Chris Loeffler

JHS Colour Box Studio Console- On the Board, On the Go By Chris Loeffler “Direct to the board”, or plugging a guitar or instrument straight into the recording console in the recording studio, has produced some of the most iconic sounds in guitar recording history with bands from The Beatles to Radiohead plugging straight in for an entirely different texture than a standard guitar amplifier can provide. It’s the tone that shouldn’t sound good on paper, but can be transcendent with proper application and context. Overdriven, a hi-fi studio preamp distorts and fuzzes out in a very different way than a guitar amplifier or distortion effect… it tends to sound less colored and different frequencies jump out. The challenge to this tone, of course, is that it’s hard to emulate outside of the studio. The JHS Colour Box, beyond all the marketing talk and legal-skirting verbiage, brings the sonic vibe of a Neve 1078 preamp to the pedalboard in a compact format and affordable price. The Colour Box features both 1/4 inch and balanced XLR ins and outs, meaning it can add it’s color and vibe to vocals as well as guitars, although only one I/O configuration can be used at a time. The EQ section features powerful Baxandall controls for Bass (120Hz), Mids (1kHz), and Highs (10kHz) capable of up to a 17dB boost/cut as well as a High-Pass filter that allows cutting all frequencies below 60Hz to 800Hz that can be toggled on/off. The 3 band EQ is very intuitive and much more responsive/expansive than a single tone knob, or even most 3 band EQs found on amps. The possibilities are almost infinite for how the tone is shaped, and the range of sounds (especially once the preamp begins to overdrive) means the Colour Box can sound like an entirely different pedal with just a couple of tweaks to the EQ. Of course, I/O configurations and EQ are all in service to the preamp itself, so let’s get to the meat of the pedal. There are three gain controls, Pre Vol, Master, and Step, that control the two gain stage preamp. Pre Vol controls the volume of the signal before it hits the preamp to allow fine tuning of how hard it is hit, the Master controls the output volume of the pedal post-preamp, and the Step control progressively ups the preamp gain from 18 dB to as much as 39 dB. The Colour Box is certainly more hi-fi and full frequency than the range of a typical guitar amp. Bypassing the preamp of a guitar amp produces the “album” tones most people would be interested in this amp for, while running the Colour Box on the pedalboard like a standard overdrive achieves a similar tone, but with the added filter of the guitar amp’s preamp section. Both are great and valid tones, and the “best” application really comes down to the amp being used and the desired tones. The OD and fuzz that will peak most people’s interest is there in spades, but the clean tones can’t be ignored. The Colour Box can really draw out the percussive, piano-like character of a Fender Strat in lower gain settings that makes the guitar sound MUCH bigger. Looking outside of its application for guitar players, the JHS Colour Box can turn any bass into a grind machine and absolutely retains the subs, and it definitely opens up keyboards (especially with light clipping). Used for direct vocals, there is an added dimension and sweetness to the tone, and interesting textures are revealed when overdriven with a voice that has a bit of growl to it. It’s basically enhances anything you run through it once you understand how to shape its EQ and gain. The cleaner the amplifier or PA, the more the Colour Box shines. JHS made the ingenious design decision to have the different controls of the Colour Box assigned into color groups, with gain controls in red, EQ controls in blue, and the Hi Pass in Yellow. It’s a small touch, but it speaks to the level of thought that went into designing the pedal. The foresight to build it true to a console preamp including XLR I/O makes it a swiss army knife that covers everything from live performances to studio recording applications. It’s hard to rationalize securing the JHS Colour Box to a pedalboard when it has so many other uses for musicians. Resources JHS Colourbox Product Page (Street $399.99) Buy at Sweetwater _______________________________________________ Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

How to Beat Big Chains and Run a Successful Independent Music Store By Chris Loeffler Dear Mom and Pop, I know it’s been a while since I’ve come to visit. I keep meaning to swing by, but life has a way of changing plans, and next thing you know it has been years since we last saw each other. I heard you guys have been thinking about moving in to a smaller place to save some money; that’d be a shame. I really liked the place and have a bunch of fond memories, but I suppose you have to do what you have to do. In any case, I hope you’re doing well, and I’ll be sure to visit the next time I’m in town. Sincerely, Your Customer Like every retail sector, the music instrument industry has been forever changed by the growth of larger chain retailers and online stores. As with traditional, small retailers of books, music, or even groceries, the Mom and Pop family operations that specialized in carrying products and serving their community have faced challenges competing with the SweetAsh FriendCenters of the world. It’s a hard pill to swallow, having spent decades building brands and players and watching them now walk to the convenience of online shopping or big box stores that consider MAP a starting point in negotiations. That said, I doubt musicians miss the days of paying 30% more for instruments due to a lack of price comparisons (or a price below MSRP) or having to settle for what’s on the wall. Time are tougher: margins are thinner, there’s online competition that can go cheaper with a virtually endless product assortment, and popular music seems to have a lack of (insert-instrument-here) heroes. It would be easy to give up (some have) or blame change (many have), but those who are in it because they truly love the MI industry have many advantages up their sleeves to keep them as relevant as ever when it comes to building musicians and selling gear. So, Mom and Pop… Here’s what you'd better be doing- Curate You don’t have infinite floor space (nor the finances to fill it if you did), so you can't stock everything. What you do have is the knowledge of your community of musicians, and the ability to help introduce them to great gear. A guy (or gal) who needs a pink polka dot Strat in an HSS configuration with a maple neck may not be an immediate sale (cough... SPO... cough), but the person who walks in looking for a great guitar is going to be well served by your careful ly selected assortment and the fact that YOU put thought into every instrument you ordered and can explain why they are worthy. Customer service and a passion for your offerings is what builds a customer for life instead of a one-time transaction. Speaking of which… Support Your Vendors As the customer-facing end of the supply chain, you have a symbiotic relationship with the brands and suppliers who provide you the gear that lines your shelves (and, ultimately, your pockets). Frankly, there’s a general sentiment that some retailers are interested only in guaranteed hits and easy sales on the supplier side. Support your suppliers and learn how to sell their gear. They’ll love you, and they remember dealers who took the time to fully support a new product launch. You’re carrying thousands of SKUs, but that’s no excuse to not constantly stay in tune with what's new to market...be an active participant in the MI industry. Serve I often hear the cop-out from M&P that social media (and the internet in general) have changed the way people socialize, and that “hanging out” IRL doesn’t happen. But like many objections I’ve heard, it’s a passive shoulder shrug of resignation. Look at your shop, M&P… is it a place people want to be in? Is it comfortable and easy to audition gear, or has nothing but the inventory been updated in 30 years? Of course you don't want your sales floor to become the unofficial weekly practice space for local thrash metal bands, but your biggest advantage over big box and online is that you can create an environment condusive to comfortable gear evaluations for customers and demonstrations by your staff. Use that space to serve the need of exploring gear, and make it easy. Everything in that store was chosen by you, and you should be able to match your inventory to almost any customer's needs. Serve your customer well, and most won't bat an eye if you're selling gear at fair prices...they understand they're paying for your expertise and experience. Teach You can’t sell gear unless you have people who want to play it. Public schools continue to de-emphasize and underfund music programs, yet students still need a place to learn how to play. You are that place. Lessons from instructors' homes will always exist, but you are a one-stop shop and should be your community’s first choice for starting new students on the path to music. You have the instructional materials, the instruments, the accessories, the teachers, and hopefully the repair techs. You are literally creating new customers every time you sign up a new student. Students make for loyal customers, and the convenience of trying out gear and purchasing at the same location where they're learning is an added value. Build Community Get involved in the local music scene, be it through sponsorships, gear loans, or even just helping clubs and events advertise within your store. You’re selling tools and inspiration; make sure you’re connecting to the end goals of performance or recording with your clientele. They learn from you, they buy from you, why stop there? Community involvement through sponsorships and events promotes your store, gets you closer to the customer base you want, and helps to inspire the next generation of players to walk in your door and ask for a lesson. Connect musicians with recording studios, venues for live performance, and local civic events with the pure talent you're incubating in your shop. Sell Used The margin on used gear is nice, and accepting used gear will ingratiate you to those local musicians who can't afford something now and keep them from heading to Craig's List. Next time they do have cash, they'll be more likely to return to your store. Online storefronts can help you manage your used inventory if you need to free up some cash, but having cool vintage gear you can't buy from a big box will guarantee regular visitors hoping to see what's new. There are very-real challenges faced by people like you, M&P, who have poured your heart, soul, and savings into your shop. And you absolutely DO deserve to be paid for the value you add to your students, customers, and community. You aren’t a corporation with a massive warehouse and financial reserves that enjoys an extra 10-30% discount for placing $300,000 purchase orders, you have to artfully merchandise a showroom, set up gear so it plays perfectly, and answer hundreds of questions a day from people who walk into your shop and hopefully become customers. You inform your customers, you educate students, and you support the vendors and suppliers you carry. This is value, this is why people come to you, and this is why you can offer gear at fair prices without racing to the the bottom. Your local musicians want to support you, but sometimes you make it hard. Selling a pack of violin strings for $40 when we all know they can be purchased for $20 elsewhere is almost offensive. Support your community of musicians and students, be a partner with your vendors, and create a superior store experience - and you'd be suprised how much of those efforts will come back in kind. _____________________________ Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

