SUMMER 2009 Issue | Vol. 87
1979
2009
SweetNotes
®
(800) 222–4700 | www.sweetwater.com
inside this issue
From the Editor ............................................ 1
Hands On: Line 6 Spider IV .......................... 7
Apple Studio 9.............................................. 1
Sweetwater LEED Platinum Certification.... 7
GearFest ’09 ................................................. 2
Propellerhead Record .................................. 8
GearGift Gear Donation Program................. 3
Focusrite Saffire PRO 24 DSP ...................... 8
Synth Tricks ................................................. 4
Guitar 101..................................................... 8
Marshall Haze .............................................. 4
Virtual Drums, Part II ................................... 9
Hands On: Waldorf Largo............................. 4
Inside the Sweetwater Difference............. 10
Hands On: Focal Twin6 and Solo6 Be ......... 5
Hands On: Wechter Nashville .................... 10
Hands On: Vox Night Train ........................... 5
Customer Studio .........................................10
Univeral Audio UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop............ 5
Hands On: Fender ’57 Champ .................... 11
Summer NAMM 2009 Wrap-up ................... 6
Apogee ONE ............................................... 11
Inside Sweetwater ....................................... 7
Meet Kurt Martin........................................ 11
from the editor
As I’m scribing these words, summer is at its height. Everything is green, the sun is shining (in the daytime, at least),
the weather is warm, and it’s the time of year for outdoor
gigs. In fact, I’ve got one coming up this Friday evening, at a
festival with two other bands. One of the great things about
playing outdoors is that volume typically isn’t a concern
— and that will be a nice change from where I played last
Friday: an early evening set in a small chocolate shop. The
gig was a blast, but the volume level, by necessity, was,
shall we say, controlled.
Mitch Gallagher
Not that high volume levels are required for fun, of course,
but for tube guitar amps and acoustic drums to really come to
life, there does need to be a commitment to a certain level of
sonic output.
I mention all this because I’ve been reminded lately in
rehearsals and gigs that, as much fun as it is to crank out the
mitch_gallagher@sweetwater.com
decibels, there is danger: the looming specter of hearing damage. Please, invest in a great set of ear plugs or other hearing
protectors, carry them with you at all times, and use them whenever the volume starts to go up.
Editorial Director
The world needs all the musicians it can get, but it also needs those musicians to be able to hear!
Logic
9
Studio
A COMPLETE
Production Solution, from
Start to Finish
T
ake it from us: Apple’s
new Logic Studio 9 audio
production software suite will
blow you away, even if you’re already a devoted Logic user. Far
more than just an update, Logic Studio 9 is packed with the tools
you need to make pro-quality productions, from inspirational spark
to burned CD — all inside your computer. Plus, you can take Logic
Studio’s resources and put them to work for you onstage, thanks
to the amazing Mainstage2. All told, Logic Studio 9 boasts over
2200 new features and enhancements.
Over the years, Logic Pro has been refined and tweaked to keep
O
uup with modern audio production needs. This latest version takes
LLogic even further, as it includes new features that give guitarists
aand other musicians a true “in-the-box” recording experience.
Want to record great-sounding guitar parts? Now you can do it
W
dday or night, right inside Logic Studio 9. You get dozens of amp,
sspeaker, and pedal-effects models, in addition to tons of virtual
instruments,
effects, and signal-processing plug-ins. And, if you
in
n
lilike to work in GarageBand or with loops, then you’ll love this: the
nnew Logic Studio comes complete with 20,000 royalty-free loops
from Apple’s Jam Pack collections.
fr
IIt’s easier than ever to record and edit the way you want in
the improved Logic Pro 9 DAW software. New features and
enhancements let you tweak, shape, and correct audio intuitively
aand quickly. Flex Time and Varispeed functions make it a snap to
eexperiment with or to tighten up timing and tempos, while the
continued on pg. 6
Page 01.indd 1
8/13/09 9:59:46 AM
SWEETNOTES | SUMMER 2009 | PAGE 2
TWO DAYS
OF GEAR
A small part of Fender’s exhibit
in the Guitar Gallery tent.
