX-12BT has all the inputs you need and will fit just about any situation. It has two combined TRS/ XLR inputs with their own separate controls, a 3.5mm auxiliary input, an XLR output, and a master volume control. Inbuilt treble and bass controls assist in taming rogue frequencies, and you can even choose to split a stereo audio signal between two units.

USABILITY: Connecting to the ZLX-12BT with Bluetooth is as simple as connecting to a pair of headphones – it takes mere seconds to pair. The speaker comes with four factory presets, five user-programmable presets, and visual monitoring of the limiter’s status, all displayed on a brightly lit LCD screen on the

back. The controls are extremely intuitive and simple to use.

CONSTRUCTION: This thing is built to survive even the most rugged conditions.

Its enclosure is made of stealthy black polypropylene, with a black powder coated 18-gauge steel grille. This is a product that’s made to last.

OVERALL: You’ll find a plethora of ways to use this speaker. It can back you up at a gig, fill the room at a function, or it can simply be a living room speaker. The possibilities are endless.

DV Mark Guitar Friend Combo

CONSTRUCTION: The very clever design means you essentially have three parts (the column speaker, the stand and the base/

RECOMMENDED FOR: Gigging players looking for a noise-free cable to last a career of use.

CONSTRUCTION: Featuring practice amp-sized dimensions and weighing in at a meagre 8.7kg, this combo is compact and a worthy addition to any rehearsal space for genrehopping six stringers. The 12” DV Mark speaker also sounds fantastic.

OVERALL: I’m certainly a sucker for the grit that tube amps boast over solid state amps, but I was pleasantly surprised by the versatility offered by the DV Mark Guitar Friend Combo. If you’re after a simple combo for small gigs and rehearsals that still pulls its own weight, definitely check out this bad boy.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Sheer clarity was Ernie Ball’s aim for their braided range of cable, which successfully offers reliably clear tone with crisp highs, tight mids, and rich harmonics via their unique dual conductors.

Nasty handling noise is also largely eliminated, with multiple shielding materials present to keep your signal intact.

USABILITY: The design memo at Ernie Ball HQ may well have read “give ‘em enough rope” because the braided cable certainly does have enough, for any purpose, at 7.62 metres. It’s highly durable rope too, as the braided jacket exterior guards against all kinds of gig conditions.

CONSTRUCTION: The Ernie Ball braided cable sports a fair amount of stylish swank with its

Ernie Ball Jacquard Guitar Straps

Ernie Ball Paradigm Bonus Pack Strings

CMC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $49.95

CMC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $35.95

RECOMMENDED FOR: Those looking to build an image that will last with a stylish and sturdy guitar strap.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Whammy-hounds, known tremolo pick string abusers, and those who simply want ultra-durable strings without tonal sacrifice.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The straps will attach themselves to any guitar or bass you wish.

A huge range of intricate Jacquard patterns offers plenty of room for individualism, and without cliche too. Our picks are the Vintage Weave and the Morning Blossom.

USABILITY: There’s nothing complex here. Just hook your chosen strap onto the guitar and use the basic belt wrap to extend the length to your desired pose. The polypropylene material makes this a highly durable as well as comfortable strap, ripe to take any stage beating.

CONSTRUCTION: Ball’s range boasts the title of the world’s number one polypropylene

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OVERALL: Portable, easy to set up, easy to use and sounds good. A great step in this direction for column/all-in-one small PA systems. It does have some options for expansion too if more support is needed.

The EV Evolve 50 is a very handy unit, backed by the secure feeling of good quality EV design and construction.

CMC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $63.95

RECOMMENDED FOR: Guitarists looking for a viable pedal platform with superb lead tones.

USABILITY: With an effectively simple tone control layout for both channels and a high-quality reverb featured onboard, there’s certainly nothing convoluted about the DV Mark Guitar Friend Combo. The included option to switch the amp’s voltage from 120V/240V will definitely appease a lot of touring artists as well.

USABILITY: With a condensed input and control panel, it’s easy enough to get operational without any prior knowledge.

For more advanced tweaking there are some deeper menus that will open up DSP processing, effects and the like.

sub) and it’s seriously a matter of inserting the column speaker into the base, turning on and you’re away. Points for a lightweight, manageable design that still seems tough and giggable.

Ernie Ball Braided Cables

CMC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $1250

SOUND/VERSATILITY: For a solid-state combo, the DV Mark Guitar Friend Combo certainly packed a lot more versatility than I was anticipating. Expect shimmering Fenderesque tones on the clean channel, while the lead channel provides you with all of the crunchy break up you’d expect from an Orange or Marshall-voiced amp without breaking a sweat.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The Evolve 50 really sounds great, especially when you consider the size, weight and portability of the unit.

More than loud enough for small gigs, it will handle a couple of inputs and produce high quality clean volume. Again due to its size and design, the Evolve is versatile enough to be used in a range of settings/venues.

guitar strap and we’re not here to prove them wrong- the 41-72 inch strap will not stretch. The aesthetics are stunning, with embroidered leather ends and more comfortable Polypropylene webbing.

OVERALL: A guitar strap is a statement, and one all players make. Ernie Ball offer a compellingly beautiful range of these statements.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: By all accounts, Paradigm strings have overcome the blunt tonality that plagues durability-focused strings, offering a bright sound even after weeks of playing. Importantly, they resemble the perennially excellent Slinky strings Ernie Ball are known for, across all gauges.

USABILITY: Mixdown’s review of Paradigm strings from earlier this year highlighted its most quintessential strength; they are utterly unbreakable. There is not a single bend, daring low tuning or tremolo-induced tremor that has been able to snap these bad boys. If you don’t believe us, there are plenty of videos floating around the net of guitar players admirably

braided jacket exterior, available in a myriad of colours including a garish gold. The dual stranded 16-gauge conductors significantly reduce background noise (something also used in the brand’s microphones) and yield an ultra-clear tone. Of the two bog-standard TS Male connectors, one is ¼ right angle.

OVERALL: Leads become an annual expense of hundreds of dollars when purchasing entrylevel options. Ernie Ball’s braided cables are a sensible option for long-term practical use.

trying and failing to break Ernie Ball’s promise.

CONSTRUCTION: Jettisoning traditional stringstressing lock twist for Ernie Ball’s Reinforced Plain String (RPS) tech, plus ultra fine grain strings result in a staggering 35 percent more tensile strength and 70 percent more fatigue strength. The Everlast Plasma process scours the string for defects and bolsters against corrosion, without the string coating that is traditionally the source of tone loss.

OVERALL: Ernie Ball’s Paradigm strings are simply the Slinkys you know and love, with added highly engineered durability at no loss to tone. The Bonus Pack deal of buy-two-getone-free is too good to pass up this Christmas. mixdownmag.com.au

GIFT GUIDE Ernie Ball Power Peg

Faith Nexus Neptune Electro Cognac

CMC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $49.95

CMC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $1095

RECOMMENDED FOR: Those with little patience for restringing, looking for an efficient do-it-all tool.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The peg head on the Ernie Ball Power Peg fits (virtually) all bass, acoustic, and electric guitar tuning machines, meaning you’ll be the toast of the venue if you bring one along. Ernie Ball claims the Power Peg winds 70 percent faster than traditional manual pegwinders, which is a game-changer for metal players who regularly destroy strings with high intensity playing regularly.

USABILITY: The Power Peg is powered by four AA batteries, which review consensus says is good enough for months of consistent use. The gun tool is trigger operated, with its universal proprietary head making tuning especially simple.

You don’t even have to switch anything in

between bass or guitar, if you find yourself doing a mass restringing of your instrument collection.

CONSTRUCTION: It’s small and uncomplicated with its single trigger, featuring a fluoro head and handle to safeguard against losing it in the pitchblack of a frantic side stage. Certainly beats frankly terrifying DIY models using repurposed power drills long favoured in musician circles.

OVERALL: Unless you find a lengthy restring meditative, most of us are rejoicing in the arrival of the Power Peg, a simple tool to speed up the most basic level of guitar maintenance.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Guitarists wanting a rich and classy acoustic guitar that isn’t going to break the bank.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The Nexus Neptune features solid mahogany top, back and sides. One might think that this would make for an overwhelming amount of low end from the guitar, but in fact it makes for a beautifully rich and well balanced guitar. I was particularly impressed by the clarity and resonance when playing large chord voicings.

USABILITY: The baby jumbo body size is just lovely. Larger acoustic body sizes tend to be overwhelming and a bit hard to get around.

That is certainly not a worry here.

CONSTRUCTION: The Nexus Neptune is beautifully built and tastefully designed.

Gruv Gear Club Bag

Klotz KIK Cables

CMC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $315

CMC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $27.95

RECOMMENDED FOR: Jet-setting tour musicians who want to be able to take their gear and accessories on the plane efficiently.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Guitar players looking for a high quality lead that does justice to their tone.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Gruv Gear is a premium lifestyle accessories company that understands the actual needs of musicians via extensive research. The Club Bag exemplifies this, offering unparalleled transportability for a laptop, headphones, pedals, cables, mini PAs, and pretty much anything within a 20 litre capacity. In layman’s terms, it will all fit under an airplane seat – we’re not kidding.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The German manufacturers are kings of the lead game, and their signature KIK cables are their pièce de résistance, offering a sheer, transparent sound with a low capacitance of 115pF. This works for all players, especially those who mostly play clean or use a lightly overdriven sound.

USABILITY: The bag is hyper space-efficient and is designed to be hyper ergonomic, without placing undue strain on your back.

None of your valuable tech will get bashed around, thanks to the bag’s freestanding, fully-padded construction. The organisation of the pockets is intuitive too, with insertable Bento shelves and drawers to boot.

Markbass Little Marcus Miller Heads CMC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: FROM $950 RECOMMENDED FOR: Pop, funk, rock, R&B, but totally usable in a range of other styles.

Also great for the gigging muso who is looking to keep physical rig size to a minimum.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Clear and articulate with lots of headroom and punch. The combination of traditional EQ and ‘Old School’ and ‘Millerizer’ controls adds to the tonal palette.

USABILITY: Easy to get a good tone straight up, with the ability to tweak further depending on your tastes. The different 36

CONSTRUCTION: The rugged weatherproof 1680D ballistic nylon shell of the Club Bag manages to be impenetrable without being ugly or uncomfortable and weighing a measly 2.7kg. Genuine leather trim and a rather garish honeycomb interior render it basically fashionable.

OVERALL: Travelling musicians with gear galore often find themselves scattering tidbits in awkward pockets, or letting them float in luggage. The Club Bag is just the reasonable, well-designed answer we should have all had years ago.

USABILITY: At risk of pointing out the obvious, the KIK cables are plug-and-play.

Offered with straight or angled jacks, lengths of 1m, 3m, 4.5m and 6m depending on your preference, this is easy to practise or play live with.

CONSTRUCTION: An effective bare copper spiral shield with conducive plastic is coated

amp offerings in the lineup also add to usability, depending on your volume/wattage requirements (250/500/800/1000 watts).

Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special

CONSTRUCTION: Markbass have really made a name for themselves with a huge list of players. Their gear is lightweight, compact and most importantly, built tough. I’ve seen other Mark models hold up to tonnes of gigs/ rehearsals without missing a beat and I’d imagine the Little Marcus models will be equally as robust.

CMC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $3795

OVERALL: More Markbass goodness added to their already impressive lineup of amps. One of the icons of the bass community and a proven company combine for a solid range of heads. The Little Marcus Miller heads offer a good range of tones in a compact yet tough package.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Rock, punk, funk, metal, blues, pop. Anyone wanting to add some Stingray tones to their arsenal.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The StingRay sound is an undeniable and instantly recognisable one, and the StingRay Special keeps it burning along. Factor in the new 18 volt preamp and you’ve got some added room for EQ movements. It can (and has been) used in a range of genres and styles over the years and the new revisions should ensure this trend is continued for some time.

The Cognac stain and gloss finish make for a stunning aesthetic.

OVERALL: If you’re looking for a no frills acoustic or you’re in need of a solid workhorse for steady gigging, this is the guitar for you.

There are no superfluous bells and whistles here, just a damn fine piece of gear.

by a PVC jacket to make the KIK very hardy.

The cable and connector are bonded using a special solder/crimp technique patented by Klotz, ensuring this connection is practically indestructible.

OVERALL: Be kind to your wallet and your tone and buy a KIK cable for Christmas – you won’t need another lead for years.

USABILITY: This bass feels great. The body updates add some comfort and ease (forearm contour, back & tummy contour) and the StingRay neck is all about playability.

CONSTRUCTION: Music Man have some of the best quality control going around and the StingRay Special is no exception. Great finish, build and construction. The redesigned hardware looks and feels good, while a range of cool new colour options and a lightweight update gives it a fresh new feeling.