LAG Guitars Tramontane Snakewood Series 701EDCE Dreadnought- Quetzalcóatl Returns By Chris Loeffler Unlike the wild, wooly world of electric guitar bodies, acoustic guitars tend to stick closer to a standard design formula. Whereas an electric guitar relies on the pickup to create 90% of its tone, acoustic instruments require acoustic space to amplify and create the tone, meaning that there are relatively few ways to stray from the proven architecture without completely walking away from an acoustically correct instrument. As such, the shapes and woods used to create an acoustic guitar have been more or less codified as “the right way” to build a certain style. This makes for a bit of security for players insofar as they know what to expect when they pick up a new guitar, but it makes for a fairly homogeonous list from which you can choose. Exotic tonewoods certainly make for flash, but the expense of these woods (especially figured) and the extra attention required in bookmatching quickly increases the cost (and, therefor, the price) of instruments to where they are financially unreachable for a player who just wants something that sounds great but looks different. LAG Guitars, one of France's premier distributed acoustic brands, came across a healthy stock of Mexican Snakewood and was inspired to create the limited run Tramontane Snakewood series. The LAG Tramontane dreadnought features a solid AA Sitka spruce top, Mexican snakewood back and sides, and Khaya neck with a satin finish. The headstock, fingerboard, and bridge are constructed from deeply figured mozambica ebony that complements the Quetzalcóatl-themed rosette. Cosmetically, the figuring of the snakewood and mozambica ebony are deep and well-defined, with no aesthetic-breaking snarls in the wood. The binding is rounded, which caught me off guard at first and felt a little "off" until I played on it for a few minutes, after which it seemed perfectly natural. The neck is stained a black satin, which seemed a bit odd given the emphasis of wood appointments on the rest of the guitar, but does stick to the "dark" theme of the guitar's physical appearance and black graphite nut and saddle. The LAG Tramontane benefits from an onboard Fishman Ink Preamp system, which proves a particularly good match for this guitar due to the sonic flexibility, EQ and phase controls. snooker pickup, chromatic tuner, and LED display. The bracing is slightly modified to rebalance the guitar, with a bit less bracing contact at the bottom and beefed up bracing the top (near the neck) to balance out the guitar. The neck is bolt-on, giving a solid connection with the body that's complemented by the enhanced bracing. To top off the visual flare, the included snakeskin-style case is visually impressive and striking without being gaudy. A unique feature of the LAG Tramontane is the battery insert placement, which is at the bottom of the body to avoid the risk of bumping settings on the preamp when changing batteries. Both the input jack and the strap button are included in the same area, and LAG mercifully chose to keep them separate to avoid the undue stress that using an input jack as a strap button causes. Features and hardwoods be damned, you say...how does it sound? Acoustically, I found the Tramontane to be full-frequency and extremely balanced, without too much compression or bloom when strummed hard and yielding consistent projection across the fretboard. Compared to something like a D-28, the Tramontane Snakewood felt a bit tight and lacking in bite, but again, was balanced and well suited to strumming. Electronically, the Tramontane Snakewood really shined, and the slightly muted quality I noted in its acoustic presentation allowed for extremely loud amplification without feedback. Limitations While not a limitation to functionality or tone, the figuring of the snakewood is likely to be a primary motivator in choosing the Snakewood, and the review unit I evaluated had about a 1/16"-1/8” mismatch in the book matching. Conclusion The LAG Guitars Tramontane Snakewood guitar stands out from the crowd of mid-priced guitars with its exotic woods and noir design aesthetics, without sacrificing sound or playability. While the Tramontane Snakewood has a fine acoustic tone, its construction and Fishman Ink preamp system make it shine most brightly when amplified...this guitar is a great choice for someone who wants to play something different-looking without breaking the bank. LAG Limited Edition Tramontane 701DCE Snakewood ________________________________________________ Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

That Guitar Tone You Love? The Line 6 Firehawk FX Has It By Chris Loeffler Line 6 has been leading the pack in pushing technology and consolidating the guitar ecosystem for almost 20 years. By recreating expensive and near-impossible-to-find gear through software modeling, Line 6 has made available the biggest touchstones of guitar history to modern players in compact form factors at a variety of price points. The Line 6 Firehawk FX is the logical next step in their technological march toward encapsulating all the elements that constitute "tone" in a single product. As a fully-featured multi-effect/amp modeler, it helps to start with a 10,000 foot view of what the Firehawk FX has and does. So, here’s a rundown of what’s hiding beneath those glowing switches and knobs, and what you can pack into the 128 user-reassgnable preset channels. Effects: 12 Reverb Effects 13 Distortion Effects 2 HD Effects (Harmony and Delay) 16 Drive and Dynamics Effects 23 Modulation Effects 14 Delay Effects 23 Filter Effects 16 Studio Reverb Effects Amps: 29 HC Amps 8 Clean Amps 25 American Amps 18 British Amps 26 High Gain Amps 25 Speaker Cabinets There's extensive I/O: Guitar Input, 2nd Expression Pedal Input, Stereo FX Send/Receive, Stereo XRL and 1/4" Outs, Heaphone and USB Out, and Variax In. The Line 6 Firehawk FX features over 200 amps and effects that can be customized, stored, and accessed in multiple ways to accommodate almost any approach to amplification, be it a virtual pedalboard running into an amp setup, an amp modeler (with out without effects) directly into the PA for live performances, or run straight into an audio interface for recording. So yes… amps and effects. The amp and effects libraries are deep, and cover every major piece of gear (and most minor ones, too) that exist in the guitar pantheon. Pedalboard enthusiasts will find comfort in being able to turn on and off individual effects within a preset (five per preset, plus tap tempo and expression controls) while rack jockeys can jump straight to wildly different amp and effects configurations with a single stomp. The inclusion of the Variax Input allows those using the Line 6 Variax to change the Variax guitar model and tuning with the Firehawk FX presets, taking all the thought out of matching guitars to presets live. Although every control and parameter is adjustable onboard the unit, Line 6 wisely created a Firehawk FX app for iOS and Android to allow a graphic interface user experience. This brings much more of the editing capabilities to the forefront via an intuitive dashboard optimized for on-the-fly adjustments - without having to bend down and dig through a menu or two. Further expanding the “no bending over” aesthetic of this “floorboard" is the mountable design that allows mounting on a stand for easy control manipulation that doesn't take you away from the moment. While live performances will likely see the Firehawk FX used on the floor, the ability to dial in tones without bending over makes getting it perfect in practice that much easier (cue other bandmates applauding). The Firehawk FX shares a lot of similarities in form factor and function with the Line 6 POD HD500X (including the modeling technology), but is different in that it is a bit more of a streamlined product that gives the goods up front and asks for slightly less investment of the user's time to unlock them. Whereas the POD HD500X is about building tones from the ground up with deeper editing options and more routing options, the Firehawk is more about immediate gratification. Limitations While all parameters are accessible on the physical unit, players who don’t intend to use the app support and are intimidated by layered menus may find the Firehawk FX has a steeper learning curve than the typical stomp box…the number of options and degree of control requires a bit of upfront investment in the learning curve. Conclusion What do you say about a tool that does almost everything currently available to guitar players, and does it all well? There will always be preferences and minute details a purist will mention as to why they stick with their favorite physical versions of whatever signal chain is being modeled, and those preferences are valid. That’s not the point of the Firehawk FX, and that person isn't its customer. The raison d’etre of the Firehawk FX is to give guitar players access to almost every sound available in a compact, easy to use format that can handle multiple output applications and configurations tailored to the individual player - and it nails that in spades. Add in sturdy construction and high-resolution sampling, and the Firehawk becomes a no-compromise solution that shines in almost any setting. Line 6 Firehawk FX Webpage (MSRP $699.99 /Street $449.99) ____________________________________________ Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer

LAG Guitars Tramontane Snakewood Series 701EDCE Dreadnaught- Quetzalcóatl Returns By Chris Loeffler Unlike the wild, wooly world of electric guitar bodies, acoustic guitars tend to stick closer to a standard formula when it comes to design. Whereas an electric guitar relies on the pickup to create 90% of it’s tone, acoustic instruments require acoustic space to amplify and create the tone, meaning that there are relatively few ways to stray from the proven arhictecture without completely walking away from an acoustically sound instrument. As such, the shapes and woods used to create an acoustic guitar have been more or less codified as “the right way” to build a certain style. This makes for a bit of security for players insofar as they know what to expect when they pick up a new guitar, but it makes for a fairly homogeonous list to choose from. Exotic tone woods certainly make for flash, but the expense of these woods (especially figured) and the extra attention required in bookmatching quickly increases the cost (and, therefor, the price) of instruments to where they are financiallu unreachable for a player who just wants something that sounds great but looks different. LAG Guitars, one of France's premier distributed acoustic brands, came across a healthy stock of Mexican Snakewood and was inspired to create the limited run Tramontane Snakewood series. The LAG Tramontane dreadnought features a solid AA Sitka spruce top, Mexican snakewood back and sides, and Khaya neck with a satin finish. The headstock, fingerboard, and bridge are constructed from deeply figured mozambica ebony that compliments the Quetzalcóatl-themed rosette. Cosmetically, the figuring of the snakewood and mozambica ebony are deep and well defined, with no aesthetic-breaking snarls in the wood. The binding is rounded, which caught me off guard at first and felt a little off until I played on it for a few minutes, after which it seemed perfectly natural. The neck is stained a black satin, which seemed a bit odd given the emphasis of wood appointments on the rest of the guitar, but does stick to the "dark" theme of the guitar's physical appearance and black graphite nut amd saddle. The LAG Tramontane is complimented by an onboard Fisheman Ink Preamp system, which proves a particularly good match for this guitar, with excellent sonic flexibility through various EQ and phase controls. snooker pickup, chromatic tuner, LED screen, The bracing is slightly modified to rebalance the guitar with a bit less bracing contact at the bottom and beefed up bracing the top near the neck to balance the guitar out. The neck is bolt-on, giving a solid connection with the body complimented by the enhanced bracing. To top off the visual flare, the included snakeskin-style case is visually impressive and striking without being gaudy. An unique feature of the LAG Tramonte is the placement of the battery insert, which is at the bottom of the body to avoid the risk of bumping settings on the preamp when changing batteries. Both the input jack and the strap button are included in the same area, and LAg mercifully chose to keep them separate ot avoid the undue stress that using an input jack as a strap button causes. Features and hardwoods be damned, you say... how does it sound? Acoustically, I found the Tramontane to be full-frequency and extremely balanced, without too much compression or bloom when strummed hard and yielding consistant projection across the fretboard. Compared to something like a D-28, the Tramontane Snakewood felt a bit tight and lacking in bite, but again, was balanced and well suited to strumming. Electronically, the Tramontane Snakewood really shined and the slightly muted quality I noted in its acoustic presentation allowed for extremely loud amplification without feedback. Limitations While not a limitation to functionality or tone, the figuring of the snakewood is likely to be a primary motivator in choosing the Snakewood, and the review unit I evaluated had about a 1/16"-1/8” mismatch in the book matching. Conclusion The Lag Guitars Tramontane Snakewood guitar stands out from the crowd of mid-priced guitars with it’s exotic woods and noir design aesthetics without sacrificing sound or playability. While the Tramonte Snakewood has a fine acoustic tone, its construction and Fishman Ink preamp system make it shine most brightly when amplified... a great choice for someone looking to playing something different looking without breaking the bank. LAG Limited Edition Tramontane 701DCE Snakewood Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