GOODNESS!
ince this year marks Sweetwater’s 30th anniversary, we pulled out all the stops and threw our biggest b-day bash
S
ever: GearFest ’09! Expanding the event out to two solid days — Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27 — we partied the only way we know how! That is, we filled our home to the brim with all of our favorites: thousands of amaz-
ing customers, hundreds of manufacturer friends, dozens of pro-led workshops, tons of tone-packed live product demos, and
tent after tent of the hottest gear on the planet — with a boatload of screaming deals thrown in for good measure.
We had an amazing
45 workshops,
seminars, and
clinics going on over
the course of the
weekend.
We can’t say enough about how much fun we
had, and first and most importantly, we want
to thank everyone who came out to visit us;
we hope you had a blast, too! If you didn’t
make it out for the action — and even if you
did — then check out this recap of our can’tforget GearFest ’09 moments.
There was so much to see, even two whole
days weren’t enough! Gearheads could
explore five massive tents outside: two for
pro audio, one for the Guitar Gallery, one for
drums, and one for the used-gear Musician’s
Flea Market. Beyond that, attendees could stop by five workshop/performance venues
stationed all around the Sweetwater campus.
Out in the tents, it was all about getting your hands on the gear. We had 150+ top manufacturers on hand, and they brought along all of their coolest gear — from hardware to
software to instruments to...you name it. You could test-drive it all at GearFest! It was
also awesome that the manufacturer representatives were right there, ready to answer
any gear-related questions. You could chat it up one-on-one with such gear gurus and
industry greats as EveAnna Manley of Manley Labs and Geoff Daking of Daking Audio.
Things were definitely cooking over in the Guitar Gallery. There were gorgeous instruments and luscious amps everywhere you looked! As you approached the tent, you
could hear amazing riffs, licks, leads, and jams swelling from every direction, and you
just never knew who you might run into. Even Fred Gretsch III was out there, sharing the
story behind his family’s history-rich line of guitars.
Outside, near the gear tents, there were a bunch of special manufacturer exhibits.
Gibson showcased an array of gorgeous acoustics and electrics in their Gibson Custom
trailers, which played host to impromptu jams all GearFest long. Gibson even brought
their over-the-top Gibson Tour Bus for a little taste of the rock star life. Check out the
photo on the next page...a studio just waiting to hit the road!
When you weren’t taking in all of the eye and ear candy out there in the tents, the
workshops and product demos were where you wanted to be! We had an amazing
45 workshops, seminars, and clinics going on over the course of the weekend. So, whatever your interest in music and gear, you were definitely more than covered.
GearFest Attendees Await the Next Attraction
These workshops were absolutely amazing — and not to be missed. Of particular note,
the Producer’s Panel drew a capacity crowd in our Performance Theatre. We had a
lineup of all-star industry heavy hitters up onstage, chatting and sharing wisdom on a
diverse range of topics, methods, and techniques.
Moving? Moved? Want more than one copy? Call, fax, or e-mail us your new address and don’t miss an issue of SweetNotes!
Page 02_03.indd 2
8/13/09 10:06:59 AM
SWEETNOTES | SUMMER 2009 | PAGE 3
It was definitely hands-on at the M-Audio/
Digidesign/Sibelius exhibit.
Singer/songwriter Laura Clapp
Gibson Tour Bus
Imagine not being able to play your instrument again. Or, imagine never having
the chance to learn to play the instrument you love today. Sounds pretty miserable, right? Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that’s often taken for
granted. But for so many who don’t have access to instruments and gear, it’s a
gift denied. Through our GearGift donation program, Sweetwater is attempting
to connect those who can give and those who can benefit from the gift of music.
With GearGift, gear that’s not being used or played, including instruments and
amplifiers, is donated and then placed in the homes of people who want to play
but can’t: foster children, military personnel, disaster victims, nonprofit fundraisers, and many others. The first GearGift donation was a guitar that was sent to
soldiers in Iraq, where it’s played as a way to help the soldiers cope with stress.
The second, a Stratocaster and amp, went to a school for the visually impaired
in Florida.