OVERALL: Music Man have updated the classic StingRay with some new features and options, but kept the essence of the original alive. All the great Stinger tones with some additional preamp – what’s not to like? mixdownmag.com.au

GIFT GUIDE aNueNue B1 Lumi Soprano Ukulele

aNueNue M2 Newborn Bird DYNAMIC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $499

DYNAMIC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $119

RECOMMENDED FOR: All kinds of guitarists, including beginners.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Amateurs, professionals, hobbyists – absolutely everyone.

VERSATILITY: Everyone loves the adorable ukulele, and aNueNue has made a fantastic one at that. The B1 is the smallest sibling of aNueNue’s basic series, making it the perfect size for travel or busking.

USABILITY: It’s difficult to put the B1 Lumi Soprano down even after hours of use.

Its characteristically bright ‘ping’ sounds marvellous, and the LumiNova material forming both the dot inlays and fret markers looks gorgeous in the dark. You’ll never lose track of where your next chord is, even on a dimly lit stage. The ukulele also comes strung with a set of Aquila Nylgut strings made in Italy, which combine the best tonal qualities of both nylon and gut strings.

CONSTRUCTION: The B1 Lumi Soprano is built with a laminated mahogany body, mahogany neck, and rosewood fretboard.

The saddle and nut are formed of synthetic bone. A beautifully laser-etched rainbow inlay logo tops off the headstock. Overall, build quality is awesome, and it comes with a heavily padded gig bag too.

OVERALL: The ukulele is one of the most user-friendly instruments in the world, thanks to its short scale and tiny body. Ever an ideal gift, it’s a wonderful way for new players to get stuck in right away with no hassle.

Cort G110 Guitar & CM15R Amp Bundle

VERSATILITY: Now here’s a deal. Cort has knocked it out of the park with this guitar and amp bundle, without breaking your bank. The G110’s Caribbean Green finish is an absolute joy to look at and matches the festive season to boot. The CM15R offers 15 watts of output with a clean and overdrive channel, even including onboard digital reverb, auxiliary input and a headphone jack.

USABILITY: The G110 presents itself in a very familiar and comfortable shape with a SSH configuration – perfect for accessing a wide variety of sounds. Its five-way switch and easily recognisable controls will make you feel right at home. Similarly, the CM15R

USABILITY: The M2 Newborn Bird sounds warmer than most with its extensive use of mahogany. Both deft fingerpicking and sweeping campfire chords sound girthy and full. While a traditional sloped cut out isn’t present, accessibility to the higher frets is not an issue whatsoever and feels surprisingly comfortable.

CONSTRUCTION: The M2 Newborn Bird is made of pure mahogany, including its neck, which is topped off with rosewood. The

RECOMMENDED FOR: Beginners, intermediates and pros alike. takes literally seconds to dial in a tone that pleases, with its responsive three-band EQ and simple channel switching.

CONSTRUCTION: The G110 is built with a poplar body and a hard maple neck. A comfortable C-shaped, satin matte finished neck with a flatter than usual 12” radius makes for an extremely playable guitar. Its body is only 39mm thick, making its lighter weight more accessible for the younger ones. The CM15R is solidly constructed with multi-coloured tolex options, ensuring it’s an extremely handsome starting amp.

OVERALL: For what you pay for, both products together are more than worth the money. It’s hard to find a deal out there that has quality beginner instruments at this price.

VERSATILITY: Cort consistently produces quality acoustic guitars at wallet-friendly prices, and the MP710F is no exception.

With its slick matte finish and Venetian cutaway, this guitar was born ready for both street and stage.

USABILITY: The MRF710F is an absolute pleasure to play. With its comfortable dreadnought-style body and well-sculpted cutaway, access to all frets is a walk in the park. The onboard Fishman Presys is extremely simple to use with its three-band EQ. It even includes a backlit tuner for fussfree tuning on a dark stage.

CONSTRUCTION: As per usual, Cort’s guitars are solidly built. A Sitka spruce top covers the MR710F’s mahogany back and sides.

Gallien-Krueger MB 112

DYNAMIC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $329

ELECTRIC FACTORY EXPECT TO PAY: $879

RECOMMENDED FOR: Guitarists looking for a solid multi-effects unit with room for personal customisation.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Bassists seeking a compact, punchy combo amp for smaller gigs.

USABILITY: The G3XN excels in its ease of use. Three brightly lit LED screens display your entire signal chain in succinct fashion, and adding, deleting or reordering effects is a breeze. There’s room for up to 150 of your custom-built effects chains, but if you’re feeling lazy, Zoom’s 75 customdesigned patches can instantly place you mixdownmag.com.au

OVERALL: While its highly interesting body shape and design choices may not be for everyone, players looking for something new to squawk at might find it in the M2 Newborn Bird.

DYNAMIC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $449

Zoom G3XN

VERSATILITY: The G3XN comes loaded with five classic amp models, five speaker cabinet emulators and up to 70 DSP effects. You’ll find all your favourite effects in here – ranging from classic overdrive and distortion, to chorus and phaser.

Additionally, there are 68 inbuilt rhythm patterns onboard, making the G3XN the perfect practise partner. These can even be used with the included looper functionality.

nut and saddle are built from buffalo bone, a solid choice in retaining string energy.

The celluloid binding around the laminated mahogany top provides extra durability along with some welcome contrast. A gig bag comes included with the M2 Newborn Bird, so you’re ready to fly at a moment’s notice.

Cort MR710F Guitar

DYNAMIC MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $349 RECOMMENDED FOR: Beginners looking to dive into the world of electric guitar.

VERSATILITY: The M2 Newborn Bird is a purely acoustic guitar that somewhat resembles a bird head, if you’re creative enough. Its classical body shape is juxtaposed by its offset sound hole and straight-edge cut out. Wherever you go, this baby bird will undoubtedly turn some heads.

in the tonal ballpark of your favourite guitarist. Zoom’s Guitar Lab 3.0 software is incredibly intuitive and takes no time to learn. New patches, effects, and amplifier models are constantly being added to their downloadable database, which is a huge plus.

CONSTRUCTION: Built like a tank, with robust footswitches, buttons and expression pedal. No complaints here.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Gallien-Krueger amps are held in high esteem among bassists for their low-end thump and punchy tonal attack. Despite its smaller size, the powerful 200W MB 112 is a worthy addition to the GK namesake. Whether you’re chasing rumbling modern rock tones or a flat Motown-esque rhythmic response, with a bit of tone tweaking, the MB 112 will put you right in the ball park.

OVERALL: Zoom claims the G3XN is “like having hundreds of fully loaded pedalboards all in one compact and easy-to-use device,” and it’s hard to argue with that. If you’re searching for a multi-effects unit that delivers a ton of bang for your buck, look no further.

USABILITY: The MB 112 offers a surprising amount of tone shaping for its compact size, with an intuitive four-band active EQ, contour switch and boost control allowing you to get the most out of this little beast.

There’s also a dedicated DI output and headphone jack included on the top panel,

Cort’s scalloped X-bracing pattern promises extra projection and volume, all while ensuring strength and flexibility. The simple yet beautiful rosette is formed of abalone, while the nut is crafted out of water buffalo bone. A scooped surface bridge shines in both form and function, enhancing sustain with a larger string angle from saddle to body.

OVERALL: Great all-rounder guitar with solid construction. The Cort MR710F feels and sounds great, with a price tag to match.

With a wealth of research and technology in its construction, it isn’t hard to see why Cort is so highly regarded at this price point.

making the MB 112 a viable option for smaller gigs, rehearsals and silent practise sessions.

CONSTRUCTION: The idea of Gallien-Krueger tones in a relatively lightweight package is almost too good to be true, but at a very manoeuvrable 14kg, the MB 112 is the gigging musician’s dream combo. It’s also super sturdy, and the dimensions make it easy to fit onto the backseat if your car’s already fully loaded en route to a gig.

OVERALL: No faults here. Whether you’re seeking a solid rehearsal solution or an easy gig rig to chuck into your car, the GallienKrueger MB 112 is the bass amp for you.

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GIFT GUIDE HeadRush Gigboard

Fender Rumble Studio 40

ELECTRIC FACTORY EXPECT TO PAY: $1249

FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA RRP: $749

RECOMMENDED FOR: The modern guitarist who isn’t afraid of integrating digitised multi-effects into their playing.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: There’s a lot to dive into with the HeadRush Gigboard, and this also reflects the overall versatility of the unit. The sonic possibilities are near limitless. The various effects onboard sound extremely faithful, the cabinet and amp modeling is impeccable, and there’s even a selection of microphones and preamps to choose from to dial in those precise little details with ease.

USABILITY: I’m usually pretty technologically inept with digital multieffects units, but the HeadRush Gigboard boasts one of the most user-friendly interfaces I’ve ever experienced, particularly due to its intuitive 7” touch screen display.

Designing and switching between presets is an absolute breeze, and the hands-free

editing mode for live editing will certainly interest many tone fiends.

CONSTRUCTION: HeadRush have obviously put a lot of thought into the design of the Gigboard, creating a tour-ready and extremely durable multi-effects unit, featuring an incredibly user-friendly design with assignable LED strips and high quality footswitches.

OVERALL: There are so many good digital modeling units available on the market today – to be fair, they probably are the future of live guitar rigs – and the HeadRush Gigboard is 100 percent worthy of all the hype that’s surrounded it thus far. If you’re looking to integrate the best of modern digital processing into your guitar rig, look no further than the Gigboard.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Younger bassists looking to rehearse and perform with a solid entrylevel rig.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The Fender Rumble series has been a mainstay in Fender’s entrylevel range for the better part of ten years now, providing beginners with rock solid bass tones without the hefty price tag. The Rumble Studio 40 is no different. If you’re after thumping modern rock tones and edgy mid-range grit via the inbuilt overdrive circuit, this bad boy will by all means provide the goods.

USABILITY: The Fender Rumble Studio 40 is perfect for both rehearsal and recording purposes, harnessing the processing power of Fender’s expansive GT engine to unlock a limitless range of classic tones at the flick of a switch. To make things even easier, the

Squier Contemporary Jazz Bass

Squier Contemporary Jazzmaster

FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA RRP: $949

FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA RRP: $949

RECOMMENDED FOR: Bassists seeking a viable backup bass, or guitarists looking to delve into the lower frequency range.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The Squier Contemporary Jazz Bass absolutely thumps.

While its tones remain relatively faithful to that of Leo Fender’s original design, Squier’s Contemporary model packs a punch unfound in many variants of the Jazz Bass, providing a slightly more modern take on the traditional J Bass quack. Expect both funky and chunky tones with this unit.

USABILITY: Unlike other additions to the Squier Contemporary series, there actually isn’t too much different about their Jazz Bass. The profile of the neck feels a bit slimmer than usual, which allows for some pretty speedy runs up and down the neck, but other than that, this plays like a regular Jazz Bass – which, honestly, is great.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Shredders who want the classic looks of the Jazzmaster with ultra-modern appointments.

CONSTRUCTION: Once again, Squier have gone all out by adding a splash of colour to the Contemporary Jazz Bass’ headstock, as well as fitting it with a more modern bridge design for optimised tuning stability and punchiness. The poplar body also feels extremely sturdy when playing, and just screams for you to take it for a big spin on the gig circuit.

OVERALL: If I copped a Squier Contemporary Jazz Bass under the Christmas tree when I was 13 (or now), I’d be absolutely stoked it’s the perfect beginner’s bass, and a great alternative for guitarists looking to learn the instrument.

Flight Travel Ukulele

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The first thing I noticed with the Flight Travel Ukulele was just how vibrant and resonant it sounded.

The ukulele had great volume and clarity, with both chords and single notes.

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OVERALL: I simply cannot find any fault with the Fender Rumble Studio 40. Honestly, it’s the perfect recording and rehearsal solution for the money.

an absolute breeze by the effortless 12” fingerboard radius of the slim C-shaped neck.

CONSTRUCTION: I’m a sucker for matching headstocks, and even though the Squier Contemporary Jazzmaster looks a lot more sinister than traditional Jazzmasters due to its paint configuration and chrome pickguard, aesthetically, this guitar is a knock out. The stop-bar bridge also lets you drop-tune with absolute ease, which I feel a lot of players will be doing with this guitar.

OVERALL: This is by no means your dad’s idea of a Jazzmaster. However, as Bob Dylan once said, the times they are a-changing, and you’ll be ready to tackle any modern rock genres if you’re equipped with the Squier Contemporary Jazzmaster.

Elektron Digitakt

RECOMMENDED FOR: For those of you who don’t like working with drums in software and are looking for a modern drum machine to bring your electronic music to life, this is the unit for you.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Those looking for a great-sounding and sturdy ukulele that isn’t going to break the bank.

CONSTRUCTION: This particular instrument doesn’t feel like your run of the mill uke, that’s for sure. The ABS plastic construction

USABILITY: Squier have thrown the contentious switching system and tremolo of the original Jazzmaster out the window with their Contemporary model, opting instead for a stop-bar bridge and a simple pickup selector switch. This makes for easy, thoughtless tone shaping, which is made

CONSTRUCTION: Featuring a super lightweight and sturdy construction with a 10” speaker and compression tweeter, the Rumble Studio 40 is the perfect companion for small gigs, rehearsals and recording sessions.