Why Their Taste in Music Doesn't Suck By Chris Loeffler A few years ago I attended a concert headlined by a blues guitar player who made a name for himself at the tender age of 15 as something of a child prodigy with his SRV-styled soloing and the voice of a 40-year-old singer with a pack-a-day habit. By the year of this tour, he had recorded five Top 50 albums and had a Grammy on his shelf. Opening for him was a guy a few of you may have heard of by the name of Robben Ford. Robben opened and spent his limited time on stage showcasing what distilling 45 years of studying music theory and the mechanics of what guitar playing can sound like in the hands of a master. His performance was met with the level of enthusiasm and response you would expect from an audience comprised primarily of “music consumers” (as opposed to “music creators”)… they were impressed and applauded at more or less the appropriate moments. As the headliner took the stage the crowd went wild and the band enjoyed almost two hours of unquestioning support. People sang along with the hits and guitar solos were met with consistent roars of approval from the audience. The performance and production was spot on and people spilled into the aisles dancing. When the lights came on after the encore, I obediently joined the crowd filing past the already-closed pop-up concession stands and spilling into the poorly lit gravel parking area. Nearby groups could be heard engaged in various discussions, from “I don’t know how I’m going to drive home” to “That was so great! He’s so cute.” On one side was a group that was clearly made up of musicians (identifiable even without their Fender/Ampeg swag by their haircuts and general attitude, which leaned more towards critical than elated) who were discussing the show. “Man, Robben put that guy to shame.” “Right? That was embarrassing.” “He didn’t even let Robben come up and join him during the encore. He was probably afraid because he knew Robben would make him look like a hack!” “Robben has more taste and talent in his pinky than that guy does his entire body.” That snippet of conversation, overheard in the post-concert shuffle, gave me pause and inspired me to think back on past conversations I’ve had with friends regarding live shows and albums. Discussing what’s “cool,” or “insane,” or even why something “sucked.” Musicians, as practitioners and worshipers at the altar of music, come into and pursue our instruments and songwriting for very different reasons, much like Pollack and Rembrandt using the same medium and materials to achieve diverse goals. For some, it is the perfect pop song, where the payoff is that verse-chorus-verse with “the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and then the major lift,” for others it might be achieving technical expertise over the scales and theory that dictate what notes “should” be played within the context of the chords. Some might invest themselves in the mastery of the instrument and coaxing as many colors as possible out of it, while some want nothing more than a bunch of stompbox effects to warp their instrument and create sonic meditations that are more about soundscapes than they are about creating a lyrical or musical narrative. Whatever aspect of music it is that creates an emotional reaction in us is what draws us to it, and it’s what we seek out in the music we play and listen. It’s what “gets us off.” The disconnect happens, and “music sucks,” when what’s being performed or played back doesn’t serve what we consider the point of music. There is indeed intention behind the creation of every piece of music, and successful artists can convey their intention and engage their audience in a specific way. This is where things get contentious. A person can enjoy King Crimson for their psychedelic assaults of lyrics and music that require multiple listens and careful scrutiny to finally “get” the same way someone listening to Miranda Lambert for her scrappy stories of Southern belles gone wrong laid to a danceable beat can. One isn’t better; they’re serving different wants and needs. The concept of the tortured, starving artist transformed at some point from a description of the state most artists in history have found themselves in pursing their art to the new perceived goal of art. It is a sacrifice to put the time in to master and instrument or songwriting, but the sacrifice isn’t the point, it's the mastery. One can only assume this is why musicians find themselves so offended or turned off by “pop”…it seems too easy. “Pop” didn’t come without heartache and pain (it didn’t?). Pop “artists” didn’t put the time in to even learn an instrument (they didn’t?). You might think a pop-fluff song from Katy Perry has lyrics that don’t stand for anything, is hyper-produced, and is inanely simple...but it’s catchy and appeals to enough listeners that tens of millions of people have a reaction to that song, even if it's just to dance. If all a song or performer accomplishes is to make people want to dance, does that make it any less valid? Are the people it resonates with less intelligent or accomplished than a fan of Phillip Glass because they just want the music to supplement their good time? Does being less than an aficionado at anything make you uninformed or wrong? Returning to the comments overhead after the concert, I think about the implications of their statements- Did the headliner suck for not having Robben Ford not join him for the encore? Did Robben Ford even want to join him onstage? Why did the expectation this would happen exist in the minds of that group? How did Robben put the headliner to shame? Did he want to put the headliner to shame? Did the headliner feel ashamed of his performance? Maybe both artists achieved exactly what they wanted that night, and that was enough for them. The audience’s enjoyment of their performance was no doubt important, but the crowd also came to see artists perform what the artists wanted to perform. Unless the artist so clearly fails to accomplish their goal, through sub-par performance or unforgiveable flawed technical production, attempting to delegitimize the performance or recording of a musician because of expectations set by anybody but said artist is counterproductive and will only lead to disappointment. Music, like all art, is a highly personal experience… even at a live show with 20,000 attendees, there will be 20,000 unique experiences. Everyone will walk away with their own connection to that moment, and all are valid. Go to a Justin Timberlake show expecting a spectacle and catchy songs and be prepared to be pleased. Go there with a desire to hear a guitar-player shredding Hungarian scales and the drummer playing hyper-syncopated multi-rhythms, and you'll be disappointed - with no one to blame but yourself. Respect music and the people who write and perform it. _____________________________________________ Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

SBS Designs, owned and operated by Craig “Shorty” Bernabeu, has made a name for itself with its pro-level audio processing units for clubs and recording studios with an emphasis on vivid sonic reproduction and getting that elusive final 10% out of source audio. This relates back to his experience designing sound systems for prominent clubs, where sound is crucial and anything that can be done to improve it is greeted with open arms. He eventually realized the only way he was going to get the sound he wanted was to design his own gear. Shorty recently met with Harmony Central to plan a series of upcoming articles around unorthodox mixing and mastering techniques, and the following excerpts from our initial conversation captured the reasons why we’re excited to join Shorty on a couple of deep dives into the important minutiae of getting the best sound possible. HC- What’s the story behind SBS Designs? CB- I started by designing audio systems for nightclubs, installing hi-fi home audio equipment for true audio-geeks, and building these beefy custom-car installs with multi-level trunk designs. As I was working the home audio world, I was seeing this excitement building around these massive systems in clubs by pioneers like Alex Rosner and Richard Long. Eventually, my interest resulted in me working NY clubs like Twilo, Zanzibar, and the like with Phil Smith. I started getting more and more work because I knew and had worked on the old Richard Long systems. This was how SBS really started, as I found these pieces in the signal chain that just weren’t cutting it. HC- And you decided to fill in that void? CB- Look, you shouldn’t drag down audio with weak links in the signal chain. If you’re going to do that, why even bother? HC- No argument here! Describe the SBS ethos. CB- Everything I do is about getting the most brilliance possible from the source audio. As everything moved to digital, there was this gap that started developing in the sound. DJs at a club using MP3s, digital recording in studios … a lot of the feel and animation of the sound went to the wayside. That’s where something like the Iso-Q2 or the SP1 comes in. [Note: The Iso-Q2 is an isolator - a processor that typically inserts in the master outs, and modifies crossover-type circuitry to create more of a program equalizer that's optimized specifically for DJ tone control applications. The SP1 is a tube-based "warming" device that also increases dynamics via SP-1 a sub bass expander and an extended range top treble expander.] When you’re working a crowd as a DJ, you want to be able to drive the crowd. There’s excitement and a true emotional reaction that happens with a crowd when a skilled DJ works the EQ; they throw their hands in the air at the right time and you know you’ve got them. The Iso-Q2 is intended to give them that control. What I found is that all my designs, because they’re based on getting the most out of a recording, apply equally well in recording, mixing, and mastering. They’re both about finding all those sweet spots in the source that need to be brought out to shine. Take the SP1 … I originally called it The Warmer. It’s basically a high-end tube processor that warms up and animates recordings. I made it to bring the life back into dead audio in a club where a DJ may be relying on so-so quality digital files, but it is also perfectly situated to “vinylize” sound clips or add dimension and life to samples. I’ve had people run their entire sound library through the SP1 to make their virtual instruments pop, and it’s night and day. HC- So it’s more about accurate production than adding to the sonic pile? CB- It’s about offering a product with technology and capabilities that aren’t available elsewhere but are part of the fundamental sonic experience. Bringing out dynamics… that’s the cleanest way to put it. For example, in the recording world there’s the standard toolset everyone goes to. I recently spent some time with Francis Buckley (Grammy award-winning engineer/producer) and, after talking technique, I mentioned using the Iso Q2 as a focusing EQ while mixing to smooth out the rough edges and work through shadow frequencies. It gets you more involved in the mixdown for those essential tweaks, and makes it fun. There’s an emotional experience that can get lost in the details of the mix, and this brings it back. Pros and the guy in his hobby studio alike can use it to add weight and authority to a mix. HC- What inspires your designs? How do you come up with your products? CB- It’s about identifying things people have somehow missed or just accepted that there wasn’t a better solution. I work hands-on in clubs, hi-fi, and studios and there are pieces of the audio processing path that just don’t get addressed. Take the Iso Q2…when I was working club systems, you’d have this immaculate sound system made by Richard Long and there’d be this crappy isolator in the signal path. They just sounded bad, would create power supply sag and put a general glare over the sound that took the energy out of the mix. DJs use isolators like a hyper-extended EQ with infinite cut to control the energy of the music, and what was available was just killing the vibrancy of the mix. Put the Iso Q2 in the mix, and BAM, there’s the excitement back in your music. HC- Everything’s made stateside? CB- Everything is made here in America. I could go cheap and get SBS in more hands if I went overseas for production, but then quality control and, more importantly, the innovation that goes along with production goes out the window. That was important to me in choosing my distributor. I’m a sound guy and product guy; I needed to be able to work with someone who got why what I’m doing is important to sound, and wasn’t going to ask me to compromise on quality or components to hit a lower price point and move a few more units. HC- What’s next for SBS Designs? CB- I have six new designs that are kind of waiting in the wings while my current lines establish themselves. Sometimes I’ll go dark on the design front for a while and come up for air with maybe three new designs. I just want to give end users features they’ve never had available before and make it sound killer. _____________________________________ Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty ale.