“Thank you so much for the
guitar. We got it about three days
ago, and I can’t even tell you
how many people have stopped
in just to play around with the
guitar. People who have never
played guitar have taken an
interest, and I am finding myself
giving lessons now. Thank you
so much, again!”
Autumn’s End guitarist Chris Cannella.
-Sgt. Guerre
The all-star Producer’s Panel included (left to right) Craig Anderton, Fab Dupont, Dusty Wakeman,
Geoff Daking, Frank Filipetti, and Mitch Gallagher.
The Producer’s Panel included such industry celebrities as Grammywinning producer Frank Filipetti (James Taylor, Foreigner, Kiss), NYC
producer/mix engineer Fab Dupont (Brazilian Girls, Jennifer Lopez),
author/technical writer/editor Craig Anderton (EQ magazine), producer
and gear designer Geoff Daking (Daking Audio), and producer Dusty
Wakeman (Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams). Sweetwater’s own
Mitch Gallagher was on hand, leading the panel through the amazing
two-hour discussion.
Great industry minds abounded at GearFest ’09. On top of individual
workshops that featured members of the elite Producer’s Panel, we
had renowned acoustician Russ Berger sharing tips on essential topics,
including home-studio acoustics and how to make the most out of your
given acoustic space.
Craig Anderton
For the music lovers in the house (and who wasn’t?), there was serious
talent to take in. Fender had solo artist Greg Koch, dubbed “Twisted
Guitar Genius,” onstage, tearing it up — and cracking people up —
with his one-of-a-kind riffabilities and comedic sensibilities. We also
got to hear Nick Catanese of Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society shred
on his new PRS, as well as Autumn’s End guitarist Chris Cannella rock
it outside in the Sweetwater 08/12/09Amphitheater on his Jackson.
All in all, GearFest ’09 was an unbelievable weekend — a can’t-gowrong combination of sunshine, gear, music, and great friends. Again,
thanks to all of the customers, manufacturer reps, and workshop
experts who made our 30th-anniversary GearFest ’09 such a huge
success. It wouldn’t have been possible without you!
We’re putting out the call to music equipment owners everywhere: please
consider donating. We’ll refurbish the gear and cover the cost of shipping it to
the folks who need it most. Remember, your donation can make a real difference
in someone’s life. As we all know, a little musical gift goes a long way. Give gear
and rock someone’s world!
For more information about how you can donate, please visit www.
sweetwater.com/about/geargift/.
Send to:
GearGift
c/o Brian Randol
Sweetwater Sound
5501 U.S. Hwy 30 W
Fort Wayne, IN 46818
Exclusive videos, features, and hands-on reviews at www.sweetwater.com/expert-center
Page 02_03.indd 3
8/13/09 10:07:19 AM
SWEETNOTES | SUMMER 2009 | PAGE 4
Marshall Haze
SYNTH
TRICKS
By Daniel Fisher
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) had its 25th anniversary last year,
and it has remained remarkably true to its original design. In some ways it’s
like our U.S. Constitution in that the founders planned it so well that it’s viable
in situations that weren’t even imaginable during its creation. Today, I’ll show
you some uses that go beyond notes and program changes. Although you may
already be familiar with some of these uses, I challenge you to actually try them
to see if they can spice up your performances.
MIDI Lighting – It seems reasonable that MIDI should be able to run your light
show, but things get a bit mysterious when it’s time to figure out exactly how
everything is supposed to connect and communicate. Fortunately, Sweetwater
carries a new product called the Enttec DMXIS, a light control for artists and
performers. It consists of a palm-sized box with USB on one end and DMX
jacks on the other. DMX is the control language that’s been used by lighting
professionals for many years. It connects via a 3-pin or 5-pin XLR cable and
goes directly to your DMX-controlled lights. The magic really happens with the
included DMXIS software (Mac and PC). The interface shows you up to 256 sliders that directly control your lights. A simple right-click allows you to assign any
MIDI note or continuous controller to each of the faders. Now, you can use any
MIDI keyboard, fader box, or sequencer to control your light show. It’s incredibly
empowering to be able to make any light event happen at an exact moment of
your performance. I promise, once you start down the path of MIDI/DMX lighting, you’ll never want to do without it.