INNOVATIVE MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $1199

HAL LEONARD AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $79.95

USABILITY: The Travel Ukulele is perfect for anyone from beginners through to teachers and more experienced players. The contoured plastic body feels really comfortable, and the matte finish on the wooden top is a nice touch. The inclusion of high quality strings and tuners counts for a lot as the ukulele stays in tune remarkably well.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: If you’re seeking the classic, warm tones of a vintage Jazzmaster, this guitar isn’t going to cut it for you. Instead, the Squier Contemporary Jazzmaster offers a smorgasbord of modern rock tones thanks to its active SQR Ceramic Humbuckers, providing screaming leads and thick n’ chunky rhythm tones – it’s the perfect riff stick.

Rumble Studio 40 features intuitive Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology, allowing total control over your bass presets. There’s even a 60-second looper onboard for jamming out by yourself.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: A huge range of drum samples and synthesised effects makes this unit stand out from others on the market.

The quality of the sounds is outstanding, and the ability to manipulate them in the box is even better. ensures that it isn’t going to fall apart when you’re travelling, and the carry bag is incredibly handy.

OVERALL: I have encountered many a ukulele in my years working in music stores and I have to say that the Flight Travel Ukulele really exceeded my expectations.

Good luck finding another uke this well built for under $100.

USABILITY: Anyone who has played with a drum machine after 1982 will be comfortable with this model from the outset. It has a familiar layout, even if you’ve never used an Elektron product before. The intuitive design makes for fun and easy music creation.

play and all the connections are tough and rugged. This is built to last.

OVERALL: Many of you will know and love Elektron drum machines as they have been around for some time now. This one has stepped up the game considerably. First time users will certainly find something new within the Digitakt’s architecture to bring their sounds to life.

CONSTRUCTION: It’s a solid casing, with really solid buttons that just feel great. The pots rotate nicely without any sideways mixdownmag.com.au

GIFT GUIDE Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio Pack

Moog Drummer From Another Mother (DFAM)

INNOVATIVE MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $469

INNOVATIVE MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $999

RECOMMENDED FOR: This is an ideal starting point for anyone looking to begin home recording. All you need is a laptop and you’re ready to record with this bundle.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Although a budget model, Focusrite have still ensured you get high quality audio conversion with the Scarlett 2i2, so your first recording can sound as professional as you make it.

USABILITY: A smart option for recording vocals, guitar and other instruments, with headphone monitoring for easy overdubs. All the cables you need are included too, so you just need to let your creativity go to work and you’re on your way.

RECOMMENDED FOR: This is the ideal addition to any synth setup where drums are often left out and the perfect gift for your techno-loving loved one.

microphone and headphones are certainly solid enough for home recording use too.

OVERALL: This is the perfect starting point for any musician who wants to record at home. There’s also a software bundle, including Pro Tools First, so you have everything you need to create quality recordings right away.

CONSTRUCTION: This package offers the same sturdily built Scarlett 2i2 interface as the one sold separately. The condenser

Moog Grandmother Synth

USABILITY: It’s a simple layout, with everything just where you’d expect it to be.

If simple isn’t your game, you can patch in and out of just about every function and twist the sound to your liking, thanks to the semi-modular design.

CONSTRUCTION: The Grandmother has classically large knobs on sturdy pots that feel like they’ll respond accurately for decades. The switches all have a nice stiff snap to them, and the casing is plenty tough, just as you’d expect.

OVERALL: Tough. Compact. Colourful. Moog.

This topped my list of must-have synths this year and looks to remain the leader going into 2019. The Grandmother oozes cool and backs it up with a sound to match.

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RECOMMENDED FOR: Steve Vai fans should leap at this for obvious reasons, but also those looking for a dynamic wah with manual frequency adjustment.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The two modes of the Bad Horsie 2 Contour Wah give you a shockingly wide spread of tones. Bad Horsie mode produces Vai’s preferred tone and sweep in an almost laughably good emulation, while Contour Wah allows you to alter the frequency and output of the wah yourself.

USABILITY: Morley’s pedal pedigree takes it home. With its switchless, electro-optical design, stepping on the treadle engages the wah and stepping off bypasses it. Setting your own wah dimensions in contour mode is simple too, as the contour knob adjusts

the frequency while the level knob controls the output.

CONSTRUCTION: The Bad Horsie 2 is housed in a rugged black chassis, adorned only with spindly red cursive labels and LED indicators.

A bog-standard 9V battery or 9V adaptor will power the unit.

OVERALL: The original Bad Horsie was one of the first artist signature pedals. Now obviously a cottage industry, its sequel gives you exactly what you want out of both a signature and dynamic pedal with its faithful accuracy and control.

Pittsburgh Modular Microvolt 3900 INNOVATIVE MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $1049

INNOVATIVE MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $189

USABILITY: The Mini Maverick Switchless Wah finally condenses Morley’s universally admired boutique sound profile into a manageable pedalboard size, and it’s never been easier to access such exemplary tone.

The wah avoids the pitfalls of flimsy pots by bypassing them altogether with the brand’s signature switchless system – simply step on

OVERALL: The Drummer From Another Mother is possibly the coolest drum machine released in the past decade. There is not a single electronic musician out there that wouldn’t love to find this under the tree at Christmas.

INNOVATIVE MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $319

Morley Mini Maverick Switchless Wah

RECOMMENDED FOR: Players wanting a practically-sized boutique wah as an alternative to mainstays like the Cry Baby.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Morley have aimed to provide the quintessential hybrid wah sound that falls between vintage and modern tones, and they’ve succeeded in spades.

The custom MQ2 inductor is responsible for the enviable tonal clarity, while a True Tone Bypass buffer circuit ensures pure guitar tone and output.

USABILITY: This may not be the best idea for a beginner in the synth world, but it is a great tool to learn on once you delve into it. The semi-modular design allows you to let your creativity go and push the boundaries of what a drum machine is supposed to achieve.

CONSTRUCTION: It’s a Moog, so you know it’s going to be built to an amazing standard.

Sturdy switches and rugged pots are all housed in a solid chassis, with classic wooden end blocks holding it all together.

Morley Bad Horsie 2 Contour Wah

INNOVATIVE MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $1599 RECOMMENDED FOR: If you’re a synth buff, you need this in your collection. If you’re a bass player, you’ll want this for versatility.

If you play anything else, you won’t want to be left out from having the coolest synth of 2018.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Built on the sound engine of the Moog Mother, the Grandmother offers a compact keyboard version with all the retro chic you’d expect from these guys.

The two oscillators, all-analogue sound is classic Moog, while those inimitable filters and spring reverb deliver an organic feel to the sound.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: There really is no doubting the sound of any instrument produced by Moog. You know from the outset it is going to sound full and rich, and these drum tones are no different. The analogue grittiness and classic Moog filtering creates lively percussion sounds with plenty of dynamic range.

This also makes it ideal for integration with other analogue instruments too.

to engage and step off to bypass.

CONSTRUCTION: The Mini Maverick Switchless Wah is housed in an a rugged, cold-rolled steel, black and white chassis, fit with minimal LED indicators. The trapezoid treadle is surfaced by glow in the dark rubber, so you can wah your way through even the dingiest of venues. A bog-standard 9V battery or 9V adaptor will power the unit.

OVERALL: Wah might often seem like an effect where pedal development has stagnated because the sound is what it is.

Pedals like the Mini Maverick Switchless Wah prove there is progress. Buy this if you take your wah seriously.

RECOMMENDED FOR: If you’re looking for a new flavour to spice up your synth arsenal, this might just be it. For serious synthnerds out there, the Microvolt 3900 offers a different approach to creating a sound.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: With a special focus on how the VCA behaves, the Microvolt 3900 offers rich and totally organic sounds. This brings a new level of liveliness to the synth engine and achieves a vibrant response from the control source.

USABILITY: This isn’t really a beginners’ synth in many ways, being a fairly advanced design and build. Yet it does have a fluid and tactile control surface that encourages experimenting, so it doesn’t take long for even a beginner to have fun with this synth.

well. The compact faders slide into position with joy and the 39-point modular patch bay is beautifully crafted, with a hand-built feel to the construction.

OVERALL: I really like the way this synth uses additive and subtractive synthesis together for a new twist on sound design.

It’s a great addition to any modular setup too, as you can jump in and out of the patch bay for even broader results.

CONSTRUCTION: There’s no question about the quality. The Microvolt 3900 is built really mixdownmag.com.au

y: nt ra W (3 ith + E 2 ye xte ar nd s) ed * W ar

HEARING IS BELIEVING!

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| www.boschcommunications.com.au

GIFT GUIDE Teenage Engineering PO-35 Speak INNOVATIVE MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $149

Teenage Engineering OP-Z INNOVATIVE MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $999 RECOMMENDED FOR: The perfect expansion to any retro collector’s synth bundle, with a modern twist. This is ideal for anyone looking for fun music creation, funky synthesis and recording in a portable hardware device.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: This instrument has so much going on, it would be hard not to find a sound you liked. There’s plenty of vintage gaming sounds, modern synth pads and percussion. It’s got the lot, with a sequencer to tie it all together.

USABILITY: It will take most users a little while to grasp the concept and get used to

the different hardware interface proposed by the OP-Z, but when it makes sense, you can work quickly and efficiently to create your music. The introduction of an iOS app allows for the addition of a large screen, making managing workflow even easier.

CONSTRUCTION: While it may look a little like a toy, the OP-Z is built really well. The unit is housed in an injection moulded glass fibre casing, with specially designed components to remain slim and sleek.

OVERALL: The OP-Z is cool. Let’s face it, it may be a little gimmicky, but it still sounds incredible. If you heard it first before seeing the hardware, you would be very surprised.

Even now, I am still surprised with what it can deliver.

RECOMMENDED FOR: This funky little device is the perfect gift for the musician who has everything. It’s also ideal for anyone who just wants to have fun with their voice and make some cool music in the process.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Like all other units in the Pocket Operator series, the PO-35 is a real surprise package. The built-in microphone allows you to record your voice and start manipulating it with eight different voice characters and effect.

USABILITY: With the all-in-one approach that is so often applied in Teenage Engineering products, you can have fun and create cool music with just this one simple device. It can, of course, be chained up with other Pocket Operators for an even bigger sound.

Blue Yeti Studio Microphone

Aston Halo

INNOVATIVE MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $249

LINK AUDIO EXPECT TO PAY: $399

RECOMMENDED FOR: This is the microphone that can do it all, for musicians, podcasters, engineers, interviewers and just about anyone else. It’s a breath of fresh air to see a manufacturer focused on delivering a microphone ideal for beginners while still delivering the quality expected by more advanced users.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: This is a beautiful sounding condenser microphone that delivers the tonal quality we have come to expect from Blue, with a range of applications.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Anyone looking to record quality vocals in a home studio environment will benefit greatly from the use of this device. If you want your vocal recordings to sound better, this will do the trick.

USABILITY: This microphone is ready to go right out of the box. Simply install the drivers and it becomes your audio interface and microphone in one. The built-in stand makes desktop recording an easy, hands-free operation.

CONSTRUCTION: The Yeti Studio is put together into a sturdy casing, with plenty of weight in the unit and stand. This allows it to sit firmly on the desk without risk of unwanted movement.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: By isolating the microphone from the rest of the room noise and nasty reflections found in poorly treated rooms, the Halo focuses the microphone’s audio capture to just what is being delivered to its capsule and not the unwanted effects from around the room.

OVERALL: This is a great package for anyone wanting an all-in-one solution for voicerecording. With the include software bundle, you have plenty of processing options to clean up and improve your voice too.

USABILITY: It’s easy enough to set up on the microphone stand and simply leave it there. Your microphone then mounts on the same stand and sits centrally within the Halo for optimum isolation.

CONSTRUCTION: It’s a pretty simple design, and being made from a PET felt, it is super

CONSTRUCTION: There’s a certain retro-chic thing going on with the unfinished circuit boards delivered with your Pocket Operator.

They are a little fragile, but remain very well constructed for something that comes without an outer casing.

OVERALL: This little device is a whole lot of fun, and yet it still manages to deliver a really big sound when you run the headphone output into a PA system. Don’t be fooled just because it looks like a broken calculator– these things are the real deal.

lightweight, yet acoustically absorbent at the same time. The mounting hardware is simple to operate and very sturdy when in place.

OVERALL: You only need to place your head within the confines of the Halo and listen to the difference it makes to the room’s noise to understand how it will improve your vocal. This is a great addition to any recording setup.

Aston Origin Microphone LINK AUDIO EXPECT TO PAY: $399 RECOMMENDED FOR: Ideal for professional and home studios alike, the Origin is ideal for those looking for something different in a condenser microphone. This will quickly become the go-to microphone for anyone adding one to their arsenal.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The Origin offers a really cool take on vintage microphone sounds, with a smooth audio capture that certainly gives some of the big-name classics a run for their money. It has a lovely responsiveness that brings vocals to life, without any harness.

