Newsletter

It's another HC exclusive: Phil O'Keefe twisted a few arms at GC, and came back with one of the very first MXR M69 Prime Distortion pedals. So what does he think? You'll find out in this issue, as well as the Truth About Guitar Cords, this week's hot tip, Cool Threads from the forums, this week's newsmakers, and more news about some of the changes at Harmony Central.

Find out how multiband processing can spiff up processing in your DAW, how vocoders can spice up your music, and how to aggregate audio interfaces on both Mac and Window. Then check out the hottest threads from the forums, this week's newsmakers, and welcome back Chris Loeffler - and if you're not a huge fan of copy protection, Dear Musician tackles this thorny subject.

Can ADAM bring their high-end magic down to a price point for the rest of us? Find out in Jon Chappell's review. And if you think that recording synthesizers and electronic instruments is simply a matter of plugging into a mixer or interface, think again - then read How to Record Synthesizers and Electronic Instruments by Craig Anderton. This week's Hot Tip is about a simple way to get a bigger guitar sound, and of course, we have Cool Threads, Newsmakers, Riffs from HC, and another thought-provoking editorial that asks some interesting questions about wireless technology. Happy reading!

We wish a happy birthday to Apple's iTunes, divulge how to make truly quiet recordings, check out the latest insane pedal from EarthQuaker Devices, tell you how to do DAW upgrades with a minimum of pain and danger, and of course, peruse the forums for the six coolest threads, put the HC spotlight on six hot new products released this week—and best of all, have some good news we've all been hoping for regarding the forums.

This week's newsletter asks whether we've lost a generation of consumers when it comes to hearing quality audio—and then offers a complete guide to control surfaces, a review of the Grace Design m103 channel strip, tips on performing in the great outdoors, Cool Threads with great forum topics, the latest news items, and an update on our Frankfurt Musikmesse coverage. Read on, fellow musicians!

Phil O'Keefe blackmailed GC into wrangling him the first "1" pedal from Mad Professor for a review, so HCers can get the lowdown before everyone else. Meanwhile there's an ever-expanding Frankfurt blog from Craig Anderton, who also tells you how to avoid the seven deadly mixing sins. What's more, User Reviews are back, we have some Cool Threads, and with a trade show going on, Newsmakers has some items of interest too. In other words - it's another HC newsletter, so dig in.

This week, it's time to record better vocals, learn all about mid-side recording, and find out the many ways you can help protect your hearing—when it comes to music, your ears are the most important piece of "gear" you'll ever own. Cool Threads highlights six cool topics from the forums, Newsmakers does the same for this week's new products, and there's even a "Dear Musician" that ponders the maturity of synthesizers. Oh yes, and we're on our way to Frankfurt!

Hey! The Pro Reviews and Expert Reviews are back (with User Reviews soon to follow), so check out what's up with Zoom's MS-100BT—a guitar pedal with Bluetooth for loading in new effects and amps. Then we de-mystify what dithering is all about, and this week's Hot Tip is a simple, effective, inexpensive way to solve a common problem. Then there's the Cool Threads of the week along with the lastest Newsmakers, and some great news about improvements in Harmony Central's navigation. Read on, fellow musicians . . .

This issue starts off by waxing philosophical over whether the questions you ask are more important than the answers they elicit, then gets into some practical, hands-on techniques. Find out how to create cool reverb sounds by doing things wrong, ways to conjure up stereo mojo that go well beyond standard panning techniques, and a great example of how to use sidechaining within your DAW. Then check out the latest hot forum topics, this week's new products from the music industry, and details on how to turn your friends on to particular interesting forum posts right here on Harmony Central. Start reading!

Curious about compressors? Wish you had an engineer who could handle the details when you're recording guitar? Are you really, absolutely sure that your near-field monitors are set up correctly? You're in luck, because this issue addresses all these questions - and also provides the usual list of hot forums and news items, info on how to display time in forums, and the "dear musician" editorial explains why life is like . . . tape saturation?!? Read more to find out about these and other stories.

What's the reason for epic fails? Take a look at consumer electronics, and a definite pattern emerges. But this week's newsletter is about more than just Things That Totally Blew It. Find out how to choose a keyboard synthesizer with our in-depth report that describes synth features and what they mean to you, an assortment of tips on how to get better-sounding "in the box" mixes, a hot tip on how to keep your computer happy and productive, and of course, a bunch of Cool Threads, Newsmakers, and the latest news from Harmony Central. Read on!

Follow our 12-step program for better mixes, apply some cool doubling and layering strategies to guitar, and find out how to solve a vexing, intermittent Windows problem that can strike when you least expect it. The "Dear Musician" editorial explains why you really need to read the fine print as well as give "good guys" a pat on the back, and of course, there's our usual collection of Cool Threads, Newsmakers, and the scoop on accessing some of our star-studded interview videos.

Check out 10 pedal targets for multieffects pedal control, find out how to increase guitar sustain with control-room feedback, and when you're recording, emulate vintage phase shifter effects with a DAW's parameteric EQ. And in addition to our selection of Cool Threads and Newsmakers, find out how to optimize searches and also, you might want to consider being careful what you wish for. It's all in this week's issue of the Harmony Central Newsletter.