MIDI Automation of Effects – Most software-based effects processors and
many hardware effects processors allow you to control some or all of their
parameters via MIDI. Imagine having real-time pedal control over a multitude of
effects parameters. And, think of the insanity you could create by sequencing
complex effects sweeps that could never be done by hand. People will think
you’re using some new type of synthesis.
MIDI Harmonies – Most vocal harmonizers will allow you to send chords via
MIDI that determine which additional harmony notes will be generated. But
some harmonizers will allow you to specifically dictate, via MIDI, what additional
notes will be generated. One example is the Antares Harmony Engine, which
has a mode called MIDI Omni. This will generate up to four harmony notes
that are dictated by the exact MIDI notes you’re playing (either live or via a
sequencer). These notes will be correct regardless of your vocal pitch, so you
can sing the song differently every show and still get the right background lines.
MIDI Control of Video – There are software programs, such as ARKAOS’s
GrandVJ, that let you trigger hundreds of video clips via MIDI notes or continuous controllers. Adding video to your performances will take your band into the
21st century.
MIDI System Exclusive Dumps/Tweaks – Yeah, it’s not as exciting as the
other uses, but you’ll thank me some day if you follow my advice and back up
all of your gear’s patches via a MIDI sys-ex dump. You can save them to your
computer’s sequencer or maybe even to your keyboard’s onboard sequencer.
If your band’s on the road, and the guitarist’s floor pedal dies, then you can
probably buy another one
> > Enttec DMXIS
locally. But what good is it
Sweetwater price $259.00
without all the customized
www.sweetwater.com/dmxis
patches? Forewarned is
> > Antares Harmony Engine
forearmed…
Sweetwater price $149.97
www.sweetwater.com/HarmonyEng
Marshall is a name that’s long been associated with rock ‘n’ roll.
Having spent time backing greats such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix,
Pete Townshend, Slash, Randy Rhoads, and Zakk Wylde, Marshall
amps have a distinctive sound that guitarists love.
Traditionally, Marshall “valve” amps have been pretty costly, while
their affordable solid state and hybrid amps have provided more
budget-minded players access to the famous British sound. With
the Haze series, Marshall has found a way for cost-conscious
consumers to tap into pure tube-driven Marshall tones, at a more
pocketbook-friendly price.
Leading the charge is the 40-watt MHZ40C combo amp. A trio of
ECC83s (12AX7s, for those of us living stateside) handle preamplification duties, with a pair of EL34s manning the power amp — all
driving a Celestion G12T-66 speaker. The range of available tones
reaches from vintage mid-’60s sounds to bone-crushing modern
overdrive. Boost and Bright switches combine with the traditional
Marshall tone-shaping tools, for custom-crafting your tone.
The MHZ15H is a lower-wattage amp dripping with signature Marshall sound, and it rocks harder than its diminutive appearance would lead you to
believe. Nearly identical control-wise to its 40-watt cousin (the MHZ15H is missing the Boost switch),
this compact head is loaded with 6V6 power amp tubes, for a slightly more “American” sound. Add
matching cabinets, and you’ve got a mini Marshall stack that really rocks!
While these amps are all tube from front to back, they do incorporate onboard effects, which are
accessible from the front panel and have true bypass to maintain tonal integrity. The Echo, Chorus,
Vibe, and Reverb settings are all saved automatically to the current
> > Marshall MHZ40C
channel and can be instantly recalled when you switch back to that
Sweetwater price $699.99
channel. This makes it easy for you to re-create your signature sound.
With an all-tube signal path, built-in effects, signature British tones, and
prices far below what you’d expect to pay for true tube performance, the
Haze amps bring tube-driven Marshall sound to the masses!
www.sweetwater.com/MHZ40C
> > Marshall MHZ15H
Sweetwater price $599.99
www.sweetwater.com/MHZ15H
Hands On Waldorf Largo
By Mitch Gallagher
I’m not sure you can have too many soft synths in your arsenal. Each one offers a
slightly different approach, a different overall timbre, and different sound-design
options. How cool is that we can have so much sound-generating power encapsulated
in just a small amount of hard drive space?