USABILITY: As a cardioid condenser microphone with a large diaphragm, you can use this for plenty of sources. Great for vocals, but equally at home with guitars, pianos and even percussion.

CONSTRUCTION: While it looks a little unconventional in design, the Origin is 42

PreSonus Studio 24 LINK AUDIO EXPECT TO PAY: $199 certainly well put together. The design of the metal weave grille protects the capsule without adversely affecting the sound.

OVERALL: This may not be a microphone you’ve seen in photo shoots or video clips all that often, but behind the scenes it is delivering the goods on quality recordings.

You’ll be hard pressed to find a better sounding vocal microphone for even twice the price of the Origin.

RECOMMENDED FOR: This interface from PreSonus delivers quality on a budget. This makes it ideal for beginners looking for a first interface for recording, or anyone after a second portable option for music on the road.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: PreSonus don’t skimp on the quality of their audio converters and preamps. Both inputs offer great quality audio capture and conversion, so no matter what you want to do with your music, you’re starting with a quality recording.

USABILITY: It’s simple enough to operate.

There are two microphone inputs and two balanced outputs. Plus, you get MIDI in and out, which is a real bonus for an interface of this size and price.

CONSTRUCTION: Like other compact interfaces from PreSonus, the Studio 24 is a tough little brick. It’s ideal for musicians who want to record on the go, as it will stand up to most punishment and continue to deliver.

OVERALL: It’s a quality audio interface at a great price. With more I/O than most units in this class, it should certainly make you reconsider your budget audio interface options.

mixdownmag.com.au

GIFT GUIDE Aston Shield GN Pop Filter

PreSonus ATOM Controller LINK AUDIO EXPECT TO PAY: $249

LINK AUDIO EXPECT TO PAY: $69

RECOMMENDED FOR: This is a great addition to an existing electronic music setup, for DJ’s looking to bring more life to their performance and for those looking for a compact controller to get more in-depth with their music software.

RECOMMENDED FOR: The perfect gift for any vocalist. This is the ideal add-on to any vocal recording set up. If you’re recording vocals at home and don’t have a quality pop filter, you should invest in one of these units.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: As far as sound goes, it really comes down to what you’re running with the ATOM. On its own, it’s just a controller with no audio engine, but with the right software, it’s capable of controlling even the biggest sounds.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The metal grille on the Shield enables plenty of high frequency response without dulling the sound, yet it certainly reduces both plosive sounds and sibilance in talking and singing.

USABILITY: Simply clip it onto the microphone stand beneath the cradle and position the gooseneck so the filter is in front of the microphone capsule. It can also be used as a position marker for excited vocalists who tend to move around too much in front of the microphone.

CONSTRUCTION: The grille is lightweight, so it won’t throw the balance of your stand

off, but it is still tough enough for all the screaming and yelling it will endure over time.

OVERALL: It’s a no-brainer, really. If you don’t have one of these on your vocal recording microphone, you are simply missing out on better quality recordings.

Treat your favourite singer, or yourself, with the Shield.

PreSonus Eris 3.5” Media Reference Monitors

USABILITY: This is a plug-and-play device that takes very little time to get a feel for.

If you’ve used a grid controller before, you’ll be right at home with this. If you’re not familiar with the concept, you’ll be in charge of your sounds in no time.

CONSTRUCTION: It’s small, lightweight and perfect for travelling or live shows. The

casing is solid and the pots and pads all have a good feel to their operation. I really like the big control knobs for dramatic filter sweeps and wild pan effects.

OVERALL: This is a tidy little device that delivers what it promises. Plenty of control, an intuitive layout and a funky colour-coded LED backlighting that lets you know what’s going on.

PreSonus FaderPort LINK AUDIO EXPECT TO PAY: $299

LINK AUDIO EXPECT TO PAY: $189 RECOMMENDED FOR: As most home studios usually suffer from a lack of space, these monitor speakers are ideal given they are compact and designed specifically to work accurately within confined spaces.

RECOMMENDED FOR: This is the ideal addition to any home or professional audio recording setup. I have had one of these sitting atop of my large format analogue console for over a decade and it still gets used every session.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: With a simple twoband EQ, there is not a lot of control over the sound, but there doesn’t need to be.

For their size, the Eris 3.5” monitors sound fantastic. Ideal for compact home studios, monitoring on the go, or even just as a pair of speakers for enjoying music while you work at your computer.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: This handy little device will totally change the way you interface with your computer recording software. You will use the mouse considerably less and it will speed up your workflow. The transport controls are well thought out and the real time control of faders and knobs on screen is brilliant.

CONSTRUCTION: This unit is built like a tank. I have been using one for about four years now and the motorised fader still responds like it did when I first fired it up. The casing is solid and it doesn’t mind taking a few bumps when used in live setups either.

USABILITY: This is still one of the best designed controllers on the market. It integrates perfectly with just about any DAW and is easy to set up with auto mapping features ensuring you don’t spend too much time getting the product installed to suit your system.

OVERALL: Basically, if you use your computer to record, you need one of these.

It streamlines your workflow, allows for easy fader and pot automation and best of all, it has a motorised fader that is just damn cool to watch as it jumps around when you change channels.

USABILITY: With RCA and TRS connections all supplied on the rear of one speaker, there are plenty of options for connection with whatever devices you are mixing via the rear panel.

CONSTRUCTION: The Eris monitors are all built just like these ones, only in different

mixdownmag.com.au

sizes. The units are really solid blocks which appear to be filled with a good deal of heatsink weight. The smooth front porting and gentle contours make for a pleasing design for the tough case.

OVERALL: PreSonus are doing really great things with monitoring and amplification at the moment. Although these are essentially the babies of the range, they still have good points and will find plenty of locations in which they will work well.

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GIFT GUIDE PreSonus AudioBox USB 96

Electronic Music Inventor Kit

LINK AUDIO EXPECT TO PAY: $299

LITTLEBITS EXPECT TO PAY: $179.95

RECOMMENDED FOR: This is the perfect gift idea for someone wanting to start out at home recording when they don’t have any of the gear. It has just about everything you need to match up with a computer and get recording right away.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The A/D converters on the AudioBox USB 96 are excellent quality for the price point. Matched with the M7 condenser microphone, you’ll be able to capture rich vocal and instrumental sounds.

USABILITY: Bundled with PreSonus’ HD7 headphones for monitoring, you can record, overdub and mix your music all from the gear included in the box. This package also comes with Studio One 3 Artist software, packed with a host of extra plug-in effects and instruments to provide you with full audio production options.

CONSTRUCTION: Like all the models in the AudioBox range, this is a solid hardware interface for your computer. It’s built into a sturdy metal chassis and is fitted with quality A/D converters. The microphone and headphones are well built too, and are certainly tough enough for a home studio set-up.

OVERALL: This bundle represents great value for anyone looking to start out recording at home. It comes complete with microphone, cable, headphones, interface and software.

You just need to bring along the computer and the talent.

Sennheiser e 602-II Microphone

CONSTRUCTION: The microphone features a humbucking coil and the stand mount is integrated to provide better isolation on

RECOMMENDED FOR: Higher end musicians or sound professionals in need of a top range wireless solution. a long microphone boom arm on stage or in the studio. Its rugged construction and lightweight aluminium body make it perfect for mounting without worrying about a drooping microphone stand or boom arm. The frequency-independent directivity ensures the signal is isolated from other sound sources on stage and makes it a no-brainer in a live sound rig.

OVERALL: The e 602-II is a no brainer for engineers of any level, and would be a great addition to any collection or recording equipment.

Sennheiser Handmic Digital

USABILITY: With up to 100 metres of RF transmission available, the Sennheiser G4 microphone packs a mighty range, and boasts true diversity transmission for use with multiple signals. You can even link up 12 different receivers and transmitters

in the one space without any interference, making the Sennheiser G4 Wireless System absolutely perfect for live ensembles.

CONSTRUCTION: Upholding everything that we’ve come to expect from Sennheiser, the G4 Wireless Microphone feels extremely sturdy, and feels more than capable of withstanding even the gnarliest gigs.

OVERALL: Sennheiser are the absolute dons in producing high grade, utilitarian proaudio equipment for the gigging musician, and with the G4 Wireless Microphone, they’ve really hit the nail on the head.

Expect nothing but the best here.

RECOMMENDED FOR: The Sennheiser HD 300 PRO headphones are an all-round monitoring solution for users of any level of experience.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: It can be used either on-the-go or for an easy home or studio recording solution via the included table stand or clamp, picking up between 40Hz16kHz.

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SOUND/VERSATILITY: Although some people are sceptical about issues of sound quality and signal loss with wireless microphones, with a brand as reputable as Sennheiser, you’ve honestly got nothing to worry about.

The G4 Wireless Microphone sounds just as good one foot away as it does from thirty feet, offering a crisp, faithful vocal response perfectly suitable for large scale venues.

SENNHEISER AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: ENQUIRE FOR PRICING

RECOMMENDED FOR: Journalists, YouTubers, podcasters, voice over artists, musicians, Instagrammers – the list goes on.

CONSTRUCTION: Featuring the same rugged construction as many Sennheiser products share, the Handmic will be safe in your bag on-the-go in the included pouch.

OVERALL: If you’re looking for a truly unique gift to inspire creativity this Christmas, the littleBits Electronic Music Inventor Kit could be the perfect choice.

Sennheiser HD300 PRO Headphones

SENNHEISER AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $359

USABILITY: The Handmic Digital is a versatile handheld microphone that connects to your iPhone via lightning cable or via USB to your PC or Mac. The mic also includes a 2m lightning cable and USB cable, so it’s compatible with whatever system you’re running, wherever you are.

USABILITY: The Inventor Kit is simple to put together and an enjoyable experience for kids and parents alike. It’s a refreshingly educational, yet simultaneously entertaining gift to give this Christmas, bringing imagination to life through tools that allow a child to invent the musical world they want to live in.

CONSTRUCTION: Budding inventors can build their instrument of choice from a selection of materials, including an accelerometer, micro sequencer, synth speaker, keyboard, and proximity sensor.

Instructions are easily accessible via the littleBits app to help you start creating right away.

SENNHEISER AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $999

RECOMMENDED FOR: Aimed at live and studio engineers chasing the bass, the price point of the e 602-II makes it easily accessible for bedroom producers as well.

USABILITY: The e 602-II is a perfect choice for bass guitar cabinets, bass drums or lowend instruments such as tuba or low-tuned guitars.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: This has to be one of the most versatile products you’ll find, given its ability to morph into whatever instrument you desire. The Electronic Music Inventor Kit allows users to customise a set of electronic building blocks, creating everything from a synth-guitar to hands-free air drums.

Sennheiser G4-835-S Wireless Mic

SENNHEISER AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: ENQUIRE FOR PRICING

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The Sennheiser e 602-II dynamic cardioid microphone is commonplace on stages all around the world.

The forward, warm and dynamic sound comes from the low frequency extension and the fast transient response of the capsule, so you can feel the low end while you hear the transient.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Creative kids (and adults who are young at heart).

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The HD 300 PROs are uncompromising in their even, balanced response and their ability to reveal subtle problems in your mixes or performances that you wouldn’t hear any other way. If you can make a performance or mix sound great in these headphones, you need not worry about flaws popping up on different speaker systems.

OVERALL: The Handmic Digital really is a much more professional-looking and sounding solution for the journalist on the go, content creators, or sound artists and musicians who want an opportunity to capture interesting sounds with ease.

USABILITY: They provide especially good isolation and would be particularly good for monitoring in live situations, for artists to monitor their own performances while recording or for recording engineers monitoring takes in less-than-ideal environments.

CONSTRUCTION: The headphones are well-constructed and hardy, perfect for any situation they’re thrown into. This would make them especially good for live use as they can take a beating. The headphone’s replaceable cable features one short part of coiled cable, which allows for superior movement during use without the weight of an entirely coiled cable.

OVERALL: The Sennhesier HD 300 PRO are a great solution for any kind of monitoring.

They won’t be underappreciated in a Christmas stocking, even if the recipient already has a pair.

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GIFT GUIDE Neumann U87 Microphone

Sennheiser IE 40 PRO In-Ear Monitors

SENNHEISER AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $4999

SENNHEISER AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $179

RECOMMENDED FOR: Those looking to add what is arguably the most famous studio microphone to their recordings.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Any gigging musician.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The IE 40 PROs aren’t particularly versatile, but they do their job phenomenally. The mid and high frequency response is clear and defined, and the buds provide really good isolation for loud stages.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The U87 is not a dry microphone; its sound is coloured, and beautifully so. It provides a treated sound straight to your preamp. This makes the U87 incredibly versatile, and one (or a stereo pair) would help any recording along.

