Toontrack releases new MIDI pack for EZkeys Umeå, Sweden, March 19, 2013 Today Toontrack Music released Funk EZkeys MIDI, a new MIDI expansion for the company’s groundbreaking piano software EZkeys. The classic funk-inspired chord progressions, the hard-driving bass lines and the persistent hooks combined with the creative songwriting tools in EZkeys make this pack a true well of inspiration. You can start from a fundamental baseline, riff... 

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Toontrack Music released Drums Toolbox EZmix Pack Umeå, Sweden, March 12, 2013 – Today Toontrack Music released Drums Toolbox EZmix Pack, a new expansion for their widely popular multi-effect mix tool EZmix 2. The Drums Toolbox EZmix Pack features a wide variety of one-click settings specifically tailored to enhance drum recordings of any type, all designed by a dream team of engineers: Randy Staub (Metallica, Alice in Chains), Neil Dorfsman (Bruce... 

TRIAD-ORBIT introduces the new Articulating Tripod Mic Stand—to revolutionize mic placement for studio and live performance. This represents a quantum leap in the evolution of the microphone stand. Every industry-standard component, from stand bases to mic clips, was analyzed and reinvented to realize a singular objective: precise mic placement without compromise. #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 .gallery-item { float:... 

PAUL REED SMITH GUITARS @ NAMM 2013  Read More →

AMAZING IsoAcoustics Speaker Stand Demo at Metalworks Studios  Read More →

New vocal pack for Toontrack’s EZmix 2 Today Toontrack Music released Vocal Toolbox EZmix Pack, a new expansion for their widely popular multi-effect mix tool EZmix 2. The Vocal Toobox EZmix Pack is designed to be a Swiss Army Knife of vocal production. You’ll find anything from warm and up close voice over presets to a multitude of effect saturated lead vocal settings, various FX voices and signal chains perfect for beefing up your background... 

Joe Bonamassa – OFFICIAL Vienna Opera House DVD [Trailer]      Read More →

CURRENT ISSUE No. 24 38 ALICIA KEYS The ever-evolving superstar pushes the creative envelope with her latest album and a fresh vision for life. 24 BEN HARPER & CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE Two generations of master musicians come together to create singular blues magic. 36 TEGAN AND SARA Canadian twin talents mix it up, choosing a lighter direction for their latest project. 46 NEAL SCHON   Journey’s ace axeman explores new musical territory on his fifth... 

Joel Coen did an interview last week in The New York Times about his and brother Ethan’s much-anticipated—but aren’t all CoBros films “much anticipated”?–film Inside Llewyn Davis. Based very loosely on Dave Van Ronk’s posthumous 2005 memoir The Mayor of MacDougal Street (written with Elijah Wald), Inside Llewyn Davis takes a darkly funny, typically ambiguous CoBros look at the pre-Dylan 1960s Greenwich Village folk scene,... 

Guitartown/Conqueroo In Conjunction w/M Music and Musicians and AllMusic Present Block Party Kickoff 2013 11am – 9pm, Wednesday, March 13 at The Dogwood/Molotov, 715 W 6th St./ 719 W. 6th St. Austin, TX 78701 OUTSIDE STAGE DOGWOOD: 11am TBA 12pm SHURMAN 1pm JAMES MCMURTRY 2pm HOWLIN’ BROTHERS 3pm MIKE SCOTT & STEVE WICKHAM of THE WATERBOYS 4pm AMERICAN AQUARIUM 5pm TBA 6pm CHUCK MEAD & THE GRASSY KNOLL BOYS 6:55pm BILLY JOE SHAVER 8:00pm... 

DRUM WORKSHOP @ WINTER NAMM 2013  Read More →

DIRECT SOUND VIDEO DEMO @ WINTER NAMM 2013  Read More →

DIRECT SOUND @ WINTER NAMM 2013 EAR PODS HEADPHONES      Read More →

Extreme Isolation Headphones @ WINTER NAMM 2013  Read More →

DIGITECH @ WINTER NAMM 2013  Read More →

Digitech Vocalist Live Effects @ WINTER NAMM 2013  Read More →

Digitech product highlights @ WINTER NAMM 2013  Read More →

DEAN GUITARS @ WINTER NAMM 2013  Read More →

CAD AUDIO VIDEO DEMO – WINTER NAMM 2013    Read More →

CAD AUDIO PHOTOS – WINTER NAMM 2013  Read More →

COLLINGS GUITAR @ WINTER NAMM 2013  Read More →

Collings Guitar Video Demo @ WINTER NAMM 2013  Read More →

AUDIO TECHNICA AT5040 @ WINTER NAMM 2013  Read More →

AUDIO TECHNICA STUDIO MONITORING M SERIES  Read More →

AUDIO TECHNICA SYSTEM10 DEMO @ WINTER NAMM 2013 Audio–Technica System 10 Digital Wireless Microphones    Read More →