Michael Kelly 1965 Double Cut Electric Guitar By Chris Loeffler, Senior Editor Revisiting a Legendary Design The 1960’s saw the perfection of the electric guitar, with codified body and pickup designs of the 1950’s branching out to address the expanding sonic possibilities of guitar-dedicated amplifiers and signal processors. The iconic single-cut, two pickup styling that spawned the early electric country and rock scene begat a more versatile three-pickup design and added a tremolo bar connected to the bridge to emulate the slide guitar that defined the then-trendy Hawaiian music craze. Players embraced the additional pickup options for the unique tones they offered and discovered newfound emotional expression in more subtle uses of vibrato through the tremolo system. Michael Kelly celebrates the classic double-cut design with the 1960’s series guitars much as it did the original single-cut design in its 1950’s series. Each member of the 1960’s family remains faithful to the look and feel of the vintage design but takes the styling and features in very different directions. Elaborate figured woods, various pickup styles and configurations, and modern component refinements make the 1960’s line versatile enough to satisfy many different players’ preferences. What You Need to Know The Michael Kelly 1965 is built on a swamp ash body with a quilted maple top framed by flamed maple binding . The figuring of the wood is eye-catching and reflects deep dimension as the light plays off the finish. The body features slightly less countering and rounding that its vintage inspiration, but the arm and belly cuts are comfortable and feel close enough to the original that the difference is only apparent on close inspection. The maple neck is capped with a Birdseye maple headstock and features a compound radius rosewood fretboard for faster, more comfortable playing. A bone nut and all chrome hardware (including Grover locking tuners) round out the classic design. The pickups are all inspired by Todd Rockfield designs, with a Fat Stacked single coil in the Neck position, a SSC single coil in the middle position, and a SWC Humbucker in the bridge position. The Fat Single Stack is warm and round and works well for vocal leads and full chording, with a bit more punch and low end than the typical classic strat, for example, has. The SSC walks the right balance between the typical woofiness of the neck and sharpness of the bridge pickups and compliments its neighbors well. The SWC has a ringing, piano like attack that is full of balanced presence when played clean (and maybe even a little rolled back) but gets rowdy and a little sag when run full-tilt into an overdriven amp. The SWC can be split to single coil for a less powerful but more nuanced tone. The 1965 is one of two 1960’s guitars that feature the Epic 11 Boutique mod, a Michael Kelly design that expands the typical five pickup configuration to 14 total pickup selections. Highlights of this functionality are the ability to have the neck and bridge pickups active at the same time without the middle pickup or even have all three pickups active at once. Push-pull functionality on the Volume knob allows players to split the humbucker for a more vintage single-coil tone. The tremolo is a standard 2-point floating tremolo over an open back plate to give the guitar a finished look while still providing the expanded sound of an open cavity. Limitations Less a limitation than a preference, the 1965 is an eye catching guitar whose ornate stylings may turn off players who only like their guitars in black or candy apple red. Conclusion Michael Kelly brings a lot to the table with the 1965; marrying classic design with high-end appointments that are typically found on guitars priced at twice the price. The flexible pickup configurations sound classic and contemporary at the same time and the construction is solid and aesthetically pleasing. The Michael Kelly 1965 offers a visually striking, great playing package worth well more than the $599.00 street price. The 1960’s Series at a Glance 1960 Evolution Custom- Flamed maple top, gold hardware, Fishman Fluence Active Electronics 1963- Flamed maple top, chrome hardware, MK Fat single coil, MK Classic single coil, MK Vintage Plus humbucker, MK Twin Edge tremolo 1964- Quilted maple top, flat black hardware, Fat Stacked single coil, Fat single coil, Fat Ass humbucker, Floyd Rose Special Tremolo 1965- Quilted maple top, chrome hardware, Rockfield Fat Stacked single coil, Rockfield SSC single coil, Rockfield SWC humbucker, Epic 11 Mod, MK Twin Edge Tremolo 1967- Quilted maple top, gold hardware, Rockfield Fat Stacked single coil, Rockfield SSC single coil, Seymour Duncan Custom TB-5, Epic 11 Mod, MK Twin Edge Tremolo Available directly through Michael Kelly at www.MichaelKellyGuitars.com _______________________________________________________ Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

Style , Substance, and Snake Oil in the Electronic World A Conversation with Matt Reinhardt of MJR Effects by Chris Loeffler The Reverb community has morphed from an "ebay for musicians" to a vibrant starting ground for artisans and upstart boutique companies to peddle their wares and build early buzz. One of the more prominant and active sellers on the site is Matt Reinhardt of MJR effects, who marries his love of electronics with a passion for aesthetics. His pedals are always eye catching, whether because of the reclaimed wood used as the faceplate or the antiqued copper plates, and they stand out in a sea of silk-screened graphics. In addition to stunning enclosures, MJR is making a name for itself by utilizing highly-sought after NOS parts that make for stunning gut shots. Harmony Central reached out to Matt to discuss his view on how style and substance overlap and why he bothers making beautiful things for people to step on. What is the value of a great or unique looking pedal? Why do you go through the extra lengths to create a strong visual appeal for something that's going to be stepped on? A great looking pedal says just as much about the artist as it does the builder. For the artist, a unique pedal shows non-conformity, a taste for the custom, the obscure, the finer things in life. For the builder, it shows a willingness to go above and beyond the status quo, to use that bare aluminum box to take an artistic stance and produce something that is much more than the sounds it produces and the parts that make it up. Why make it look good? You look at it all the time, and if you perform I'm sure you have noticed the folks that come up to the stage, not to ogle you and your sick licks, but to check out your board. Give them some eye candy. Silk-screened designs and swirl painting bore me to death – personally, I love natural art, the gorgeous figuring in a fine exotic wood, the colorful reaction of chemicals on a sheet of copper. I started building this way because it's what I wanted to look at on my board, it's what I wanted my audiences to see. And the fact that these are made to be stomped is precisely why I cover all of my pedals in a thick epoxy – it's expensive and time-consuming, but it permanently prevents the paint from chipping, protects the wood or copper top from scratches and gouges, is easily cleaned, and even if you take a chisel to the top, a quick sanding and another coat will make the blemish disappear. A tank in a tuxedo. Vintage parts... they look cooler, but do they actually sound better? Why do you think that is? Have you ever had an "ah ha" moment with a vintage component? They certainly do look cooler, but just because a part is vintage doesn't mean it sounds better. Whether vintage or modern, there's components that sound great, and those that sound terrible – it's all about the manufacturing quality, end-tone, length of life, and the function of the particular part. Modern components have their benefits – tighter tolerances, lower noise (generally), more uniform results, and of course they are considerably cheaper – perfect for mass-producing pedals or for sections of a higher-gain pedal. I'll let the electronics academics (or the passionate forum member) debate whether vintage parts sound better through the actual physics; but, in the psychological sense, if you personally believe a part sounds better or is better, then it does and is. When I use vintage components it's usually for three reasons: the look, the function, and the history. No film capacitor looks cooler than a Mullard Tropical Fish (but they honestly have no sonic advantage); regarding function, old Philips electrolytic capacitors give me those tonal “ah ha” moments all the time, as do Yellow Jacket, Bumblebee, and Vitamin Q caps; and, the history is what adds the greater depth – getting to talk about the early 50's Japanese diodes in your pedal's clipping section produced at the start of their electronics revolution, right after their country was crippled by war; or your pedal's Vitamin Q paper-in-oil capacitor that was made while Jimi was soaking his bandanas. Right angle wiring... what's the benefit? It's almost all about pride of craftsmanship. When you open a box and see straight lines and right angles, you know extra time, thoughtfulness, and care went into the construction of that pedal. You'll never see right angles in pedals from companies interested in pinching pennies for their bottom line – it takes too much extra time in the assembly-line atmosphere that even most boutique companies employ. Demand more for your money. Some folks are in this business to quickly pump out as many pedals as possible for the best profit margin; others, myself included, just want to make ends meet while fashioning the finest product possible because it's what they love to do. All that being said, I have encountered instances where bundled wires, or just plain sloppy wiring, adds a certain degree of unwanted or extra noise – clean and proper wiring can remedy that (assuming the circuit layout is optimal to begin with). Fuzz built on custom Burl turrent board Given that technology has improved exponentially, why do you believe antiquated components and designs are still viewed as the standard for effects and amplification? Is it a lucky accident that the designs were just right the first time, or have we grown to view the original tones and designs as the default standard? I don't necessarily believe any vintage designs were “right” the first time – there's old pedals that sound great, and there's new designs that sound great. Old designs are still the standard mainly because of nostalgia – Jimi played this, Page recorded with that, this pedal is on that famous song. It's really due to the fact that you've heard those particular tones enough that it becomes the “right” sound in your brain. It becomes the benchmark tone by which you evaluate all others. The Tubescreamer, for example – folks will dish out big bucks for an original searching for the SRV tone, but there's a plethora of more recent modifications and versions that can make that design sound “better,” and certainly more versatile. Same with the Fuzz Face, Rangemaster, etc. Modern technology has it's advantages, and some companies are finally starting to get the whole modeling/digital processing thing down, but most musicians are reluctant to turn their signal wave into 1's and 0's. There's something about the organic, natural sound of analog circuitry that won't go away no matter how far digital technology advances – perhaps that's also just due to nostalgia, some “hip” factor, but regardless, antiquated technology will always find a home in musician's rigs, if nowhere else.

Return to the Womb with the Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone Analog Phaser By Chris Loeffler The Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone is an analog phaser effect pedal that uses digital controls to allow a greater level of customization of waveform and effects parameters than is possible with most analog (or even digital) modulation effects. Controls include Volume, Feed(back), Rate, Depth, Form, Wave Shape, and Tempo-Divide as well as outputs for Tap-Tempo or Expression pedals. The pedal features true bypass, tap-tempo, and runs on a 9v battery or standard Boss-style adaptor. What You Need to Know The Wombtone is a feature-heavy effect with extremely deep parameter controls. While it is important to understand these controls (they are the star of the show) it is worthwhile to cut right to the chase as to how it sounds… the tone is pure buttery, liquid phase. The circuit features a voltage-doubler that gives the modulation more headroom and clarity than, say, a Small Stone without losing the chewy, shimmering tone associated with the best vintage units. Subtler phase mixes shimmer, while deeper mixing of the wet signal thickens the phase sweep to the point of overtaking the original signal in extreme settings. The controls may be digital, but there is no denying the effected signal is all analog. The Volume control allows for a volume cut or boost when the effect is activated and is useful to adjust to any perceived changes in volume that may occur with phasing effects. The Feed control determines the amount of phasing feedback that occurs, from barely there to flanger-like interdimensional tears. Traditional, Univibe-style phaser effects can be found in the first third of the Feed control, middle settings yields vowel-like vocalizations, and the final third of the sweep introduces a three-dimensional swoosh that splashes over and under the direct signal. where the modulated signal thickens or adds movement to the direct signal. The Rate controlsets the speed of the waveform. When the momentary footswitch is hit twice in less than three seconds the Rate control is overridden and speed is dictated by tap-tempo. The moment the Rate control is adjusted it takes over again as the speed manipulator. Two DIP switches on the bottom of the pedal allow for selection of even or odd modes (1-2-4 or 3-6-8) to set the beat division and choosing whether the tap tempo controls the speed of phaser (Rate) or the Ramping control. A Tap-Tempo ¼” jack can be used as either a tap input OR output for players looking to incorporate the Wombtone into a MIDI ecosystem. In addition to tap tempo, MIDI devices can recall presets, activate/deactivate the effect, and control the Ramp effect (more on that shortly). The Wombtone is a DEEP pedal. While the standard controls mentioned above are intuitive and familiar to even the most casual user of effects (how fast, how deep, how much), the ModuShape control section and back DIPs take the effect far beyond where any other phaser effect stops. The ModuShape section is entirely dedicated to the shaping of the waveform through Depth, Form, and Left and Right Wave Shape controls. Depth intuitively sets the width of the pitch modulation, with the lowest setting resulting in subtle tone thickening and the highest setting yielding multi step pitch bends. The Form control sets the location of the peak, or center, of the modulation LFO: the lowest settings result in a rapid ramp up with a slow ramp down, the highest settings reverse the shape with a slow ramp up and rapid ramp down. Right in the middle yields a perfectly symmetrical wave. Thoughtful dialing in of the Warp allows players to avoid the monotony of a perfectly symmetrical waveform by creative, doppler effect style "hangs" in the sweep. The Left and Right Shape toggle switches allow for even deeper waveform shaping as they allow different wave shapes to be set on either side of the peak of the wave. Whereas most phaser units offer a single type of wave form for the entire cycle, the Wombtone allows different wave shapes on either side of the peak. Each side of the waveform can be set for either sine, triangle, or square wave shapes, making it possible to dial in extremely different and unusual wave behavior before and after the center. A wave form that uses a sine wave for a smooth ramp up to the peak and a square wave on the tail of the peak fora hard chop to the end of the wave can exhibit gradual swells peaking into a wrenching drop, while a square wave with an early peak that ends in a triangle wave causes odd-order harmonics to dominate with a linear drop. I’ve held off on discussing the Ramp control until last because it is probably the most unique and therefore difficult to describe aspect of the Wombtone. The single Ramp knob on the pedal belies the depth and magic the control gives players. The bottom of the pedal features two rows of eight DIP switches that control what the Ramp switch does (as well as a few other settings). Volume, Feed, Rate, Depth, and Form (all controls on the front) can be set to be modulated with the wave via the Ramp controller and can be individually set to occur in either the rise or the fall of the wave. For instance, activating Volume to be controlled by the Ramp creates a tremolo (volume amplitude) effect, whereas turning on the Feed setting in rise and Depth setting in fall creates an effect where the phassed effect gets exponentially more pronounced as the wave peaks and then drops in tandem with less depth (perceived phaser effect) as the wave ramps down. The Sweep control dictates whether parameters controlled by Ramp move from the current position of the front control to the maximum position or to the lowest position. An expression pedal input allows players to use an EP-1 style expression pedal to manually control the Ramp effect. When used, all the Ramp settings assigned on the bottom of the pedal are controlled by the expression pedal and the Ramp control is disengaged. Other controls on the bottom of the pedal include Bounce, which determines whether the parameters operate in a normal LFO fashion or ramp and hold, Stages, which selects between six and four phasing stages to diall in the range of phasing, and MoByp, which selects between full bypass or momentary bypass. An additional virtue of all the controls being digital is the ability to store two presets in the pedal in addition to whatever the controls are currently set at. I dialed in a preset for an almost wah-like vocal sweep with a bit of volume throb on the decend of the wave, a preset for subtle, shimmery waves that subtly animates arpeggios, and had phyiscal settings on the pedal set to mimick my old Maestro phaser. The ability to have three unique analog phasers available at the flick of a switch certainly takes the sting out of the (justifiable) price. Limitations None Conclusion Without abusing hyperbole, the Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone is the most flexible, full-featured phaser this side of the now defunct ProphesySound Infiniphase MKII (without taking up half your pedal board or having 18 knobs) and it just sounds good. Classic tones are easily accessible, and adventurous tone explorers will find dozens of in-between sounds sure to inspire. Joel hit his sophmore effort out of the park, and one can only speculate what the next Chase Bliss Audio creation will be. Resources Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone Phaser Product Page Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