USABILITY: They don’t provide much bottom end, but in a live situation you won’t need much because you’ll feel it. You’ll be left with crystal clear, in-ear monitoring of your own playing and whatever else you need to perform your very best.

include a range of buds for different sized ears and maximum comfort.

CONSTRUCTION: The IE 40 PROs are well constructed, with fairly malleable cabling so you won’t be restricted on stage. The inears include spare parts just in case (in the handy case the headphones come with) and

OVERALL: Overall, they’re a great middlemarket in-ear monitoring solution. They’ll last, are already EQ’d, offer crystal clear sound, and will keep you confidently monitoring night after night on tour.

IK Multimedia UNO Synth

USABILITY: There’s plenty going on with this synth and while it doesn’t appear to offer much in the way of control, there is more than meets the eye. You just have to dig a little deeper into the limited controls to make the most of its capabilities.

CONSTRUCTION: For such a compact, lightweight synthesiser, the UNO Synth is

U87 has also been used to cut guitars and other mid-ranged instruments because of its sensitivity around 1kHz. CONSTRUCTION: Based on its vintage counterpart, the U67, the U87 is a weighty, robust condenser microphone with a polar pattern switchable between omni, cardioid and figure-eight, and features switchable pad and low-cut.

OVERALL: The U87 is a classic microphone, synonymous with professional recordings and high end studios. It will never let you down.

ART Tube MP

SOUND & MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $389 RECOMMENDED FOR: This is a really cool addition to any electronic music setup. Plus, it makes an ideal travel companion for the synth nerd who needs to make music while on the road.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Don’t let the device’s size or simple looks fool you. The UNO Synth is capable of generating some really massive tones. It’s a true analogue synth, with a front panel more akin to some of the digital synths of the ’90s.

USABILITY: Because of the focused midrange, the U87 is great for guitars, vocals, piano, drums or rooms for an orchestra or choir, or as an extra mic on something like a bass cabinet that needs more attack. The frequency response is 20Hz-20kHz, so you won’t miss a thing, and there’s pad and lowcut built switches to keep your signal happy and healthy. This also make the U87 the microphone of choice for voiceovers due to its extremely low self-noise. Used relentlessly as a drum overhead and room microphone, the

LINK AUDIO EXPECT TO PAY: $139 RECOMMENDED FOR: This is the perfect front end add-on to any recording or live setup, particularly for those looking for added warmth and character in their microphone. For compact home studios, this is an ideal alternative to bulky rack preamps.

still housed in a sturdy box that feels really solid. IK Multimedia always ensures their devices are well constructed.

OVERALL: I love it. Packing a built-in sequencer and keyboard for use on its own along with plenty of rich, classic and modern sounds, the UNO Synth will challenge how you think about analogue synthesisers from here on out.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The Tube MP brings your microphone signal to life before it gets into your recording software. The warmth of the 12AX7 vacuum tube not only lifts the volume of the signal, but adds character as it does so.

USABILITY: A very easy setup allows for the Tube MP to simply sit in-line in the signal patch and with very little adjustment, lift the signal to add warmth. It’s also a handy tool when phantom power is needed going into an input that doesn’t offer it.

CONSTRUCTION: This is a tough little box

designed to house and protect the tube inside, along with all the other electronics.

I could see no issue with using it in a live environment as well as the studio. It’s really well built.

OVERALL: The Tube MP continues to prove you don’t need to spend big bucks to make a microphone sound much better on the way into your mixer, interface or recorder. Just add tube goodness and you’re in.

IK Multimedia iRig Nano Amp SOUND & MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $99 RECOMMENDED FOR: This is the perfect practise solution for any guitarist who needs an amp for quiet playing at home or on the road. It’s a great gift idea for the guitarist who has just about everything too.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: It’s not a massive Marshall stack, but it can still sound like a smaller version of one. Designed for quiet practise, the Nano Amp still has a bit of volume to it and with the use of the iRig app, you can get it sounding like a big amp on full blast.

USABILITY: It’s easy enough to use as a standard amp, although you need an iPhone or iPad with the app to access further sounds. On a side note, it can drive a separate speaker cabinet.

CONSTRUCTION: It’s a compact, plastic housed box. Like all devices made by IK

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Nektar Impact GX49 MIDI Keyboard SOUND & MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $169 Multimedia, you know it will be built well and will have very few issues.

OVERALL: This is a really fun practise concept that has taken the original iRig design to a more practical solution. Great as an iOS interface, but still very usable as a standalone device.

RECOMMENDED FOR: The simple solution for anyone needing a MIDI keyboard for use in a home studio or in a live setup when space is at a premium. The Nektar GX49 is the perfect first keyboard for anyone wanting to start producing electronic music.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Despite not offering any sound of its own, the GX49 can deliver any sound your software has on offer. The 49 keys give you plenty of range for the size, but can also be shifted up and down to

reach the missing notes if needed.

USABILITY: A simple design with pitch bend and modulation wheels, complemented by a selection of transport controls, makes this unit really easy to use. Setup is complete in a moment, with USB bus power coming from the computer along with all MIDI data.

CONSTRUCTION: With built-in plastic housing to keep cost and weight down, these keyboards still have a fully closed key design that feels nice to play. The keyboard might be simple, but it’s not a toy either.

OVERALL: This is a great keyboard option for anyone starting out in computer music.

You don’t need a separate power source; MIDI data is transferred via the USB cable, while setup is really easy. mixdownmag.com.au

GIFT GUIDE Roadie 2 Tuner

sE Electronics V7 Billy F. Gibbons (BFG) Signature Microphone

SOUND & MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $209

SOUND & MUSIC EXPECT TO PAY: $169

RECOMMENDED FOR: Perfect for guitar technicians, gigging musicians and just about anyone else who has to restring their guitar. Basically, it’s the perfect gift for the guitarist who has almost everything.

RECOMMENDED FOR: For the singer who wants to stand out on stage, this is the perfect addition to your kit. Or, if you’re just a Billy Gibbons fan, why wouldn’t you want to own and use his signature microphone?

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The Roadie 2 picks up the note from vibrations through the guitar’s machine head while tuning. It doesn’t need any sound to achieve this, so an electric can be tuned quietly, whilst unplugged.

USABILITY: It’s really simple. You don’t even need to know what notes the guitar is tuned to, as the Roadie 2 does all the work. Place it over the machine head, pluck the string and it automatically adjusts the tuning of that string. Then, move on to the next string.

CONSTRUCTION: It’s plastic, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t solidly built. Helpfully, you

don’t need batteries for this device as it is charged via USB, doing away with frustrating battery replacement.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: This is a big, bold sounding microphone perfect for rock vocals.

It’s clear, crisp and clean. You can be sure that no matter how loud or how quiet your voice is, the audience will still hear you loud and clear.

CONSTRUCTION: This is a solidly constructed case that protects a very well-built capsule and electronics. Better than the regular V7 model, this one is finished in a high shine chrome coating that lets the audience know who’s in charge.

OVERALL: This device makes it all too easy to be in tune. The Roadie 2 is a similar concept to some of those ‘robot’ style guitars, except it doesn’t cost the earth and can be used with any guitar you own. In all, a very clever idea.

USABILITY: As a super cardioid dynamic microphone, the V7 is awesome. It has plenty of headroom, so you don’t need to push the mixer’s gain to the point of feedback to hear the vocals. With that in mind, it’s perfect for loud stages.

OVERALL: You don’t have to be a Billy Gibbons fan to take advantage of the great look and sound this microphone offers. It’s a great stage microphone that delivers great vocals every time.

Audient iD4 Interface

Drawmer CMC2 Monitor Controller

STUDIO CONNECTIONS EXPECT TO PAY: $299

STUDIO CONNECTIONS EXPECT TO PAY: $530

RECOMMENDED FOR: For discerning home studio setups, this interface offers amazing quality in a compact unit. Ideal for anyone who doesn’t need large track counts and instead prefers to invest in audio quality.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Audient have delivered top quality microphone preamps and audio conversion in a compact interface with fewer connections for those who just don’t need the I/O. It still offers the same brilliant sound you’d expect from a larger Audient interface.

USABILITY: The top panel is pretty selfexplanatory and makes it very easy to work with your signals going in and out. Plus, the large volume control makes setting listening levels during mixing a breeze.

CONSTRUCTION: This device is built into a tough little case. The single microphone

RECOMMENDED FOR: The ideal solution to any studio monitoring setup. This is perfect for both the home and professional studio environment, when one or more pairs of monitors are in operation.

input is offered with a quality Neutrik combination connector that doubles as a DI for guitars too. Tough, simple and effective.

OVERALL: This is perfect for a guitarist or vocalist who is recording single tracks at a time and doesn’t need to invest in unnecessary microphone preamps. It’s a quality interface for small setups.

Genelec 8010A Monitors

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OVERALL: Even if you’re just using a single pair of monitors, this is a really handy tool for the studio as a master volume and selection box. It makes jumping between mono and stereo to check the stereo spread a breeze too. Plus, it enables your monitors to be fed a separate audio source without the computer needing to be powered up.

STUDIO CONNECTIONS EXPECT TO PAY: $860

RECOMMENDED FOR: The perfect accompaniment to any home or professional studio where space is an issue, but quality cannot be compromised. These are professional studio monitors perfect for the tiny house studios.

USABILITY: The compact design takes into account the environment it will be used in, so these monitors have a clever rubber foot isolation system. This allows the monitors to be set at different angles to suit your listening position and reduce unwanted vibrations at the same time.

USABILITY: It’s intuitively laid out with easy access to mute, polarity, mono and dimmer switches. A large volume knob takes control of the overall output, and it’s easy to see which source and what monitors you have selected with the LEDs.

CONSTRUCTION: This is a really solid box, perfect for continual use in every mix and edit situation. All connections are on balances, while TRS sockets and the selector buttons have a nice snappy feel to their action.

Warm Audio WA-87 Microphone

STUDIO CONNECTIONS EXPECT TO PAY: $1100

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The quality of sound delivered by the 8010A monitors is beyond belief. Don’t let the compact size fool you as they still produce a full range frequency response with plenty of volume when needed.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The CMC2 offers crystal clear, totally transparent audio transfer between your DAW and studio monitors. The recording signal path is not altered in any way, but the ability to jump between sources and toggle between different monitors allows you to truly hear what is going on in the mix.

RECOMMENDED FOR: This is the ideal microphone for anyone looking to recapture that classic early U87 style sound without the price tag.

CONSTRUCTION: They’re made by Genelec, so there’s no question of the construction quality. These speakers are an excellent example of just how well a compact speaker can be put together.

OVERALL: I’ve not heard a speaker of this size come close to the quality of the Genelec 8010A monitors before. They sound amazing, are incredibly well-built devices, and outshine anything else in their class. I cannot rate them highly enough.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The WA-87 delivers a warm vintage sound very much in line with the early model 87 microphones. It has a rich lower to mid-range frequency response that brings vocals to life and adds extra depth to instruments and percussion.

USABILITY: This is a great large diaphragm FET-style condenser microphone. I could see it being used with excellent results on just about any part within a mix, or even multiple parts. It could certainly become a go-to microphone in any kit.

CONSTRUCTION: While not carrying the price-tag of the original model, the WA-87 is

still put together with great care. The casing and grille are solid and well housed within the suspension cradle designed to cater to the microphone’s weight.

OVERALL: I’d be very happy recording with this microphone on a regular basis.

It delivers excellent results at a fraction of the cost of its inspiration. This microphone means the classic 87 sound is now more affordable and available to home recording users.

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It doesn’t matter if you’re setting up your first remote live stream session, DJing your hundredth party, or mastering your twelfth studio album—the

Studio 24: 2x2 USB-C audio interface

Studio-series has got you covered. All of these interfaces boast as much I/O as we could squeeze into their sturdy chassis.

Studio 26: 2x4 USB 2.0 audio interface

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STUDIO-SERIES RECORDING SYSTEMS 192 kHz, USB 2.0 Recording Systems

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03 8373 4817 . www.linkaudio.com.au

GIFT GUIDE Audio-Technica AT2005USB Microphone

Audio Technica M20x/1.2m Headphones

AUDIO-TECHNICA AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $149

AUDIO-TECHNICA AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $99

RECOMMENDED FOR: Punters on a tight budget looking to splash into the depths of home recording.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Those looking to invest in their first high-quality pair of monitoring headphones.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Audio-Technica are the understated dons of the headphone market, and the quality of the M20s goes the distance to prove this. The sound quality is perfectly balanced and the 40mm drivers provide an absolutely thumping low-end response, which I know many budding electronic and hip-hop producers will love.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Whether you’re plugging straight into GarageBand via USB or using it as a vocal mic at a gig, the Audio-Technica AT2005USB provides a smooth, high-quality audio response, with its mid-range emphasis offering a perfect solution for recording vocals in particular.

Not a bad option for podcasters, either.