The latest soft synth to come across my computer’s desktop is Largo from Waldorf.
Waldorf, of course, has a long history as a synthesis powerhouse — those of a certain
age will remember with gear lust the amazing hardware synths the company offered.
Now, you can have that same sort of power in a plug-in! (Mac and Windows platforms
are supported, as are VST and Audio Units formats.)
This is one intense synth; you get five oscillators per voice, analog-modeled waveforms,
68 wavetables, FM, oscillator sync, ring modulation, a noise generator, two multi-mode
filters, two drive stages, a 16-slot modulation matrix, four modulation modifiers, four multi-type envelopes, and more.
Plus, there are four layers, each with its own arpeggiator and two effects slots; six built-in effects types are provided. You’ll be able to crank out
up to 256 voices simultaneously (depending on your computer), and almost all parameters can be automated. There are many more details and
features, naturally, but this should give you the idea: Largo is extremely powerful and flexible.
I installed Largo on my studio’s Mac dual G5, which, at nearly six years old, is starting to show its age. I ran Largo in Logic 8. Even with my older
computer, I had no problem using Largo. It’s quite CPU friendly, and it peacefully coexisted with all my other plug-ins.
The big question, though, is, “How does it sound?” In a word, the answer is, “Great!” Largo is a full, rich, (I hesitate to use the word) analog-sounding synth. Pads are lush, basses are thick, leads are punchy, and the sequenced (arpeggiated)
> > Waldorf Largo
sounds drive well. This is a synth that could be used in a variety of applications across many
Sweetwater price $249.99
genres. Waldorf has certainly extended their legacy of awesome synthesizers, with Largo!
www.sweetwater.com/Largo
Moving? Moved? Want more than one copy? Call, fax, or e-mail us your new address and don’t miss an issue of SweetNotes!
Page 04.indd 4
8/13/09 10:11:17 AM
SWEETNOTES | SUMMER 2009 | PAGE 5
Hands On Focal Twin6 and Solo6 Be
By Mitch Gallagher
So, here’s the big news: Sweetwater is now carrying Focal monitors — we’re
thrilled to welcome Focal to the family. Not familiar with Focal? They’ve been a
leading manufacturer of speakers for years — most likely, you’ve heard their drivers in some of
the most popular studio monitors, even if those monitors didn’t have the Focal name on them.
Under their own name, Focal makes a wide range of speakers, from very affordable models to
those that cost as much as a house.
I had an opportunity to check out two mainstays in the lineup: the Twin6 Be and Solo6 Be. The
Twin6 has frequency response from 40Hz to 40kHz. It uses dual 6½'' woofers and a beryllium
Focal Twin6 Be
inverted-dome tweeter driven by two built-in 150-watt amplifiers. The Solo6 offers the same
frequency response, with a single 6½'' woofer and a beryllium inverted-dome tweeter powered by a built-in 150-watt amp.
In both cases, you can control both the woofer and the tweeter levels with potentiometers on the rear panel, plus there’s an
input sensitivity selector switch. Both are finished with beautiful dark red veneer side panels and a black body.
The two models are similar in that they both sound spectacular! There’s a clarity that allows you to hear right into your mixes.
The big difference between the models is the amount of low end; though both reach the same depths, the Twin6 Be can fill
a larger room with solid bass and can almost serve as a midfield monitor. The Solo6 Be is equally solid on the bottom, but
it’s better suited to a smaller room, in a nearfield application. Both offer plenty of power for clean reproduction at whatever
volume level you might require.
Focal Solo6 Be
These are easy monitors to listen to for long periods of time. There’s no harshness or hype. The top end is detailed but smooth. I used them for tracking drums,
bass, and rhythm guitar, as well as lead guitar and vocal overdubs, then for mixing and finally for mastering. I found them to be accurate and even; the work I
did using both sets of Focals translated well to other systems and environments. I could find no fault in the sound quality or the response when I listened to my
compilation disc of reference tracks. In the end, I decided the Solo6 Be was the proper size for my room, which, while
acoustically well treated, is on the smallish side, with a low ceiling. This set is staying right here with me!