Drasp Lil' Chuckster Guitar Amp A Loud Little Rocker By Chris Loeffler The Drasp Lil’ Chuckster is a single watt, battery-powered solid state guitar combo amplifier. The Lil’ Chuckster runs on either a single 9-volt battery or via a Boss-style adaptor running 9-18 volts. The amp features a ¼” input, a ¼” headphone out, and a ¼” instrument cable out to run into a larger speaker cabinet. Controls included on the amp include Volume, Tone, Gain, and a high-gain switch and the cabinet boasts a Weber AlNiCo 6” speaker. What You Need to Know The Lil’ Chuckster goes from a whisper to loud enough to get dirty looks and injure the hearing of those sitting too close to it as the progressive gain kickin in when the amp’s power section breaks up. The characteristic of the gain is surprisingly variable, with raunchy preamp gain available for that classic MP-1 style distortion (with less treble) or creamier overdriven tones available as the volume is cranked and the power amp section gets a workout. The magic tone combinations, of course, fall somewhere in the middle, with the right amount of preamp gain goosing the power section while the power section smoothes and slightly compresses the ragged edges. The tone knob works similar to most overdrive pedals, adding or cutting treble. Variable voltages yield variable tones. Higher increase headroom and add a touch of sparkle sparkle, whereas 9 volt operation yields a warmer, sagged tone. Both sound gloriously vintage and lofi (in the good way). The overdrive tightens a bit with additional voltage and the treble and bass retain a bit more presence with 18 volts, whereas a cheapo 9v battery creates spongy, fuzz-tinged tones as soon as the knobs go past noon. A great application for the Lil’ Chuckster (other than jamming when there isn’t a wall supply around) is dropping it in a bathroom or tiled area and recording with a field mike. The recorded result is massive classic rock tones that sound like they’re coming from a vintage stack. The build quality is ridiculous. Solid pine cabinet, kevlar textured coating, high-quality PCB and parts, and inpeccable soldering. Each is entirely crafted by hand, and it shows in the sturdiness of the amp. Travel ready indeed. Limitations This is a single, solid-state watt amplifier that runs on a 9v battery… pristine, crystal-clear cleans and modern, bass heavy distortions aren’t possible, and sustain runs a little short. Conclusion The Drasp Lil’ Chuckster is a niche ampthat isn’t for everyone, but those looking for a tube-like vintage sound with extreme portability and an amazingly rugged build quality will find a lot to love. Whether looking for quirky recording techniques or wanting to overpower those acoustic guitars at the next campfire session, the Chuckster has personality for days. Here's a cool video review from Harmony Central's own Bobby D! Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

Drasp Lil' Chuckster Guitar Amp A Loud Little Rocker By Chris Loeffler The Drasp Lil’ Chuckster is a single watt, battery-powered solid state guitar combo amplifier. The Lil’ Chuckster runs on either a single 9-volt battery or via a Boss-style adaptor running 9-18 volts. The amp features a ¼” input, a ¼” headphone out, and a ¼” instrument cable out to run into a larger speaker cabinet. Controls included on the amp include Volume, Tone, Gain, and a high-gain switch and the cabinet boasts a Weber AlNiCo 6” speaker. What You Need to Know The Lil’ Chuckster goes from a whisper to loud enough to get dirty looks and injure the hearing of those sitting too close to it as the progressive gain kickin in when the amp’s power section breaks up. The characteristic of the gain is surprisingly variable, with raunchy preamp gain available for that classic MP-1 style distortion (with less treble) or creamier overdriven tones available as the volume is cranked and the power amp section gets a workout. The magic tone combinations, of course, fall somewhere in the middle, with the right amount of preamp gain goosing the power section while the power section smoothes and slightly compresses the ragged edges. The tone knob works similar to most overdrive pedals, adding or cutting treble. Variable voltages yield variable tones. Higher increase headroom and add a touch of sparkle sparkle, whereas 9 volt operation yields a warmer, sagged tone. Both sound gloriously vintage and lofi (in the good way). The overdrive tightens a bit with additional voltage and the treble and bass retain a bit more presence with 18 volts, whereas a cheapo 9v battery creates spongy, fuzz-tinged tones as soon as the knobs go past noon. A great application for the Lil’ Chuckster (other than jamming when there isn’t a wall supply around) is dropping it in a bathroom or tiled area and recording with a field mike. The recorded result is massive classic rock tones that sound like they’re coming from a vintage stack. The build quality is ridiculous. Solid pine cabinet, kevlar textured coating, high-quality PCB and parts, and inpeccable soldering. Each is entirely crafted by hand, and it shows in the sturdiness of the amp. Travel ready indeed. Limitations This is a single, solid-state watt amplifier that runs on a 9v battery… pristine, crystal-clear cleans and modern, bass heavy distortions aren’t possible, and sustain runs a little short. Conclusion The Drasp Lil’ Chuckster is a niche ampthat isn’t for everyone, but those looking for a tube-like vintage sound with extreme portability and an amazingly rugged build quality will find a lot to love. Whether looking for quirky recording techniques or wanting to overpower those acoustic guitars at the next campfire session, the Chuckster has personality for days. Here's a cool video review from Harmony Central's own Bobby D! Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