USABILITY: Few microphones boast the multi-purpose versatility offered by the Audio-Technica AT2005USB. The ability to plug straight into a laptop without an external interface will put the icing on the cake for many potential buyers, while the option to use the AT2005USB as a conventional microphone will certainly

appease technology purists. There’s also an inbuilt headphone jack for direct monitoring – what more could you want?

CONSTRUCTION: Audio-Technica are well regarded for the ruggedness of all their products, and the AT2005USB microphone is no different. Constructed from durable yet extremely lightweight metal, this unit can definitely hold its own. The included tripod and mic clip also felt surprisingly sturdy, which is something many entry-level microphone kits tend to neglect.

OVERALL: Honestly, I can find no fault here. The Audio-Technica AT2005USB is a hot pick as an essential piece of gear for anyone looking to get into home recording.

A certified stocking filler for sure.

USABILITY: With both a ¼ and 1/8 adaptor jack included in the packaging, you’ll be able to use the Audio-Technica M20x 1.2m headphones for all kinds of music consumption, be it mixing, tracking, or just casual listening. I also really appreciated the shorter 1.2m cable – it was nice to not trip over excessive monitoring headphone cables for a change.

Vinyl Me, Please Gift Membership

Line 6 Relay G10 Wireless System

VINYL ME, PLEASE EXPECT TO PAY: FROM $133

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $279

RECOMMENDED FOR: Anyone who appreciates a quality vinyl record.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Players who need a fixit-all solution to be freed from the tyranny of guitar cables in an uncomplicated wireless guitar package.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Vinyl Me, Please offers three, six and 12-month subscriptions, where recipients will be treated to an LP (designed exclusively for Vinyl Me, Please) delivered to their door each month. The service caters to listeners of all genres, offering the choice of three distinct tracks: Essentials, Classics and Rap & Hip-Hop. USABILITY: It’s the ultimate no-fuss solution for vinyl collectors. Gift recipients will be shipped a curated special edition record each month or can choose from more than 50 titles to suit their unique taste.

Best of all, each membership offers a special bonus record to add further intrigue to any collector’s library.

CONSTRUCTION: It’s as easy as selecting your preferred subscription length, choosing your track, and accepting praise for giving the vinyl enthusiast in your life the best gift they could hope for.

OVERALL: Save yourself the hours of trawling through markets and secondhand stalls; Vinyl Me, Please will grow your collection with no trouble at all. Who wouldn’t want an exclusive LP arriving on their doorstep each month?

Line 6 Spider V 30

CONSTRUCTION: The Spider V 30 is a cool combination of modern and traditional in both build and looks. It has a typical combo appearance with a slanted control panel, while the grille cloth, logo and control

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charge dock, providing eight hours of playtime before conking out.

CONSTRUCTION: All components of the G10 relay system are ultra-compact, and fit easily within a travel bag. The receiver dock is a simple black chassis, with the Line 6 label on top.

OVERALL: Wireless guitar systems are no longer the domain of the rock-star: they’re within reach for you and your pub band with the Relay G10, with sheer ease of use, versatility and transportability.

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $399

RECOMMENDED FOR: Practice rooms, schools, teachers, beginners through to pros.

USABILITY: This amp is intuitive and well laid out, with the display and colour coding adding to ease of use.

USABILITY: Usability was often what held most wireless guitar systems back in the past, but not here, as the G10 is almost as intuitive as an instrument cable. Simply plug in the transmitter, and the receiver will automatically find the best channel.

The transmitter is rechargeable via a simple

OVERALL: The phrase ‘bang for buck’ gets thrown around a lot in music tech reviews, but there’s absolutely no question that these headphones are worth every penny.

The Audio-Technica M20x 1.2m monitoring headphones are the quintessential entrylevel recording headphones, and I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Steinberg UR22MKII Recording Pack

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $299

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Line 6 have no shortage of modeling technology on hand and the V 30 includes over 100 effect models, 70+ amps and 20+ cabinets alongside a three-band EQ. Add the factory presets, onboard tuner, metronome and drum loops and you’ve got a huge tonal palette with plenty of jam and practise options. It offers clean through to full shred and almost everything in between.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: We’re long past worrying about loss of sound quality when it comes to wireless guitar systems. The Relay G10 produces unimpeachably clear, frequency-agile, multiple-redundant, 24-bit digital audio. The ¼ transmitter works with pretty much all guitar types too, and will switch between instruments hassle-free.

CONSTRUCTION: Boasting a high-quality modern design with a comfortable headband and ear cushioning, the Audio-Technica M20x’s are certainly among some of the cosiest headphones that have ever adorned my noggin. The swivel cap design also makes storage a breeze.

RECOMMENDED FOR: This is a great starting place for anyone wanting to record music onto a computer. It also offers experienced users the ability to get a compact, high-quality interface for a very reasonable price.

layout add some modern flair. Under the hood, Line 6 have included a high frequency driver to the 8” speaker for a full bodied sound.

OVERALL: Line 6’s Spider amps have long been a favourite in the smaller/practice amp world and this latest incarnation looks like it’ll keep the run going. Handy and portable with a truck load of tones and features on tap, the V 30 is a great little unit.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The two microphone preamps sound great, and the ability to run a guitar direct into one of the inputs is a bonus.

The real key is the fact that this offers 192 kHz sampling rate when recording, a rare find on an interface in this price range.

USABILITY: Possibly the simplest and easiest device ever released by Steinberg. It integrates perfectly with the included Cubase AI software and takes very little effort to get it installed and ready to record. It will work with a range of instruments including keyboards, guitars, and just about any microphone given that it supplies phantom power.

CONSTRUCTION: The tough casing that protects the inner workings of the UR22 has been well thought out. You’re not going to have any issues with the unit getting damaged in regular use. While it powers off the USB when used with a computer, it does require a separate PSU when using with an iPad. OVERALL: With two microphone preamps, MIDI in and out, as well as headphone monitoring, there is pretty much everything you need for home recording on the unit and everything you need to mix and master your music within the software.

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STOMP Step Beyond.

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HX Stomp is a professional-grade multi-effects processor that delivers the sound of Helix amps, cabs, and effects in an ultra-compact pedal. Use it as a “super stompbox,” a backup or fly rig, an add-on tone expander when combined with other modellers, an audio interface, or even a complete guitar or bass rig. The same HX Modelling technology that powers the flagship Helix guitar processor enables HX Stomp to run up to six processing blocks simultaneously, making it the most powerful and flexible stompbox-sized multi-effects processor available. HX Stomp is easy to operate, thanks to its simple-but-powerful controls, 320 x 240-pixel colour LCD, and capacitive-sensing footswitches with colour-coded LED rings.

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Utilises the same HX Modelling as Helix

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Over 300 effects and models from Helix, M-Series, and legacy Line 6 products

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Up to 6 simultaneous amp, cab, and effect blocks (including a looper and IR loading)

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3 capacitive-sensing footswitches with colour-coded LED rings facilitate fast editing

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TRS dual expression pedal/footswitch input extends creative control capabilities

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Available to order now from authorised Line 6 Helix Dealers | ya ma ha backstage.c om.au /de a le r s / line 6

*Yamaha Music Australia proudly distributes Line 6. The prices set out in this advertisement are recommended retail prices (RRP) only and there is no obligation for Line 6 dealers to comply with this recommendation. Errors and omissions excepted.

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GIFT GUIDE Vox amPlug 2 Guitar Headphone Amplifier

Yamaha Broad Bass BB234 YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $549.99

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $59

RECOMMENDED FOR: Players after loads of sustain and undimmed playability.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The biggest distinction with the 234 is the Custom V3 ceramic pickup system. Twin volume controls operate both pickups, separately blending instead of stepping into your own personalised tonal texture. Add to that the familiar roll-off tone pot and the signature here is like a P-Bass reinvigorated by a wider scope of possibilities and some appealingly glassy overtones.

USABILITY: The one-piece maple construction of the neck offers a touch of brightness and stability, which is accentuated by the offset ‘D’ shape across the reverse, adding up to a fast, silky and accurate playing experience.

CONSTRUCTION: The 234 is carved out

RECOMMENDED FOR: Players living in households where they need to use headphones for their amplified sound, but don’t want to compromise their analogue sound.

of the warm heft of alder, whose medium weight and density pushes the headroom and sustain expected from the tonewood alone. It utilises custom-designed, open gear tuners that not only feel suspiciously light and sensitive but also match the stylish, modern aesthetic of the graphite nut and streamlined, matte finish of the necks.

OVERALL: From start to finish these basses are loaded with some of the most up to date design optimisation imagined, without veering into ‘space-bass’ territory.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Vox’s amPlug has been a huge success since its inception in 2007. Its latest iteration is available in seven different amp emulating models with a refined analogue circuit to simulate the circuits of classic tube amplifiers. The sounds are just as rich as you could hope for, and now come with multi-effect functionality (three chorus, delay and reverb settings each), while the bass model has nine separate rhythm options. There’s even an aux in, so you can play along to music from your phone or an archaic mp3 player.

USABILITY: The amPlug remains a

Yamaha CSF1M Guitar

Yamaha DTX402K Plus Pack

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $499

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $649

RECOMMENDED FOR: Travelling folk guitarists, prolific campfire players looking for a quality build.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Drummers looking for an all-in-one, cost-effective kit for home.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The CSF1M is a compact folk guitar that combines portability (measuring just 942mm top to bottom) with a genuinely rich, vibrant folk sound. It’s got a resonance throughout the body that through its clever design, manages to nearly match that of a full sized instrument. There is even a passive mounted piezo pickup if you are so inclined.

USABILITY: The CSF1M is effortlessly playable down to its every spec, with 11mm string spacing, 400m fingerboard radius and an ultra-lightweight construction.

CONSTRUCTION: The ingenuity in the CSF1M lies within Yamaha’s newly-designed scalloped bracing paired with a forward shifted construction to maintain the body’s

strength while maximising the vibration of the guitar’s top. The body itself is comprised of a stunning Sitka spruce top, finished with mahogany sides and back, again bolstering resonance.

OVERALL: This might just be the ultimate campfire guitar. The CSF1M’s refined design has resulted in a beautifully resonant and compact guitar that refuses to overcomplicate the issue. It’s comfortable and can even provide you with a true acoustic sound for live performance via a passive pickup.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: With ten built-in drum kits in the module ranging from standard rock and jazz kits to EDM and hiphop kits, the DTX402K is a one-stop-shop for budding drummers wanting to explore their sound without breaking the bank. The module also has ten built-in tracks for you to play along with and a metronome to help keep time.

USABILITY: The module is incredibly easy to navigate and super intuitive. Yamaha also has a dedicated mobile app for the DTX402K, which offers a number of functions including a challenge mode for the play along tracks and an editor function to customise your own kits.

Yamaha EAD10 Module

Yamaha Gigmaker C40 Pack

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $699.99

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $249.99

RECOMMENDED FOR: Drummers wanting to take the sound of their kit to the next level without spending a fortune.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Young learner guitarists and unsure beginners.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: This thing is insane in the best way possible. The module and single sensor unit/trigger remove the need for a myriad of single drum mics. The inbuilt 50 preset scenes, 700+ onboard voices and effects offer endless possibility in creating your perfect drum sound.

USABILITY: The best thing about the EAD10 is that it can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. From simply adding a touch of reverb to your snare through to changing the sound of your entire kit, the EAD10 does it all with ease.

CONSTRUCTION: The module and sensor are both built very well and easy to mount. The screen can be read very easily, even on the darkest of stages.

OVERALL: To put it simply, the EAD10 sounds great and is super easy to use. On top of all of that, the record and metronome functions make it perfect for teachers and those wanting to hone their craft.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: A well-made beginner classical guitar makes all the difference to a child – the better it sounds, the more likely they’ll be inspired to keep on. The Gigmaker C40, as part of Yamaha’s excellent classical range, has a bright and simple tone that supports all basic playing, as well as serving as brilliant campfire option. A digital tuner tops the package off, ensuring learners get their ear in quickly.

USABILITY: Yamaha know how to craft for playability, and the C40 is a paragon of that statement; its ultra-wide and flat 52mm fretboard is exceptionally easy to start noodling on. Couple that with the instructional DVD included and it’s never been quicker to start your guitar journey.

straightforward operation – simply plug the foldable 180 degree plug mechanism into your guitar and pop your headphones in to get playing. Depending on whether you use zinc-carbon or alkaline AAA batteries, you can achieve a whopping 17 hours of battery life.

CONSTRUCTION: Weighing nothing more than 40 grams and measuring 86 x 38 x 31 mm, this is truly a pocket amplifier.

The amPlug sports a deft aesthetic design, making it genuinely appear like a miniaturised Vox head.

OVERALL: This is a brilliant stocking stuffer for any player, particularly well-travelled giggers and loud home-shredders.

CONSTRUCTION: The DTX402K is well constructed and fairly compact. The pads and cymbals feel very comfortable to play and can take quite the beating.