AGUILAR @ WINTER NAMM 2013  Read More →

AKG @ WINTER NAMM 2013 #gallery-2 { margin: auto; } #gallery-2 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-2 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-2 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */  Read More →

  ALICIA KEYS – FIRED UP With a new album and a host of other projects, Alicia Keys is sizzling  BY RUSSELL HALL Sometimes an offhand comment can lead to magic. That’s exactly what happened to Alicia Keys as she began making her new album. Taking note of Keys’ energized demeanor, an interviewer called the 31-year-old singer-songwriter a girl on fire. “That’s it!” Keys thought. “That describes everything I’m feeling. Now... 

TEGAN AND SARA Twin talents enjoy the view from the bright side on their latest project After 13 years and a dozen albums, identical twins Tegan and Sara Quin are not afraid of change. “We always aim to create a slightly different record each time we step into the studio,” says Tegan. Take their latest album, Heartthrob. “Sara encouraged me to write outside my usual themes, like self-loathing, loss and heartbreak. So I wrote love songs for... 

AARON NEVILLE  An American treasure revisits the music that honed his otherworldly vocals   Aaron Neville has sung R&B, gospel and country, everywhere from Bourbon Street to Sesame Street, but now he’s returning to the street-corner sounds he’s loved since boyhood with his doo-wop record, My True Story. For the new album, Neville’s first on Blue Note Records, he called label president Don Was, who in turn reached out to longtime doo-wop... 

ONE CONTROL’S MOSQUITE BLENDER STOMPBOX SUPERCHARGER Ten years ago, if asked what “parallel processing” meant, most guitarists would have muttered something about computers. Today, the technique has become so prevalent many guitarists pick up expensive effects loop controllers just to be able to pull it off. One Control’s affordable Mosquite Blender delivers a single foot-switchable effects loop with a simple wet/dry mix control. Use it to... 

MICW ISHOTGUN POCKET-SIZED PRO MIC While photographers have long followed the adage, “the best camera is the one you have with you,” the MicW iShotgun proves that the same is true for microphones. Designed to plug directly into a standard 1/8” TRRS communications jack, this pocket-sized highly-directional condenser mic provides a professional-quality solution for anyone recording on the go with an iOS or Android device. It also comes complete... 

APPLIED ACOUSTICS SYSTEM LOUNGE LIZARD EP-4 ENDLESS KEYBOARD TONES Why settle for a single electric piano model, when the Applied Acoustics Systems Lounge Lizard EP-4 virtual instrument offers a limitless supply of vintage keyboard tones. Using some of the most sophisticated modeling technology available, Lounge Lizard EP-4 provides real-time manipulation of nearly every aspect of its tone, with advanced control over hammers, tines, pickups and other... 

ZOOM MS-100BT MULTI-EFFECTS POWER IN A BOX It’s hard to look at the Zoom MS-100BT and think “multi-effects pedal,” but inside this standard-size stompbox live 92 outstanding effects and eight distinct amp models, all of a quality any gigging guitarist can appreciate. Unlike similar compact multi-effects units, the MS-100BT allows up to six effects to be accessed simultaneously, effectively replacing an entire pedalboard with a single pedal.... 

WAVES REDD ROAD. ABBEY ROAD. From the late ’50s to the late ’60s, three hand-built mixing consoles dominated the British recording industry, Abbey Road Studio’s REDD.17, REDD.37 and REDD.51. The Waves REDD plug-in recreates the sound of these three classic EMI mixing desks with haunting accuracy, providing every DAW owner the opportunity to experience classic console sound. All three models deliver the coveted “British EQ” warmth plus silky... 

BEEPSTREET’S IMPAKTOR FROM IPHONE TO YOUR DRUM There are tons of great iOS music apps out there, but BeepStreet’s Impaktor stands out as one of the most innovative to hit the Apple App Store in months. This unique drum sequencer turns any compatible iOS device into a playable percussion instrument. Just set your iOS device on a table (or other flat, resonant surface), and start tapping away with your hands or drum sticks. Impaktor senses and interprets... 

BOICEBOX PEDALBOARDS STOMP ON THIS BoiceBox pedalboards have been stirring buzz among traveling guitarists lately, and for good reason. They’re made from an attractive three-ply bamboo composite that’s far thinner, lighter and stronger than standard nine-ply birch—and with the addition of a detachable lid, the board itself turns into a seriously heavy-duty flight case. Both flat and tiered BoiceBox models feature advanced cable-management systems,... 