A Brief History of Time-Based Effects- Chorus and Flanging (Part 3) By Chris Loeffler While often lumped into the category of “Modulation Effects”, or even pitch modulating effects, the technology behind early forms of chorus or flanging effects began by delaying the original audio signal in ingenious ways to achieve various effects such as signal doubling and phase shifting. Usually described as adding movement or shimmer to an instrument, chorus and flanging cover some of the same sonic ground through similar technology but distinctly different approaches. Flanging The Application of Flanger Effects The flanging effect, named after the rim (flange) of audio tape (more on that in a minute), is based on two (or more) parallel audio signals cycling in and out of phase with each other. The sonic result is a swooshing sound that covers ground as diverse as the metallic shimmer of Police-era Andy Summers, the jet swoosh of Barracuda, and the time traveling phase of Hendrix’s House Burning Down. Through-zero flanging adds an acid-tinged vibe to House Burning Down. The Technology of Flanger Effects Flanging originally was achieved through physical manipulation of reel-to-reel recordings to create subtle acceleration and deceleration of one recording played against the other (unaltered). The result is comb filtering and pitch shifting as the tape speeds fall in and out of synch with each other. By feeding the output back into the input, the flange effect is further intensified. The pioneer and first noted use of the effect? Mr. Les Paul in 1945 with Mamie’s Boogie. Obviously, studio manipulation of tape couldn’t be replicated in live performance, so the effect was confined to recording until 1974, when flanging was brought to the solid-state world via the Design Technology Flange Delay Line. By 1976, flanging classics Electro-Harmonix Electrtic Mistress, Tychobrahe Pedalflanger, Ibanez FL-305, and T.C. Electronics SCF were on the scene. These pedal and rack effects relied on the same BBD chips used for delay pedals with the delay time modulated between 5-15MS by an internal LFO to recreate the modulating parallel tape signals with a feedback loop, effectively recreating the mechanics of tape flanging. Compared to true tape flanging, analog electronic versions are somewhat less nuanced as they are locked into the perfection of the LFO and exhibit less of the non-linear behavior created by tape manipulation. As a brief aside, less prominent but certainly worthy of mention is Barber Pole flanging. Rather than modulating in and out of phase synch, Barber Pole flanging only sweeps in a single direction in repeat, creating the sonic effect of a dramatic rise or fall in flange with an abrupt reset of phase. As with other time based effects, flanging went digital in a big way as digital technology emerged and flanger-esque algorithms were created. The limitations of early digital resolution resulted in even more hollow and metallic tones but shed the confining restrictions of analog technology by introducing longer delay times for more extreme effects and more control over the LFO. Modelling technology, being what it is, has effectively recreated all three previous flanger technologies via software. Examples of Flanger Effects and Usage Classic Analog Flanger- A/DA Flanger, Boss BF-2, EHX Electric Mistress, MXR Flanger Classic Digital Flanger- Ibanez DFL Digital Flanger, TC Electronic M5000 Classic Modeled Flanger- Line 6 Liqua Flange, Strymon Orbit Chorus The Application of Chorus Effects The goal of the chorus effect is to create multiple timbres and pitches close, but never identical, to the original signal to achieve the sonic impression of multiple instruments playing the same note. The chorus effect is used to a variety of sonic ends, including thickening up an instrument’s sound, adding animation and harmonic depth, creating watery modulation, and even mimicking the Doppler effect of a rotating speaker. Classic clean chorus tries its best to wear out its welcome in the 80's The Technology of Chorus Effects The original chorus was literally multiple musicians playing the same part at the same time. The slight variances in instrument tone and playing style creates a richer, more complex sound than a single instrument is capable of producing. Like most effects, chorus as an effect began in the studio in the form of combining multiple takes of an instrument, recreating a “chorus” of musicians with a single musician. The first chorus effect in electronic form was the Roland CE-1 and relied on BBD technology to create a 4-40MS delayed signal that bended pitch as it modulated toward and away from the original signal. These bucket brigade chips create a parallel signal that is delayed at various times, resulting in the same pitch bend that occurs when the time is increased on a delay pedal. Smaller in focus and rhythymic, the LFO creates a warbled version of the signal that can fatten or add movement to the original, and the antialiasing filters required to tame the circuit rolls off some of the high-end of the signal for a darker, warmer sound. In electronic form, the Chorus effect shares a lot in common with flanging and vibrato. Whereas the vibrato effect usually relies on pitch modulation of the instrument’s signal, Chorus often (but not always) leaves the direct signal unaffected and pitch modulates the effected signal (usually slightly delayed) against the original signal to achieve the “multiple instruments” impressions. As compared to flanging, electronic chorus effects rely on similar technology but often incorporate longer delay times and eschew the feedback loop and regeneration. Others, such as the Boss Dimension-C, utilize several static delay lines to create a spatial chorus without the modulating pitch. As an aside, a small but notable diversion from the technology of chorusing that achieved a similar result was Pat Metheny’s divisive use of chorus in his early albums. In these cases, the chorus effect is actually two digital delays panned left and right with 14ms delay on one and a 26 ms delay on the other. The result, even without detuning, is identical to a typical chorus effect created by a pedal. Examples of Chorus Effects and Usage Classic Analog Chorus- Roland CE-1, Boss CE-2, TC Electronics SCF, Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Classic Digital Chorus- Boss CE-5, Eventide Rack Classic Modeled Chorus- Line 6 MM4, Strymon Ola Resources Exploring Time-Based Effects (Part 1) Exploring Time-Based Effects (Part 2) Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl By Chris Loeffler What You Need to Know The Chase Bliss Audio Warped Vinyl is an analog vibrato/chorus effect pedal that uses digital controls to allow a greater level of customization of waveform and effects parameters than is found with most analog (or even digital) modulation effects. Controls include Volume, Mix, RPM, Depth, Warp, Wave Shape, and Tempo-Divide as well as outputs for Tap-Tempo or Expression pedals. The pedal features true bypass, tap-tempo, and runs on a 9v battery or standard Boss-style adaptor. The Warped Vinyl is a feature-heavy effect with extremely deep parameter controls. While it is important to understand these controls (they are the star of the show) it is worthwhile to cut right to the chase as to how the chorus/vibrato modulation sounds… the tone is pure BBD analog warmth. The circuit features a voltage-doubler that gives the modulation more headroom and clarity than, say, a Boss CE-2 without losing the fat, round tone associated with the best vintage units. Subtler chorus mixes are clean and sparkling, while deeper mixing of the wet signal darkens the tone. The controls may be digital, but there is no denying the effected signal is all analog. The Volume control allows for a volume cut or boost when the effect is activated and is useful to adjust to any perceived changes in volume that may occur with modulation effects. The Mix control effectively controls the blend of direct and effected signal. Fully counter-clockwise is 100% dry and fully clockwise is 100% wet. Traditional chorus effects can be found in the middle settings, where the modulated signal thickens or adds movement to the direct signal; running the effect 100% wet yields classic vibrato pitch bends. Due to the nature of noise-reduction filters in bucket brigade technology, the Warped Vinyl creates warm (even dark) rolled-off tones like those of vintage analog effects in more extreme settings, doubling the function of the Mix control as a potential tone control for the modulation. The RPM control, named in homage of old vinyl players, controls the speed of the waveform. When the momentary footswitch is hit twice in less than three seconds the RPM control is overridden and speed is dictated by tap-tempo. The moment the RPM control is adjusted it takes over again as the speed manipulator. Two DIP switches on the bottom of the pedal allow for selection of even or odd modes (1-2-4 or 3-6-8) to set the beat division and choosing whether the tap tempo controls the speed of vibrato (RPM) or the Ramping control. A Tap-Tempo ¼” jack can be used as either a tap input OR output for players looking to incorporate the Warped Vinyl into a MIDI ecosystem. In addition to tap tempo, MIDI devices can recall presets, activate/deactivate the effect, and control the Ramp effect (more on that shortly). The Warped Vinyl is a DEEP pedal. While the standard controls mentioned above are intuitive and familiar to even the most casual user of effects (how fast, how deep, how much), the ModuShape control section and back DIPs take the effect far beyond where every other chorus pedal stops. The ModuShape section is entirely dedicated to the shaping of the waveform through Depth, Warp, and Left and Right Wave Shape controls. Depth intuitively sets the width of the pitch modulation, with the lowest setting resulting in subtle tone thickening and the highest setting yielding multi step pitch bends. The Warp control sets the location of the peak, or center, of the modulation LFO: the lowest settings result in a rapid ramp up with a slow ramp down, the highest settings reverse the shape with a slow ramp up and rapid ramp down. Right in the middle yields a perfectly symmetrical wave. Thoughtful dialing in of the Warp allows players to avoid the monotony of a perfectly symmetrical waveform and better imitates the slightly off-center warble of worn record players or even a Leslie rotating speaker. The Left and Right Shape toggle switches allow for even deeper waveform shaping as they allow different wave shapes to be set on either side of the peak of the wave. Whereas most modulation units offer a single type of wave form for the entire cycle, the Warped Vinyl allows different wave shapes on either side of the peak. Each side of the waveform can be set for either sine, triangle, or square wave shapes, making it possible to dial in extremely different and unusual wave behavior before and after the center. A wave form that uses a sine wave for a smooth ramp up to the peak and a square wave on the tail of the peak fora hard chop to the end of the wave can exhibit a Doppler Effect-like swell and wrenching drop, while a square wave with an early peak that ends in a triangle wave causes odd-order harmonics to dominate with a linear drop. I’ve held off on discussing the Ramp control until last because it is probably the most unique and therefore difficult to describe aspect of the Warped Vinyl. The single Ramp knob on the pedal belies the depth and magic the control gives players. The bottom of the pedal features two rows of eight DIP switches that control what the Ramp switch does (as well as a few other settings). Volume, Mix, RPM, Depth, and Warp (all controls on the front) can be set to be modulated with the wave via the Ramp controller and can be individually set to occur in either the rise or the fall of the wave. For instance, activating Volume to be controlled by the Ramp creates a tremolo (volume amplitude) effect, whereas turning on the Mix setting in rise and Depth setting in fall creates an effect where the modulated effect gets exponentially more pronounced as the wave peaks and then drops in tandem with less depth (perceived chorus effect) as the wave ramps down. The Sweep control dictates whether parameters controlled by Ramp move from the current position of the front control to the maximum position or to the lowest position. An expression pedal input allows players to use an EP-1 style expression pedal to manually control the Ramp effect. When used, all the Ramp settings assigned on the bottom of the pedal are controlled by the expression pedal and the Ramp control is disengaged. Other controls on the bottom of the pedal include Bounce, which determines whether the parameters operate in a normal LFO fashion or ramp and hold, Lo-Fi, which cuts some high-end and adds a bit of dusty record vibe, and MoByp, which selects between full bypass or momentary bypass. An additional virtue of all the controls being digital is the ability to store two presets in the pedal in addition to whatever the controls are currently set at. I dialed in a preset for one of the best Leslie-simulators I’ve had the pleasure to play through, a present that nailed the slightly warped record-player feel (dusty pops and all), and had the pedal set to an EHX Small Clone style chorus effect. The ability to have three unique analog modulations available at the flick of a switch certainly takes the sting out of the price. Limitations The analog nature of the pedal gives it a bit more natural noise floor than a top-of-the-line digital chorus effect. While the white noise is MUCH lower than most vintage units it was played against, dirty power and extended daisy-chain power supplies can make some of that “analogness” more noticeable. Conclusion The Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl is, without hyperbole, the most tweakable and flexible analog chorus/vibrato effect available on the market today. While the (entirely justifiable) higher pricing may make it an impractical choice for players just looking to add a little generic swirl to their sound, players seeking a truly customizable modulation palette will find dozens of hours’ worth of fine-tuning available and several distinctly different tones are lurking under the hood. A chorus/vibrato for people for love chorus, a chorus/vibrato for people who have hated it in the past. Chase Bliss Audio Warped Vinyl Product Page ($349.00 Street) Chase Bliss Audio Warped Vinyl Instruction Manual Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

Steal Away the Night- An Ozzy Osbourne Day-By-Day by Martin Proof Hardbound, 252 Pages, Backbeat Books Publishing By Chris Loeffler Few rock legends have kpet in the pop-culture spotlight like Ozzy Osbourne. Even when he isn’t making music he embodies the edginess and excess of rock and roll. From his time in Black Sabbath to his solo acts, he’s always managed to maintain a certain rock dignity despite forays into mainstream media through reality TV or general tabloid exposure. He comes across as nothing more or less than who he is. Steal Away the Night is a hardcover rock history book written by Martin Popoff and published by Backbeat Books. Largely, the book is a mid-level view of Osbourne’s 40+ year career as rock and metal’s infamous madman. Hardly a neutral observer, author Martin Popoff offers a celebratory, insider’s account of Ozzy’s many rises and dips, expanding to address Black Sabbath bandmates and future collaborators as the gravity of Osbourne’s ascent in music pulls in current or would-be influential players into his orbit of the metal scene. The core narrative uses calendar dates to follow the chronological story of Ozzy from 1948 to 2013 and chapters are divided into decades rather than specific incidents. The Ozzy-centric main story is supplemented by colorful graphic design and copious photos taken from the events documented on a given page. Ephemera, trivia, and written artifacts pepper the pages and create entertaining, if brief, diversions that complement the core story and better flesh out the world Ozzy lives in. Sabbath and Ozzy fanatics who have read previous biographies won’t find any surprise revelations in Steal Away the Night, and the book is more interested with sticking to factoids and sound bite-based reporting than creating a probing, flowing narrative. As such, the book is the ideal coffee table book. It is attractive and a nice diversion read with no passage taking more than a single page to finish. Fly-away quotes from Ozzy and friends adds a personal feel to the book and inject life into the straight-ahead central story. Steal Away the Night isn’t going to convert new fans to the Ozzy empire, and it doesn’t offer anything particularly new to the story, but its slick design, high production quality, and pure celebratory nature of all things Osbourne will certainly appeal to people looking to enjoy and share the history of one of rock’s most iconic personalities. Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