> > Focal Twin6 Be
Focal also makes a more affordable monitor, with the CMS series. While I didn’t review these, I did have an opportunity to hear them in a controlled environment, and I was very impressed. I also heard the Sub6 11'' subwoofer as well
as the XS 2.1 desktop multimedia monitoring system — and both were equally impressive. In fact, the XS may well
blow you away for its size and price.
Sweetwater price $1595.00 (each)
www.sweetwater.com/Twin6Be
> > Focal Solo6 Be
Sweetwater price $1195.00 (each)
www.sweetwater.com/Solo6Be
So, welcome Focal to Sweetwater — you’re going to love these monitors!
Hands On Vox Night Train
Now that laptop computers have both the horsepower and the
features to approach the audio production capabilities of their
studio-bound CPU siblings, can pint-sized peripherals be far
behind? How do you beef up the processing capabilities of an
ultra-portable computer without adding to its size and weight?
The folks at Universal Audio have a very handy solution that
pumps up your DSP processing power and has no impact on
your mobility: the UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop card.
By Mitch Gallagher
Back in the day, I spent a significant amount of time in front of amps ranging in
power from 100 to 160 watts. As those larger amps became untenable in my playing situations, I dropped back to a 50-watt, 4 x 10'' model. But for the studio, even
that was overkill in many situations. I then picked up a 20-watt, 1 x 12'' combo, but
I still wasn’t happy — though it was a cool grab-it-and-go rehearsal and small-gig
amp. At live gigs, I now use a 40-watt, 1 x 12'' combo with a pedalboard for tone
shaping, and I add a 1 x 12'' extension cabinet where possible, for tighter low end
and fuller sound. This setup also works in the studio, but I’ve been looking for an amp
that I could drive harder, at more reasonable levels.
That’s why I was so excited to see and hear the new Vox Night Train amplifier at the Winter
NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) tradeshow this past January. Compact,
act,
lightweight, portable — in fact, it comes with a padded gig bag and a shoulder strap — the Night Train is a 15-watt all-tube amp head that can be switched to
output just 7½ watts. It looks great, with its chrome and black metal casing and creme-colored “chicken-head” knobs.
Speaking of knobs, there are five on the front panel: Gain, Treble, Middle, Bass, and Volume. There are also three switches: Bright/Thick (sets the preamp mode),
OP Mode (changes the power amp stage from pentode to triode operation, effectively cutting the power in half), and Mains power on/off. In the Bright preamp
mode, the sound is (believe it or not) brighter, with a conservative amount of gain. In Thick preamp mode, the EQ is bypassed and the gain is kicked up, for a full,
rich, harmonically dense sound with plenty of sustain.
As for tone, the Night Train is dripping with it! From the chiming sounds Vox is famous for to heavy, grinding, punchy sounds, this amp can cover a lot of ground. I
tried it with Vox, Marshall, and Fender extension cabinets, using a wide variety of guitars (Tele, Strat, Les Paul, PRS) and pickup configurations (P-90s, single-coils,
humbuckers), and the amp sounded great with all of them. I was especially happy with the Tele tones (Brad Paisley, anyone?) and with the singing humbucker
sounds in the Thick preamp mode. No matter how much gain you pile on, you can still clean things up with the
volume knob on your guitar. This amp stays dynamic and responsive.
> > Vox Night Train
Think the Night Train is an anemic, wimpy small amp? Think again! You’ll be surprised at the volume it can crank
out. Plus, it’s controllable and spouse friendly, without sacrificing tone or punch. Perfect for the studio and the stage.
Plug Big-time
DSP Processing
Power into Your
Laptop!
Plug the UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop card into your laptop’s ExpressCard
slot, and you’re treated to serious plug-in power for your tracks.
This little card can handle up to 32 channels of UA’s Neve 88RS
channel strip plug-in, for instance. If you’re familiar with this
card’s forerunner, the UAD-1, then you’ll appreciate the fact that
this one gives you two-and-a-half times more power. And, while
the UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop is perfect for, well, laptops, it doesn’t
require a laptop for use. Pair this card with the UAD-Xtenda PCIeto-ExpressCard adapter and plug into your desktop computer!
The UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop even includes UA’s “Mix Essentials II”
plug-in suite, which adds the UA 1176SE compressor/limiter, the
Pultec EQP-1A program EQ, the RealVerb Pro room modeler, and
the CS-1 channel strip. If you’re using Pro Tools LE, then you can
take advantage of the included Mellowmuse ATA for auto delay
compensation. This card gives you an affordable and portable
way to rev up your laptop’s plug-in processing capabilities!
Sweetwater price $499.99
www.sweetwater.com/NightTrain
> > Universal Audio UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop
Sweetwater price $499.97
www.sweetwater.com/UAD2SoloLap
Discover the Sweetwater Difference — (800) 222-4700 or www.sweetwater.com
Page 05.indd 5
8/13/09 10:12:59 AM
SWEETNOTES | SUMMER 2009 | PAGE 6
Summer NAMM ’09 Wrap-up
T
he twice-a-year NAMM Shows are always a treat.
Between the assortment of new toys from
the best manufacturers in the
business and the energy
in the room, these are truly
one-of-a-kind events. For
the second consecutive
year, Nashville played host to
Summer NAMM, as the event
has proudly reestablished itself
in Music City. And though this was
a markedly smaller show than last year’s,
there was no shortage of sights to see. More imporJamHub BedRoom
tantly, there was great gear everywhere.
On the show floor,
the buzz was clearly
focused around
JamHub. This silent
rehearsal solution
lets a full band plug
in amp emulators
and electronic drums,
grab headphones,
and enjoy practice
without
thout disturbing the
AKAI Professional APC40
neighbors
hbors (or parents!).
The JamHub is divided into individual sections, which allow
each member of the band to custom-craft his or her
ideal headphone mix, as well as adjust the stereo
field. Available in three sizes, JamHub is able to fit any
band situation.
While JamHub was the star of the show (it was awarded
ed
Best in Show), it was certainly not the only cool productt
making waves in Nashville. The AKAI Professional boothh was
also a hotbed of activity, thanks in no small part to the APC40. This
hardware controller is designed to work exclusively withh Ableton Live,
making it even easier for you to take full advantage of the creative flexibility of the popular DAW.
Also on display were two new compact controllers
geared toward general virtual instrument use.
The LPK25 keyboard controller easily fits into
either desktop or portable music production. It
features 25 mini keys, plug-and-play convenience, and cool touches such as an onboard
arpeggiator and tap tempo — and it’s extremely
affordable. Another impressive product was the
LPD8, an 8-pad/8-knob controller that’s perfect for
building beats or performing other MPC-style tasks.
Alesis was on hand to unveil their latest electronic drum
kit, the DM10 Pro Kit. Mounted on serious chrome hardware
and equipped with retooled RealFeel heads and Surge cymbals, this kit
represents a new level of quality in affordable electronic percussion. But, the
real show stopper here is the DM10 module. It does everything you need a
percussion module to do — and a whole lot more. Not only is it expandable (you can add more toms and cymbals if you desire), but it also can
be used to send MIDI over USB. You can use that same USB port to upload
third-party samples to the DM10 brain to add to the great sounds
already onboard. This gives you access to other sound libraries,
without being tethered to a computer. This is a huge step forward, both in electronic percussion and in the way a drummer
can interact with outside samples.
gain for overdriving your amp’s preamp. All three sound great and would be
welcome additions to any pedalboard.
Though it was smaller than past shows, Summer NAMM ’09 still gave us a
great opportunity to scope out the newest gear coming down the pike. Be
sure to check out our Summer NAMM ’09 videos for a look at the NAMM
products that didn’t make it into the report. The videos can be found on
our YouTube site, www.youtube.com/user/SweetwaterSound, and on
individual product pages
Visual Sound
at sweetwater.com.
m.
Open Road
Visual Soundd
True Tone
Traditionally, the summer NAMM Show is a guitar show, and there
was certainly guitar gear aplenty in
Nashville. Hands down, one of the
coolest pedals
peda we saw was
the Morpheus
Morph DropTune.