Hey! It's time to get LOUD! Find out how to get loud masters without overcompressing, and find out about the secrets of loudness with guitar amps and speakers. Not enough? Get that pumping, big drum sound for dance mixes with Reason 6.5. Then there's the provocative Dear Musician, "Vaporware Meets Option Paralysis," a bunch of cool threads, the newsmakers that got our attention this week, and details on how to add a signature to your forum posts.

This week, the HC Newsletter turns its attention to tech trends at the last NAMM show, then segues into a bunch of useful tips: How to do transparent (and non-annoying!) vocal pitch correction; how to take full advatage of busing, grouping, and parallel processing with today's DAWs; and the lowdown on how to post images in HC's new platform—it's a lot more flexible than it might appear on the surface. Of course, there's also Cool Threads to keep you in the loop on hot forum topics, Newsmakers with info on some of the week's more interesting product introductions, and Riffs from HC is happy to announce that HCTV is on the air with our complete NAMM coverage.

This issue features articles on how to make your own loops (they're not just for DJs anymore), a way to beef up your guitar sound by combining magnetic and piezo pickups, and a hot tip that just might save you a major computer repair bill. The "Dear Musician" section gives some insights into what goes on behind the scenes when making Harmony Central's NAMM videos, and as usual, there's a summary of cool forum threads and info on the latest music industry newsmakers.

This issue focuses on the wacky world of distortion terminology (really, what is a "void" control?), the secrets of how to prep vocals for mixdown - whether for vocals or even narration, and for all you road warriors, tips on how to beat jet lag. And of course, there are Cool Threads with a focus on forum threads with tips about how to use the new site's features, Newsmakers with the first new items from Winter NAMM 2013, and a "Dear Musician" that analyzes the pre-NAMM state of the musical instrument industry.

This techniques-laden issue tells how to boost your P.A.'s effectiveness with a subwoofer, the right way to mix bass so it sits well among your tracks, and a tip on how ot create your own "virtual library" of manuals with your iPad. There's also Cool Threads with the latest hot forum topics, Newsmakers with items from our News blog, and a Dear Musician that contemplates the pros - and perils - of change.

The latest issue reviews the Earthquaker Devices Sea Machine, techniques for tweaking layered vocals, a helpful computer tip on how to make it see only what you want it to see, Cool Threads, and Newsmakers. Also, this week's Dear Musician asks the question "Who Made Larning Obsolete?"

This newsletter features a comprehensive review of MOTU's Track16, the scoop on how to use your DAW as a virtual mixdown deck, and how true-bypass loop pedals can make your life easier. There's also a provocative editorial on "The 'Index of Gear Paranoia'," along with Cool Threads and Newsmakers.

Conspiracy theories have become a booming business. One of my favorites is that NASA is surely hiding crucial data on alien contact. Well, I hate to burst any bubbles, but NASA would give anythingto be able to make a case for aliens. They get a pretty small piece of the budget, and if NASA could find faces on Mars or evidence of buildings, you can bet their budget would go up astronomically. Yet people ignore logic and figure that if there’s no proof of little green men, then by golly, it's because somebody’s hiding it.

Christmas/Hanukkah 2012 are behind us, and New Year’s Day 2013 is ahead of us, so we’re in the middle of the holiday season. And as this is often a time for reflection, we too would like to reflect on something: The power of music.

Some people don’t seem to consider the arts as all that important, but think about it. Nothing unlocks memories of holiday seasons past like Christmas carols.

Despite the image of the badass revolutionary guitarist, the reality is that by and large, guitarists are pretty conservative. And why not? A classic is a classic. There’s a reason why Les Pauls and Strats have endured for decades; the Stratocasters that Buddy Holly and Jimi Hendrix played were virtually identical to what’s hanging on your music store’s guitar walls today. And decades from now, I’m quite sure people will also covet today’s PRS guitars as classics.

I broke a G string on my 1966 Telecaster yesterday. It was time for a new set of strings anyway, so I headed off to the nearest Guitar Center. 

But when I asked for a set of strings for my Tele, the clerk behind the counter said “Which year?” When I said “1966,” he replied “That particular model of Telecaster was discontinued over a decade ago, so we don’t support it with strings anymore.”

I was shocked, to say the least, and asked what I could do. “Well,” the clerk replied, “It’s pretty much obsolete since you can’t get strings for it, so you might as well throw it out. Or, we do offer a $300 neck upgrade that accommodates our newer model strings.”

30 years ago, the achievement of an industry coalescing around MIDI—a new, computer-based musical specification—was unprecedented. Almost as unprecedented is the idea of anything computer-based remaining relevant 30 years after its inception, but the people and companies responsible for launching MIDI got it right. But the story is far from over. Even if you don’t see the ubiquitous 5-pin DIN MIDI connector on as much gear as you once did, MIDI is with us more than ever—whether it’s data being carried over USB or FireWire, or musical messages running around loose inside your computer as they feed virtual instruments and receive controller information to drive your DAW.

The Women In Music Network (The WiMN), a new organization connecting women within the music and audio industries, launches today. The WiMN will provide a hub for all women's groups and organizations within the music and audio industries to share information, news, and events to a broader community of female industry professionals and performers. Through organized meetings and workshops, a website and online community, and special events like the annual Women's Music Summit and She Rocks Awards,