A Brief History of Time-Based Effects (Part 1) By Chris Loeffler The electrification and amplification of instruments in the 1930’s originally came about out of the need for instruments to be louder in pre-PA days, but an unintentional outcome of electrifying instruments was unique changes to tone and behavior of amplification that added an entirely new world of possibilities. Initial shortcomings of electrified amplification, such as feedback and distortion, slowly became embraced by musicians as additional tools of expression. Given the steady evolution of sound technology, it was only a matter of time before gear designed specifically to alter the sound of an instrument would surface. Time-based effects are devices designed to create a (or many) delayed, parallel path(s) of the original instrument signal with the intention of building sonic space, replicating the natural reflections of a room, or simulating multiple instruments playing the same notes at roughly the same time. The pause in delay time can be as short as a few milliseconds (MS) to thicken a note to multiple seconds in duration between the initial note and the effected signal. Taken to the extreme, the concept of time-based effects blends into recording territory. While there are many hybrids and effects that live between types, time-based effects can be confidently lumped into Delay, Reverb, Chorus, Flanging, and Looping categories. Delays and Echo The Application of Delay Effects Delay effects create a repeat of the instrument signal that is heard some period of time after the original signal. The result is a second iteration of the original signal that mimics the effect of echoes in a canyon or even syncopated rhythms depending on how the delayed signal is mixed. The Technology of Delay Effects The delay effect (also referred to as Echo or Repeat) typically features controls for delay time, number of repeats (sometimes labeled “Feedback”) and effect blend. Other common features in delay effects include the ability to brighten or darken the delayed signal, add modulation to the delayed signal, and tap-tempo control of the delay time. The earliest incarnations of delay came in the form of reel-to-reel magnetic tape or drum machines like the Roland Space Echo, Binson Echorec and Ray Ludbow’s unique Morely oilcan delay. Early delay technology was bulky and required regular maintenance due to the number of moving mechanical parts, but the natural, slightly saturated repeats sat better in the mix against the direct signal and created ambient sound and their preamp sections tended to sweeten the instrument’s signal even when the effect was bypassed. These original sonic limitations in the technology coincidentally (if accidentally) exemplified the organic nature of the effect players still seek today. As the delay effect made its way into smaller format stomp-boxes and early multi-effect devices, the creation of the delayed signal moved to solid-state technology that replaced bulky mechanical delays with discrete-time analog delay line ICs (integrated circuits). The ICs, often referred to as bucket-brigade devices (BBD), passed the analog signal (in the form of a charge) through multiple stages (512 being common in BBD classics like the Retcon SAD-1024 and Panasonic MN3005), creating slight delays in the output of the delay signal ranging from 15-600 milliseconds. Although the effect signal was never converted to digital, filters were implemented at both ends of the circuit to reduce noise and artifacts. These filters warmed the repeats up a bit and rolled off some of the high-end, resulting in a delay that never competed for space and presence with the direct signal. The nature of the circuitry meant that longer delay times introduced exponentially more noise and unpleasant artifacts, so most analog delay devices capped between 300 and 500 milliseconds of maximum delay time. As the 80’s saw an increase in the use of digital chips, digital delays were introduced and eliminated the limitation on potential delay time as noise floors were significantly lower in longer delay times. Many early delays created by digital technology suffered from stiff, lifeless repeats that clashed against the direct signal in ways many players described as “unmusical”, but the fidelity of the delays stayed truer to the original tone, opening the door for U2-style syncopated delay patterns. Later improvements in digital delays cleaned up the sound even further through improved sampling resolution, brought in tone controls to simulate the high-end roll off of analog effects, and added digital and MIDI controls to parameters previously limited to manual manipulation. The 2000’s brought in hardware and software technology advanced enough to introduce effect and amplifier modeling, where the instrument’s signal is digitally converted and run through software that emulates (through part-by-part recreations or advanced sampling) physical effect circuits. As such, the most iconic versions of the different delay technologies found themselves modeled and expanded upon with the control of every parameter only software can allow. The biggest boon to the modeling technology was the ability to offer enteirely different delay technology styles within a single enclosure. Examples of Delay Effects Classic Tape Delays- Roland Space Echo, Maestro EP-1 Tape Delay, Fulltone Tape Delay Classic Analog Delays- Boss DM-2, Ibanez AD-9, EHX Deluxe Memory Man Classic Digital Delays- Boss DD-2, Korg SDD-3000, Eventide H949 Classic Delay Modelers- Line 6 DL-4, Strymon El Capistan/Timeline Reverb TO BE CONTINUED… Please add comments for any additions. This is meant to be a living document and any and all community input is welcome! Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

The Futurist Sounds of Yesterday Return as Today's Nostalgia By Chris Loeffler String synthesizers had their improbable start through Eminent, a 90 year old Dutch organ manufacturing company. The Eminent 310 Unique became commercially available in 1972 (the Freeman String Synthesizer was debuted in prototype form at Musikmesse that same year) and featured what was the first commercially available string synthesizer section. While financially unsuccessful, the 310 Unique birthed the Eminent Solina (rebranded by ARP as ARP String Machine in the US) and is the foundation upon which virtually every subsequent analog string synthesizer is built upon. The otherworldly, quivery moan of the string synth became a mainstay for sci-fi and fantasy movies of the era and represented the sound of the future… a machined version of an organic instrument. Waldorf, of synthesizer filter fame, has decided to bring that once futuristic, now nostalgic sound into the present with the Waldorf Streichfett String Synthesizer. Translated from German to mean something between “Fat Strings” and “Fat Prank”, the Waldorf Streichfett String Synthesizer is a love letter to the synthesizers of the 70’s and 80’s that produced the ethereal, gooey string and orchestral leads that swirled through movie soundscapes and the burgeoning prog rock scene at that time. The unit features a String section with controls for Octaves, Registration/Voice, Crescendo, Release, and Ensemble, a Solo section with controls for Tone, Tremolo, Attack, Decay/Release, and Split and an effects section with three modes and a depth control. The Streichfett has twelve storable presets, MIDI In/Out, Stereo In/Out, a Headphone Out, and is powered by USB. What You Need To Know The Waldorf Streichfett features a 128 voice, fully polyphonic String section that covers Viola, Violin, Cello, Brass, Organ, and Choir voicings. Rather than being limited to distinct presets, the control for the voicings glides between settings and creates dozens of in between sounds that are incredibly musical. Blending the bass and grind of the Cello voice with the Violin setting creates thicker, more complex harmonics, much as the area between Organ and Choir reveals uniquely fat and crisp pad swells. Users can tweak the effect to include the base note(s), an octave up, or both and can select between String or Chorus modes. Layering over/under the Strings voicing is a separate Solo section, where the “tone” of the voicing is adjusted. The Solo section features Bass, E. Piano, Clavinet, Solo, and Pluto. Whereas the Strings section is used to dial in the true voicing (setting, crescendo, and release), the Solo section controls the attack and decay characteristics of the “synth”. Bass is round and fat, while changing to Clavinet maintains the same String voicing but gives it a chirpy, percussive feel. At the far end of the spectrum, Pluto is smooth as silk with extended, even decay. Much like the Stings settings, the Solo settings aren’t single settings but rather a continuous blend between two successive tones. The String voice and Solo tone in themselves are meaty and punchy throughout the range, but Waldorf opens up tonal possibilities even further with the inclusion of three modulation effects- Chorus, Phaser, and Animate. Only one effect can be used at a time, and all feature a Depth control to dial in the amount of the effect. While Chorus and Phaser modes experience an increase in modulation depth with the Depth knob, the Animate mode experiences an increased cut to the pseudo sample/hold pattern. There is also a Tremolo control that allows varying degrees of amplitude modulation of the synthesizer that synchs with the other effects. Curiously, Waldorf marketing seems to be tying the Streichfett to “adult film” soundtracks. While I can’t speak to that specific and odd positioning (I thought those were all about bass and envelope filters?), the Streichfett covers classic Jean-Michael Jarre, Brain Salad Surgery era Keith Emerson, Tangerine Dream and Goblin-scored Argento film soundtracks. Tracking is flawless and glitch-free with even the most extended or diminished chord phrasings. The responsiveness of the Streichfett perfectly meets the feel of a well maintained analog string machine. If it weren’t for polyphonic functionality I would have thought it was a true analog device. It opens, breathes, and closes like an analog envelope and is entirely devoid of any detectable digital artifacts. Limitations Musicians living in a purely TRS world may be disappointed that MIDI is the only way to feed the Streichfett. Conclusion The Waldorf Streichfett is without a doubt one of the coolest pieces of gear a player looking for vintage synth sounds can hope to find for under $500. The small form-factor and the ability to seamlessly integrate with any rig makes it a no-brainer for players seeking retro-future tones to add to their ambient mix or synth leads. Buy at B&H Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