OVERALL: The DTX402K Plus Pack is incredible value for money. Not only does the pack come with the kit itself, but it also includes a drum stool, headphones and a pair of sticks. It’s the perfect kit for the player wanting to hone their skills without pissing the neighbours off.

of Yamaha beauty, sporting a gloss finish on its mix of spruce, meranti, nato and rosewood.

OVERALL: A first guitar is the definitive Christmas present for a child, or an adult beginner; the beginning of a musical journey that could take you further than you could imagine. Yamaha understand this and have crafted the perfect package.

CONSTRUCTION: The C40 is an unfussy work 52

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GIFT GUIDE Vox amPhones

Yamaha PSR-E363 Keyboard

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $119

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $319.99

RECOMMENDED FOR: Beginner to professional guitarists and bass players that need to practise at low levels without an amp.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Coming in four models – AC30, Bass, Twin and Lead – the amPhones series offers a few different flavours, and covers our low-end friends too. The model names should give you a fair indication of the tones available with some tweaking – gain, tone, volume and effect.

RECOMMENDED FOR: This is the ideal keyboard for beginners who are looking for an improved sound, touch responsive keys, and that great Yamaha piano sound along with plenty of other voices, styles and songs.

USABILITY: It’s as easy as putting on a set of headphones and plugging in your guitar.

The fact that they run on batteries means you’re not restricted to any one spot.

CONSTRUCTION: Well padded and still quite light, the amPhones don’t stray much from your typical headphone design, making them familiar and easy to operate. Vox have

incorporated technology from one of the industry leaders in Audio-Technica, which adds some street cred to the overall package too.

OVERALL: An interesting take on the portable/practice amp idea, the amPhones are great for those situations when volume isn’t an option. With two AA batteries lasting anywhere from seven to 16 hours, you’ll get plenty of time for jamming and the added benefit of being able to use them as normal headphones too.

Yamaha Revstar RS320

CONSTRUCTION: Though this is the budget end of the Revstar range, Yamaha haven’t skimped on the RS320’s construction, housing its tone within a beautiful Japanese

OVERALL: The PSR keyboards, especially the PSR-E363, represent great value for both the beginner and intermediate keyboard player. With plenty of functions, including app-based extensions and USB connectivity, this is the best way to get someone started in the keyboard world.

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $999

RECOMMENDED FOR: Players who want a nononsense, balanced sound and stylish body to boot in an affordable guitar.

USABILITY: The no-frills setup makes this a very playable axe, fit with a simple threeposition pickup switch, thinner 52mm neck, and a flat solid body.

USABILITY: With plenty of sounds and options, this is still a very easy keyboard to navigate. The built-in teaching function shows which notes are to be played for each song on the screen and can even hold off playback until the correct note is played,

CONSTRUCTION: There is never a need to be concerned with Yamaha build quality. It is always exceptional and from my experience with these keyboards, there simply aren’t any issues. I still own a fully operating PSR keyboard from about thirty years ago.

Yamaha Rydeen Fusion Drum Kit Pack

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA EXPECT TO PAY: $499

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The Revstar RS320 garners a raw, unadulterated tone emanating from its solid nato body, produced largely by the HH3 pickups. The ceramic magnets pickups have a tight punchiness to them that works seamlessly for crunch, light distortion and clean tones. It’s favoured

by Dave Keuning of the Killers and Jeff Schroeder of Smashing Pumpkins.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: Being the latest in this range of PSR keyboards from Yamaha, with the regular updates they get, you can be certain the sounds are up to date and the best they have available. With a new version released every few years, the sounds just continue to get better.

making it an ideal learning tool when a teacher is not present.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Beginner and intermediate players wanting a solid workhorse of a kit.

nato solid body. Styled after the cafe racer bike guitars of England in the 1960s, there’s a stripped down beauty to it that makes this look like the real deal.

OVERALL: The Yamaha Revstar range is big on style and simple dialled in performance.

The RS320 is an excellent foot in the door; perhaps good for a younger player wanting to step up from their first electric, or those looking for a trustworthy mix of style and brawn.

SOUND/VERSATILITY: The Rydeen drum kits are available in two different shell packs: Fusion and Euro. The six-ply poplar shells sound punchy and resonant, with plenty of projection. The included Paiste cymbals are bright and clear.

USABILITY: I have to commend Yamaha for the shorter depth on the Rydeen’s toms.

Having shorter rack toms makes it easier to have them set up low and flat, and in general the shorter depth means they’re less boomy and obnoxious.

CONSTRUCTION: The drum shells are sturdy and the hoops are ready to take a beating.

You’d have no issues gigging this kit around, although I would probably suggest

upgrading the heads and cymbals were that the case.

OVERALL: The Rydeen pack is a great choice for beginners and those wanting a solid kit to improve their skills on. The kit sounds great, is super sturdy and incredible value for money. Nuff said.

Distributors

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Amber Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ambertech.com.au

Innovative Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . innovativemusic.com.au

Audio-Technica Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . audio-technica.com.au

Jands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jands.com.au

Bosch Communications . . . . . . . . . . boschcommunications.com.au

Link Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . linkaudio.com.au

Bowers & Wilkins Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . bowers-wilkins.net

littleBits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . shop.littlebits.com

CMC Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cmcmusic.com.au

Sennheiser Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . en-au.sennheiser.com

Dynamic Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dynamicmusic.com.au

Sound & Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sound-music.com

Electric Factory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . elfa.com.au

Studio Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . studioconnections.com.au

Fender Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fender.com.au

Vinyl Me, Please . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vinylmeplease.com

Hal Leonard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . halleonard.com.au

Yamaha Music Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . au.yamaha.com

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DIESEL SIGNATURE STRATOCASTER® LIMITED EDITION

"This guitar rings a lot of bells for me — visually and sonically speaking it's where it all started"

PRODUCT REVIEWS LINE 6

HX Stomp YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA | AU.YAMAHA.COM | EXPECT TO PAY: $999

It’s time to admit something to ourselves: amplifier modeling is the new reality. This new wave began in 1998 with Line 6’s kidney-shaped POD. While, realistically, the tones weren’t especially close to what they claimed to imitate, the convenience of being able to switch between ‘amps’ and patches, either effected or not, was groundbreaking.

This was superseded by the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx in the mid-2000s, who then released the Axe-Fx II in 2011, which became the industry standard. In the same year, Kemper released their profiling amplifier, which allowed users to model their own amplifiers with startling accuracy. Fractal and Kemper have been neck and neck ever since, while Line 6 has slowly released updates on the POD, such as the POD HD and HD X series. Unfortunately, Line 6 has remained associated with the tones and sounds and effects of the original POD, despite consistently releasing top-quality products.

This all changed in 2015 when they released the Helix and re-entered the big league.

Enter stage left (or left and right; there’s a stereo output): the HX Stomp.

The HX Stomp is a professional grade guitar effect and amp processor crammed into a glossy, sparkled housing about the size of a small HSP (depending where you go). Packed inside is the same DSP and HX modeling technology as found in the larger, pricier Helix itself. There are three pedal switching pots for toggling between effects, and five little pots for scrolling through presets and tweaking parameters. There are mono/ stereo inputs and outputs, an expression pedal input, MIDI in/out and a stereo send with a mono/stereo return. The HX features over 300 amplifier and cabinet emulations and effects from the Helix range, as well as ‘legacy’ effects from their M-Series and stompboxes such as DL4, FM4 etc. The HX Stomp can double as a USB audio interface

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for recording, but only features a headphone out for this purpose. The HX includes an admittedly clunky power supply, but the website suggests the unit can be alternately powered via pedal power options. The unit also features a handy master output, to ensure wherever your output is heading, it’s receiving a healthy signal regardless of whatever monstrous crunch and distortion you’ve crammed into the presets.

Opening the box reveals a pedal that feels solid, weighty and looks simple enough to use. I connected the unit using the mono output to my recording interface and powered it up. Alternatively, the HX can be connected via USB and used as the input device for your DAW. When powered on, the HX’s LCD screen is nicely backlit and quickly opens up to a very user-friendly interface for tweaking the existing patches or creating your own. Scrolling through the ‘FX’, I was hooked, but a little underwhelmed at the amp tones before I remembered that, as the name suggests, the HX Stomp is designed to be used as a stompbox before an amp, so the FX presets mostly don’t contain amp simulations. Regardless, the delays are spacious and inspiring, and the modulation presets are fun and aptly named. Because of the HX’s ability to send and return auxiliary effects, you can create patches with mix blends, send to delays that retain tails of reverbs or delays before they’re modulated, or vice versa. This can be especially helpful when you’re recording, because you can get a polished, finished sound while you record. The mix is easier because the sounds are finished, and the performance is better because the sounds are inspiring.

Finally reaching the ‘DIR’ (direct) tones, I was floored. Every amp model preset is usable, true to their namesake and honest in the sense that they’re not inherently treated and ‘perfect’ tones. The amp’s

hum, sizzle and squeaks are modeled too.

It’s also important to remember that, like competitors Kemper and Fractal Audio, these units will never sound like a real amp in a room (though maybe the HX Stomp could take the cake through a powered cabinet or amp). Instead, they’re designed to produce tones identical to a mic’d up amp. In addition to tweaking on the unit itself, Line 6 has specially designed HX Edit software that, when linked via USB, can be used to tweak settings on your computer (editing is mirrored on the HX itself; you don’t need to tweak and then download your tones).

Not only can you tweak your own tones and scroll through the library of effects and amps, but you can download other users’ tones on the Custom Tone exchange, all for free.

I reviewed another Line 6 product in July’s issue and had the same problems navigating the Line 6 websites for drivers and software.

Eventually I located the HX Edit download, but not without watching tutorials on external sites from people who have faced the same issues. After a few YouTube tutorials, Line 6 forums, Line 6 support etc., I located some instructional videos and managed to download my patches and upload them to the Customer Tone forum, so I can use them again when I inevitably buy a HX Stomp of my own. Because the pots on the Stomp are very sensitive, I found myself toggling tap tempo and switching presets while scrolling through settings. The HX Edit solves this. The HX Edit software is a much friendlier interface than the LCD screen on the HX Stomp itself, and I could see myself using the software a lot to tweak tones while recording, jamming, or re-amping.

powerful as its larger counterparts, and Line 6 haven’t skipped out on the quality of the effects and amplifier modeling either. It’s a professional grade piece of gear that can hold its own, but is portable enough to fit in your backpack. The HX can be used to add effects to an already amplifier sound, or it can replace your entire rig of pedals, amps, cabinets and effects, all the while doing it with more routing options than most pedals and amps. From seasoned software tweakers to bedroom guitarists and bass players, the HX Stomp would be a great addition to anyone’s collection of gear.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS ∙∙ Professional grade effects and amps ∙∙ Great routing options MISSES ∙∙ Line 6 drivers and software difficult to locate

The HX Stomp is a great all-round introduction to amplifier modeling at a great price. Don’t be fooled by its size and appearance – the Stomp is every bit as

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PRODUCT REVIEWS AUDIO-TECHNICA

ATH-M50xBT Headphones AUDIO-TECHNICA AUSTRALIA | AUDIO-TECHNICA.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $379 In modern monitoring, the Audio-Technica M50 series has become as synonymous in the professional world as the famous Yamaha NS10 speaker. Similar to the iconic white speaker cone and black box, the sleek, black looks of the M50 have become a staple of professional audio for mixing, monitoring playback and enjoying balanced highdefinition sound. Their value for money has brought the range into a special league of headphone that is enjoyed by professionals and audiophiles alike. This is where the ATH-M50xBT, the Bluetooth version of the famed M50, really shines: the same great sound, same stylish looks, but without the inconvenience of a cable.

To be brutally honest, my first question about the Bluetooth addition to an already brilliant headphone was “Why?” Most monitor controllers or audio interfaces don’t include a Bluetooth option without an adaptor and additional dongle or receiver. After using them for a little while, I changed my question – “Why not have a Bluetooth option for headphones?” In a market with an increasing amount of educational material for making, playing, recording, mixing and mastering music, these make sense. The classy, felt-lined box that the ATH-M50xBTs arrive in includes a cable for wired monitoring to your interface or headphone amp. Alternatively, you can

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enjoy high-quality audio from your couch through the Bluetooth function. Pairing my phone to the closed-back dynamic headphones was easy, and a calming “Bluetooth connected” message confirmed my phone had successfully connected within seconds. Also included in the box is a handy pouch to safely travel with the headphones and a USB charging cable to re-charge once you exceed the maximum 35 hours of battery life. The headphones communicate via Bluetooth version 5.0 and rich sound is delivered via 45mm drivers.

The quality of sound from the M50 is still great. The ATH-M50xBTs reproduce a familiar controlled bottom-end and a clear, crisp high-end. The M50s are flattering without being overbearing, and are always a great option for referencing your own work against professional mixes and songs. A frequency graph for the M50s shows a fairly even response until about 5kHz, where it deviates and dips a little, but spikes in just the right spots for a comfortable listen.

Similar to its wired counterpart, the ATHM50xBT’s foam pads are replaceable and the headphones are collapsible to save space.