ELECTRO-HARMONIX DELUXE BASS BIG MUFF PI NEXT-GEN BASS FUZZ The Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Bass Big Muff Pi offers bass players the classic fuzz tone they crave but with powerful tone-shaping controls needed for modern bass styles. In addition to a wet/dry blend control—which allows one to balance the fuzz with unaffected clean dynamics—there’s a footswitchable crossover onboard designed to roll highs off the clean signal and lows off the distorted... 

TEENAGE ENGINEERING OP-1 GIZMO-FUELED SYNTH One of the most unique, if not comprehensive, synth workstations available, the Teenage Engineering OP-1 pushes the envelope for sheer number of built-in gizmos and available aftermarket gadgets. It comes packed with eight different sound engines, spanning the gamut from the retro 8-bit Dr. Wave synth to the sophisticated String physical modeler. Sampling and sequencing options abound, and there’s even... 

FENDER PAWN SHOP REVERSE JAGUAR BASS VINTAGE BASS The Fender Pawn Shop Reverse Jaguar Bass takes you back to when bizarre one-offs and custom models would occasionally pop up in secondhand guitar stores. With its reverse neck and body, this is one striking bass. This instrument’s true character is revealed when it’s plugged in. With a pair of humbuckers—rare for a Fender bass—it’s an ideal combination of punch and jangle with just the right... 

YAMAHA DTX450K ELECTRONIC DRUM KIT Affordable electronic drums that groove With more than 45 years producing world-class drums, it’s not surprising that Yamaha’s DTX450K earns such high marks. The DTX450K is perfect for triggering samples in the studio or getting your groove on in any volume-conscious venue—including your living room. The most feature-rich model in Yamaha’s affordable DTX400 series, the DTX450K certainly doesn’t skimp in... 

EARASERS EARPLUGS Affordable, comfortable hi-fi earplugs  Musicians want to protect their hearing but they hate the sound, feel and appearance of over-the-counter earplugs. Custom-molded models address these objections but they require professional fitting and are pricey. EARasers—a company founded by musicians—is dedicated to creating comfortable, attractive, accurate and affordable earplugs. Since their arrival at 2012’s summer NAMM show,... 

APOGEE QUARTET Affordable electronic drums that groove We had anticipated Apogee would deliver its pristine digital conversion and fidelity to the Quartet, but its massive range of studio control totally blew us away. Like the One and the Duo, all of the Quartet’s I/O levels are controlled via sleek pushbuttons and a single big knob. What sets the Quartet apart are its four phantom-powered combi-jacks, ADAT I/O and three independent balanced outputs.... 

ISOACOUSTICS ISO-L8R 155 SPEAKER STANDS Definitive isolation for studio monitors The first thing we noticed when testing the IsoAcoustics ISO-L8R 155s was a dramatic improvement in monitoring clarity. Bass tightened, mids opened, and the separation between instruments became more apparent. ISO-L8R 155s achieve this effect by addressing the most common monitoring problems. Their floating design has a decoupling effect, dramatically reducing false low... 

AKG D12 VR REFERENCE KICK-DRUM MICROPHONE Bass drum mic goes to the next level The AKG D12 VR celebrates the company’s 65th anniversary with a nod to the dynamic mic that put them on the map in the ’50s and ’60s—the original D12—and the iconic D112 kick-drum mic heard on countless recordings and innumerable live venues. Without phantom power, the D12 VR delivers the pure character produced by any sound source. With phantom power engaged,... 

JOE CHICCARELLI Rock, pop, country or jazz, it’s all about serving the music       By Michael Gallant In more than three decades, Joe Chiccarelli has amassed an impressive roster of production and engineering credits—from Alanis Morissette, My Morning Jacket and the White Stripes to Jason Mraz, Elton John, Christina Perri and the Shins. But it all began humbly for the multiple Grammy winner. “I started in music as a bass player in rock bands,... 

LISA LOEB The ’90 chart-topper looks to the past to find new inspiration  Lisa Loeb has spent the last few years steeped in the world of children’s entertainment. She released children’s albums in 2008 and 2011. She wrote a children’s book, and has a new one coming out in April. She started the Camp Lisa Foundation to send underprivileged children to camp. And she had her second child in June 2012. So what coaxed her back to making pop... 

COHEED AND CAMBRIA    The eclectic rockers release the second half of an ambitious set   Claudio Sanchez is chilling in the Florida sunshine. The frontman for progressive rock band Coheed and Cambria is decompressing after spending the last two years writing and recording the group’s epic double-volume albums The Afterman: Ascension (October 2012) and the sequel released four months later, The Afterman: Descension. Like the band’s previous... 

EELS No plan is no problem for E and his band of indie rockers      Heading into the studio without a single song written could easily lead to chaos, but on the latest Eels album, Wonderful, Glorious, the casual approach was key to  bringing the band together. “Normally I have a concept or musical idea of what I want a record to sound like, but I went in with none of that,” says frontman Mark Everett (better known as “E”). Instead, E...