Line 6 Sonic Port VX iOS Interface and Microphone Studio-Quality Recording... Anywhere By Chris Loeffler From the beginning, Line 6 has been in the game of pushing the boundaries of what a guitar player can do with digital technology by marrying a reverence for classic tones and “the way things used to be” with a desire to break through the limitations traditional gear impose. Having made and maintained their reputation as the industry leader in guitar, amp, and effect modelling almost two decades ago, Line 6 has conspicuously turned their focus to integrating the guitar experience into consumer-focused devices and tapping in to a rich ecosystem of mobile devices, tablets, and laptops. The Line 6 Sonic Port VX is their latest foray into this world and features a price-point, feature set, and ease-of-use that is meant to make it a must have for all players. With superior 24-bit/48kHz audio quality and a 120dB dynamic range, the Line 6 Sonic Port VX is a zero-latency, all-in-one mobile audio interface made to connect a guitar (or other instrument) to an iOS device or standard PC/MAC for practice, jamming, and recording. Building on the guitar-centric input/output feature set of the original Line 6 Sonic Port, which includes a ¼” input for guitars, 1/8” stereo input, stereo/mono ¼” guitar/line-level output, and 1/8” headphone output, the Sonic Port VX replaces the ¼” output with two balanced ¼” outputs to run independent stereo channels into studio monitors or a mixer. The included USB and 14-pin to Lightning cables provide comprehensive connectivity to all supported devices. Where the Line 6 Sonic Port VX branches out in interesting and inspiring ways from the base Sonic Port is the addition of stereo and mono condenser mics built directly into the unit. Supported by professional mic preamps, both microphones actively capture acoustic instruments and vocals with a toneful depth, clarity, and presence that is mix-ready. A small toggle switch on the side selects between guitar/instrument, stereo microphones, or mono microphone modes, expanding recording possibilities to include capturing ambient sounds on the go (or even in the studio) without hassle or the need for additional gear. The included tabletop stand is well-designed, adjustable, and flexible enough to address almost any miking application. Aimed at guitar players, the Sonic Port VX stacks the deck with recording-quality ready modeling via the Mobile Pod app. The Mobile Pod app (available for free via the iTunes App Store) is central to the Sonic Port VX ecosystem, giving users access to over 32 highly customizable guitar amp models, 16 speaker cabinets, and over a dozen guitar effects via a visual, user-friendly interface on any iOS device. The models can be mixed, matched, and tweaked to the players’ content and then saved for instant access later on. While traditionalists will continue to grumble about anything less than a $3000 tube amp, the amps, cabinets, and effects all breathe, respond, and (most importantly) sound so accurate that listening to a playback yields a negligible (if any) difference from the real thing. With room for hundreds of user and factory presets and access to tens of thousands of tones from the Customtone.com community sortable by style and artist, there is no end to sonic inspiration. Players looking to never leave the Mobile Pod app will be happy to find their entire iTunes music library is available to jam over within the app. The Sonic Port VX integrates with GarageBand and Jammit; making recording as simple as opening the GarageBand app with the Sonic Port VX plugged in and jamming as simple as selecting a song in Jammit (preset tones included with each song). One of the biggest factors to Line 6’s success has been the ability to take cutting-edge technology and make it accessible and intuitive to guitar players raised on “crank it and forget it” analog gear. While a certain number of players have the desire and aptitude to go deep into recording technology, most just want to capture their performance with as little fuss and as much quality as possible. The simplicity and utility of the hardware makes the Sonic Port VX practically a manual-free startup for most players, and the graphics-driven user interface of the Mobile Pod app completely mimics the knob tweaking and signal-chain shuffle players have relied on for decades. Conclusion Budget-minded players looking for a high-quality interface to capture guitars, vocals, and acoustic instruments will find a flexible, fully fleshed out solution in the Line 6 Sonic Port VX. The ability to record innspired flashes of creativity anywhere at a sound quality level that is mix ready is a true boon for singer-songwriters looking for an affordable method of capturing their music. Resources Line 6 Sonic Port VX at Musician's Friend ($199.99) Line 6 Sonic Port VX Product Page Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

Iconic Sound Light Lead Optical Analog Cable A New Way to Connect With Your Amp By Chris Loeffler Please note this technology is a working prototype... Iconic Sound is currently working to license this products technology. Think of it as a sneak peek of things to come! Players who dive deep into the world of cables know that everything that touches the output of a passive pickup (typically high impedance output) will have some effect on it… traditional cables all bleed some high-end. The reason certain cables sound better has more to do with complimenting the connection between the guitar and the amp and tonal preference than one being objectively better than the other. Iconic Sound’s Light Lead may be the first substantial innovation on instrument cable technology since, well, the cable was invented. Originally designed to address the issue of traditional cables’ tendency to pick up radio waves or interference, what the Iconic Sound Light Lead does is take and maintain an analog signal and pass it through an optical cable as opposed to the standard copper-wire leads. The result is the world’s first (and only) optical analog jack-to-jack guitar/instrument cable. Patent pending technology I won’t pretend to fully understand ensures the guitar’s signal is never digitized or converted in the cable. What You Need to Know The benefits of the optical cable, aside from removing potential to receive external signals, are zero loading and zero capacitance, two things standard cables can’t touch. In short, it passes through more sound and has no treble roll-off. An additional benefit to the optic cable is entirely removing the possibility of cable crackle. The cable can detect active versus passive pickups and makes slight adjustments. There is also a slider on the side of the guitar jack that adjusts the volume. Very peculiar. Adjusting the volume has zero impact on tone.So does the Light Lead sound fuller and retain more high-end? Yes. The difference is most noticeable with a high-impedance output guitar (Fender Stratocaster, for instance) into a high-impedance input amp (Modified Vox AC-15), basically any vintage-style technology. The cable carries through a noticeable increase in treble when compared to a Monster Jazz or George L cable of the same length. Using guitars with active pickups (EMGs) yields much less of a difference as the signal is already active and less effected by loading, meaning the cable just sounds great and doesn’t have anything to clean up.As a final test, I used the Light Lead between a Fender Standard Strat and a standard germanium fuzz face (MXR). The result was less obvious and obnoxious than a quality buffer but somehow slightly less chaotic in the gain structure than a standard cable with the same setup. The typical reason guitarists avoid buffers (or really any devices) between their guitar and fuzz is because they dramatically affect the interaction the fuzz circuit has with the guitar pickups. Without the cable load present, the saturation and texture of the fuzz seems to fight with itself slightly less through the Light Lead. The amount of gain and volume are the same, and adjusting the volume knob on the guitar still impacts the gain characteristics, but there’s slightly more clarity to the distortion. There is considerably less of this with high output or active pickups, and it was the sort of thing that is only noticed in a quiet room. Limitations The only limitation to the Light Lead is the requirement of an AA battery at each jack and the slightly bulkier nature of the plugs to accommodate the batteries. The swiveling jacks make the bulkiness of the plugs a non-issue once connected.Conclusion The Light Lead I demoed was a working prototype that is representative of (but not guaranteed to be) the final product. Iconic Sound is currently courting cable manufacturers to license the technology for their guitar cables, microphones, headphones, etc. While the Light Lead isn’t on the market yet, it is a very cool application of a new technology that a lot of guitar players would love to get their hands on. Preserve tone! Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.

Virtually every classic synth ever made recreated in a stunning library of sampled virtual instruments. By Chris Loeffler It’s hard to write a review of bundles… the value proposition that makes buying several products packaged together at a reduced price doesn’t translate to a shallower product experience. Such is the case with UVI’s Vintage Vault, a collection of 14 of their most popular sampled software synthesizers. At over 63 GB FLAC Lossless (114 GB in WAV), the Vintage Vault contains 36 unique instruments and over 5,000 presets for $499, an 80% savings off the $2,400 it costs to purchase the instruments individually. With individual instruments costing between $99 and $299, anyone looking to pick up more than two of the downloads should be looking closely at purchasing the whole collection. This review will be a working review, with deeper dives into individual products as time goes one. That said, a few hours with each instrument reveals a pretty consistent level of quality and design. UVI’s Vintage Vault includes the following UVI stand-alone products- UVI Darklight IIx, UVI Digital Synsations, UVI Emulation II, UVI Emulation One, UVI Mello, UVI String Machines, UVI The Beast, UVI UltraMini, UVI UVX-3P, UVI UVX10P, UVI Vector Pro, UVI Vintage Legends, UVI WaveRunner, UVI Beat Box Anthology. Harmony Central has reviewed several UVI software instruments in the past (one included in the Vintage Vault collection) and has found the samples to be consistently authentic and richly toneful. Depending on the instrument, the software tends to require minimal to standard levels of CPU power, with only the biggest and most complex instruments (UntraMini in particular) requiring some muscle. Whether run in the UVI workstation or within a DAW like Pro Tools 11 or Logic Pro X, the instruments perform glitch/lag free through the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 into a standard MacBook Pro from 2011. UVI Darklight IIx Darklight is actually three different sampled instruments, the original Fairlight (think everything 80’s, from Peter Gabriel to Herbie Hancock) and a Beat Maker and Sampler inspired by it. Original unit made acclaim through its revolutionary digital synthesizing, and Darklight completely captures the aliasing halo that defined the Fairlight. UVI Digital Synsations Digital Synsations, like the Darklight, is focused on digital synthesizers, these ones more affordable at the time and brought polyphonic synths to the masses. The sampled instruments included are the Yamaha SY77, Korg M1, Roland D50, and Ensoniq VFW. All three synths are decidedly rooted in 80’s pop and pre-Industrial goth. UVI Emulation II The Emulation II is another synth recreation that is all about the 80's. 12 bit reproduction sounds the right amount of compressed/lofi to nail the original digital unit, and the drum machines are unapologetically digital recreations that were once cutting edge and are now gilded in nostalgia and ripe for retro-lofi hipster irony. New Order is a few clicks away. UVI Emulation One The UVI Emulation One is sampled from the original Emu, and is the quirkier precursor to the Emulation II. While the sound samples are more limited that its big brother, they are also disctincyl different and incredibly evocative of early 80's rock from Bowie and the gang. UVI Mello A 60’s mainstay made famous by The Beatles, Yes, and Moody Blues, the classic Mellotron used actual tape for each of its settings, resulting in a warm, slightly warbly tone that could be considered the first looper. The Mellotron may have been overused in the 60's and required a temprary retirement, but if chorus can make a comeback from the 80's there's no reason bands can't rediscover the 'Tron. UVI String Machines Speaking candidly from the year 2014, the original attempts to recreate orchestral stringed instruments with the analog technology of the 70's was a nobel but far from successful experiment. That said, while the original synths may have missed the mark in capturing the attack, sustain, and acoustic vibrancy that defined the instruments they were attempting to emulate, they did create an entirely new synth sound that is now every bit as uniquely iconic and pervasive as the instruments they failed to copy. All sampled instruments in UVI String Machines nail their analog physical counterpart (with polyphony!) and are ready to score the sequel to Blade Runner. UVI The Beast The ultimate FM synth collection, UVI The Beast is a bit crazier than most of the instruments in Vintage Vault, with a focus clearly more on the synthesis and modulation of sound waves than in recreating other effects. As such, the interface and options have the feel of a mad scientist's secret laboratory... so many knobs, so many miniscule tweaks. The results can be undeniably amazing and inspired, and there's no doubt this program is just as inspiring as the 70's machines that it samples. UVI UltraMini The ultimate sampled Moog... one from a 1979 unit and one from a 2011 unit. Read the full review on the UVI UltraMini instrument here. UVI UVX-3P UVI UVX-10P UVI Vector Pro UVI Vintage Legends UVI WaveRunner UVI Beat Box Anthology The UVI Beat Box Anthology is a kind of outlier of the group, being entirely focused on the early drum machines and beat boxes that spawned the early electronica/New Wave scene and was the leader of early Hip Hop beats. Limitations Like all UVI products, the Vintage Vault requires the free UVI Player or MOTU to play the instrument. Conclusion Such a deep collection of vintage effects is enough to keep any level of player busy for years. Most won’t even be able to get through all the presets. Short of shelling out well over $100,000 to purchase the original units UVI sampled for these instruments, there’s hardly a more authentic way to get access to every major classic synthesizer style and type. Resources UVI Vintage Vault at Musician’s Friend.com (MSRP $599.00, Street $499.00) UVI Vintage Vault Product Page Chris Loeffler is a multi-instrumentalist and the Content Strategist of Harmony Central. In addition to his ten years experience as an online guitar merchandiser, marketing strategist, and community director he has worked as an international exporter, website consultant and brand manager. When he’s not working he can be found playing music, geeking out on guitar pedals and amps, and brewing tasty beer.