In addition to these features, the ATHM50xBT’s have Touch Control technology on the Audio-Technica logo for Voice Assist to be used with Siri or Google Assistant. The left headphone features controls to answer

and end calls, play and pause your music, and you can also skip tracks and adjust the volume. There’s really no need to be hindered by cables ever again, as the ATHM50xBTs will soon be your go-to.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT headphones are a home-run, mostly because they’re invaluable around the home, but also in a professional environment and on the go. The response of the drivers is as rich, dynamic and balanced as they are in the now classic M50s, but with the benefits and luxury of wireless connection to whatever source you’re listening through. Not only is it a luxury at a consumer price point, but they offer workhorse quality in a robust, intuitive design. You can monitor, enjoy, record and listen to music in confidence, or watch films with all the nuance that sound designers work tirelessly toward, and that television speakers simply aren’t designed to reproduce. In an industry that is increasingly adapting tones and introducing new technologies, Audio-Technica are pushing the envelope. You can come along for the ride or be left in the dust.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS ∙∙ Same great sound and design of the M50s ∙∙ Easy to use controls MISSES ∙∙ N/A

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PRODUCT REVIEWS ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN

StingRay Special CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: FROM $3795 An update to the much loved StingRay – is that playing with fire? The guys at Music Man know how to knock out a quality instrument and have the impeccable track record to go with it, so I’m guessing the answer is no. From funk to rock and pop to country, the StingRay is an iconic instrument that has held down the low end on many a classic (and not so classic) album.

Firstly, the new Music Man finishes and colour combos are great. This particular example is Cruz Teal, which is in the Seafoam/Green/Surf realm and really pops out nicely at first glance (and many further reaffirming glances thereafter). The Special features an ash body, roasted maple neck, maple/rosewood/ebony fingerboard depending on body colour (this one has ebony), and stainless steel frets. In the electronics department, you’ll find either a single humbuckers or dual humbuckers.

As mentioned, the Cruz Teal looks great and sits nicely against the white scratch plate and darker ebony fretboard. I love the look and feel of roasted maple necks.

The slightly darker tinge can bring out the grain and combined with Music Man’s satin oil and wax finish, it feels smooth and slick (but not sticky). Music Man have knocked off some weight with this redesign and it’s

noticeable – in a good way. Lighter weight, a tummy cut on the back of the bass, slight forearm contour and new five-bolt neck joint all add up to some fresh feels without going over the top.

For rock, punk and heavier styles, the StingRay can really punch through. The double buckers can go from round and warm to bright with lots of attack. Funk and groove players will no doubt already know the merits of this particular instrument (used by the likes of Flea, Louis Johnson, etc.) and it really fits the mould; lots of fingerstyle dynamics, you can dig in for some more honkiness and of course, slapping brings out the mid-range punch.

Five-way pickup selector, three-band EQ – these add up to lots of tonal variation.

The changes are slight, but do add to the feel and general aesthetic. This means the iconic StingRay has just had a little update, not a full blown makeover, which will keep diehards happy and entice new Music Man users alike. The reduced weight (thanks to the hardware and body changes) increases the appeal, with the colour schemes adding some new flavours to the StingRay line.

Many other specs (colours, pickup combo, woods) are available too if you really want to hone in on particulars.

HITS ∙∙ Feel, range of tones ∙∙ Updated looks and specs MISSES ∙∙ None

BY NICK BROWN

WARWICK BASSES

Teambuilt Pro Series Corvette AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $2999 I remember growing up and seeing players like Norwood Fisher (of Fishbone fame), Stuart Zender and Aussie guns like Craig Newman playing these basses that had slightly different shapes, a square-ish kind of headstock and a distinct fat and rumbly, yet articulate tone. I was always intrigued by their sound and looks. Upon learning they were Warwick basses made in Germany, some additional mystique was added to my perception of the brand (in the fact that they weren’t the standard US-styled instruments). Instantly recognisable in looks and with a highly identifiable sound, Warwick have since continued to make quality instruments that are used by a huge range of players worldwide.

Made in Germany, the Teambuilt Pro Series Corvette has that distinct Warwick look that we all know and love. The Pro series is a Warwick initiative designed to offer a German-made instrument at a lesser price than their Custom Shops. A double cutaway, rounded horns and flowing body shape give the Corvette its looks, while Warwick also utilise their now classic bubinga body, ovangkol neck and wenge fretboard. The grain and look of the woods (the neck especially) really are great, with the natural satin finish allowing the timbers to stand out. The fretboard is a 20” radius with jumbo nickelsilver frets, and the lack of inlays adds to the natural look of the instrument. With a 34” scale length, this 58

Corvette should suit a range of players.

Although it is a slightly weighty instrument, it sits comfortably with a strap or sitting down.

I must also give a nod to the much improved Warwick RockBag gig bag (which comes included). This iteration is much sturdier, uses seemingly tougher materials, has added pockets and storage and is more of a fitted model with thick padding to protect the instrument.

The Pro Series Corvette definitely allows for speedy access right across the fretboard. The neck shape is comfortable and the cutaways let you dig into the higher registers with absolute ease. Traditional single coil tones can be dialled in, with the bridge pickup

allowing for more aggressive, edgy nuances.

Pick, slap and finger styles are all fair game and the MEC pickups have long been a Warwick staple for good reason.

The Corvette body has a nice weight to it that feels like you’re holding an instrument, but isn’t back breaking, while the neck has some size but isn’t overly cumbersome.

Warwick instruments definitely have a feel and a sound, and that’s something that isn’t always so in today’s increasingly populated instrument space. It’s a welcome change.

HITS ∙∙ Build quality ∙∙ Neck, upper fret access MISSES ∙∙ Weight might deter some players

BY NICK BROWN

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PRODUCT REVIEWS FENDER

EOB Sustainer Stratocaster FENDER GUITARS AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU | RRP: $2399 Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien is possibly the most overlooked guitarist in music history.

Despite being wedged between the enigmatic persona of Thom Yorke and the mad musical genius of Jonny Greenwood, O’Brien’s effects-driven, ethereal guitar style is possibly one of the most important aspects of Radiohead’s sound. When Fender and Ed O’Brien announced the EOB Sustainer Stratocaster, a model fitted with a unique Fernandes Sustainer pickup system used by the guitarist for close to 20 years, it caught the attention of musicians around the world.

Instead of a stock Stratocaster with a huge price tag and an autograph scrawled on the headstock, the design of the EOB Sustainer offered guitarists an entirely new way to create unorthodox textures and intuitive soundscapes – but does the guitar live up to the hype that preceded it?

Straight out of the box, the EOB Strat is a head turner, with the combination of a maple fretboard and Olympic White finish never failing to please the eyes. However, I was surprised by the unexpected thickness of the neck on the guitar – with a 9.5” fretboard radius and 10/56 ‘V’ neck profile, the neck was closer to that of a Telecaster than a traditional Stratocaster, which definitely put me out of my comfort zone.

As a result, I found myself avoiding playing Hendrix-esque bluesy licks and pentatonic runs that you tend to play with a Strat, which I suspect was an intentional move

from O’Brien and Fender to push players to experiment with the pickups more. While the chunky neck might be off-putting for some hardcore Strat players, the vintage style tuners, synchronised 6-saddle tremolo, synthetic bone nut and 21 narrow-jumbo frets are all familiar territory for Strat enthusiasts, and the satin finish on the neck makes the guitar feel super comfortable in your hands.

Specs aside, this guitar is all about the electronics. The inclusion of a Duncan JB Jr Humbucker in the bridge position and a Texas Special single coil in the middle position gives you a variety of tonal options, with the Duncan JB Jr particularly adding a whole new sonic dimension to the guitar – and then there’s the Sustainer Driver pickup in the neck position. When the Sustainer function is turned off, the neck pickup functions as a humbucker, which I found worked particularly well with the tone rolled back halfway with a bit of

overdrive for some classic Radiohead rhythm tones. However, when the Sustainer switch is flicked on, this guitar really opens itself up. From droning string bends to synthlike volume swells, the Sustainer makes it incredibly easy to create experimental textures straight off the bat. In addition, you can choose between three different sustainer modes of Fundamental, Harmonic, and Blend, which you can use to drastically alter the characteristics of the sustained note mid-performance. When paired with a bit of delay and modulation, you can create singing, sustained swells reminiscent of O’Brien’s Kid A instrumental ‘Treefingers’ with the Fundamental mode, while the Harmonic mode is perfect with a fuzz pedal to emulate Ed’s searing feedback heavy riff on ‘Myxomatosis.’

Possibly the only drawback about the Ed O’Brien Sustainer Stratocaster is that unlike most other instruments, this guitar demands to be used with multiple effects pedals to

unlock its full potential, which might be a bit off-putting for those on a tight budget.

However, the EOB is definitely a fresh take on the tried and true Strat, and in the hands of the right player, the Sustainer system will open up a whole new world of sonic possibilities otherwise unachievable with a traditional electric guitar, resulting in one of the most memorable playing experiences offered by a Fender signature model in a long time.

BY WILL BREWSTER HITS ∙∙ Endless tonal versatility, especially with the Sustainer system ∙∙ Chunky-yet-funky neck ∙∙ Ed O’Brien finally being recognised MISSES ∙∙ Works way better with effects pedals

FENDER

California Series Acoustics FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU | RRP: $1599

As the company from which the electric guitar took its first bold steps into the waiting world, Fender has a long and illustrious history flowing out behind it. To their credit, they have scarcely skipped a beat since shifting the paradigm and with many and varied pretenders to the throne falling foul of fashion and finance, the fact that they have simultaneously kept one eye on newness and the other on legacy seems to be the wind in their sails. This is one thing in particular that they have continually excelled at over the course of the last few years: tributes to historical builds with a few choice updates to add a pinch of freshness to proceedings. The California Series is a prime example of this as these three designs come plucked from the archives, without besmirching the pride of collectors the world around.

There are three body shapes in this series.

The first and smallest in stature is the Malibu. Fender first released a Malibu design in the heady days of the early ‘60s and they fast became the guitar of choice for surfers and beatniks alike, with their blonde-onblonde veneer and slung-over-a-shoulder portability. Looking like something out of a Peter Sellers movie, this little pipsqueak tips its hat to the calm and relaxed nature of parlour guitars without the boxy, squarenecked nuance that causes many a love/hate relationship. The classic tonewood pairing of a solid Sitka spruce top on mahogany back and sides is gentle on the pokey mid-range commonly associated with guitars of this limited girth, offering a little more tonal width than expected and making it really

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come alive when approached with finger picking techniques.

Next up is the sassy middle child of the range. The Newporter, with its narrow hips and pronounced lower bout, definitely has a personality all of its own. With all the tightness and compression of mahogany rumbling around that big butt, the hip focuses the guitar’s energy and squeezes it out through the top end of the frequency spectrum, lending it an odd yet not unfamiliar voicing that almost sounds like a cocked wah. Lean back on your picking hand and it croons at you like an Elvis ballad; however, really dig in and get sweaty and it’s more like Neil Diamond in a sequined jumpsuit in its raucous, sexy, barking attitude. The six in-line tuners on Hot Rod Red matching headstock only accentuate this, making the Newporter the cocky frontperson of the trio.

Once upon a time I was lucky enough to borrow one of the most original sounding and feeling guitars I’ve ever played. I pried open an ancient, chocolate brown hard case in the late afternoon sun and there in all its beach white spruce-on-maple glory was a late ‘70s Fender Kingman. Stately as a limousine and with the resonant glory of Abbey Road’s echo chamber, this guitar really set the benchmark for boldness that I expect when I pick up a dreadnaught. The Redondo, resplendent in Cosmic Turquoise, has a lot of that same confidence. The largest in stature of the three, this is where you really get to take in the subtle yet refined appointments that Fender has afforded their new beauties. The painted

face and matching headstock crest over Koa binding like the edge of a cliff, and leaning over to gaze longingly at the naturally finished undercarriage is a classy and aweinspiring experience. You really feel the solidness of the timbers as the increased girth sends low end rippling through your ribcage, while highs and mids dance handin-hand around the corners of the room.

The balance and relaxed confidence in the Redondo makes it easily the most playable of this new holy trinity.

HITS ∙∙ Uniqueness ∙∙ Playability ∙∙ Build-quality ∙∙ Devastating handsomeness MISSES ∙∙ I’d like to see a natural finish top

All three guitars in the California Series are a nod and a wink to what have since become collectors’ items in Fender’s history.

One thing they are not, however, is a set of reissues. Aided and abetted by a Fishman co-designed pickup system specific to each tier, every one of these guitars has a voice and a vista uniquely its own that separates it not only from its ilk, but also from its ancestors and indeed most other guitars on the market. The Malibu’s plucky precociousness, the Newporter’s quirk and Redondo’s grand statesmanship make for a strident power-trio in combination, but all three stand alone as some of the more unique acoustic guitars in recent memory.

BY LUKE SHIELDS

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