Capable
Capabl of detuning your
guitar
guita in half-step increments
me down to three
half
h steps, and offering
octave and octave+dry
settings, this unique
Morpheus DropTune pedal tracks extremely
well (no artifacts) and gives you the
detuned sound — and you won’t have to change string gauges or
deal with floppy strings. Very cool!
Visual Sound was also showing off a trio of new pedals, Open
Road, Vans Warped Distortion, and True Tone. Open Road offers
amp-like distortion, with an airy top end. Vans Warped
Distortion gives your tone a touch of punk aggression.
True Tone is a clean boost pedal, with 15dB of clean
AKAI Professional LPK25
Continued from pg. 1
Audio Quantize feature provides a one-step timing fix. When it’s time to
put the finishing touches on a project or to apply your audio to film or
video, the new Logic Studio suite has you covered; it includes mastering
tools and even Soundtrack Pro 3 post-production software. Writing a
new composition and want to put it in readable form for yourself and
others? Onboard notation tools give you everything you need to put your
performances on the page. Apple even includes the tools you need to burn
finished CDs or to export projects into different file formats.
If you’re a live performer, then you’ll definitely want to check out
Alesis DM10 Pro Kit
Mainstage2, a live-friendly host that actually lets you use Logic’s
impressive instruments and modeling functions onstage. You can use
Mainstage2 to expand your show with backing tracks or loops, or you can
assign parameter controls and run instruments with hands-on ease.
We could go on, but you simply need to check out the new Logic Studio
for yourself to fully appreciate this powerful production center. Call your
Sales Engineer today,
> > Apple Logic Studio 9
and find out what
Sweetwater price $499.00
Logic Studio 9 can do
www.sweetwater.com/LogicStudio9
for you.
View online versions of our print publications at www.sweetwater.com/publications/
Page 06.indd 6
8/13/09 10:13:57 AM
SWEETNOTES | SUMMER 2009 | PAGE 7
Inside
By Chuck Surack
The past few months have been simply amazing here at Sweetwater! It
all kicked off when our new campus was certified LEED Platinum. LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a Green Rating System
administered by the USGBC (United States Green Building Council) for the
construction of environmentally friendly and efficient buildings. There are various
levels of certification you can pursue when you design and build a structure,
with Platinum being the highest. We’ve been sticklers about recycling and
conservation from day one here at Sweetwater, so achieving Platinum status
for our campus is truly a thrill. In fact, there are less than 150 LEED Platinum
buildings in the country, and we’re the only commercial LEED Platinum building
in Indiana. (Read more about our LEED certification in the article below.)
Now, none of this is to brag. As we see it, we’re just doing the right thing. In fact,
we’re being pretty selfish, because we want a great environment for ourselves,
our families, and our friends and customers. And, honestly, the costs of achieving
LEED certification work out in increased efficiency over a few years, so it’s also
the right thing for the company. But none of that changes how good it feels to
Hands On
know that Sweetwater is giving back and helping to sustain our environment. I
won’t preach, but I will encourage you to recycle and do what you can to help
conserve and promote our natural resources — it will pay off for all of us!
GearFest ’09
On page 2 and 3 you can read all about the latest GearFest expo, held right
here at Sweetwater during the last weekend of June. GearFest has become a
treasured institution around here; it’s a ton of work for everyone at Sweetwater,
but it’s well worth it. We get to meet and hang out with thousands of our friends
and customers — to say nothing of the celebrities and partners who come in to
exhibit and put on seminars, workshops, and performances.
I can’t express my gratitude enough to everyone who made the trip here to
Sweetwater from all over the world — and to all our partners who came in from
across the U.S. I’d also like to thank everyone here at Sweetwater, whose hard
work made this a must-attend event. I hope you were able to be at GearFest; if
not, be sure to check out the online videos and photos from the weekend — and
maybe we’ll see you next year!
Sweetwater President Chuck
Surack (center) accepts the
LEED Platinum award from
Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry
and USGBC’s Liz Ellis.
Line 6 Spider IV
By Mitch Gallagher
I’ve been using Line 6 gear for many years.
From the original POD to a POD Pro, from
the Amp Farm to the Echo Farm, and finally
to my current M13 (which I absolutely love
as a grab-it-and-go pedalboard), I’ve happily
owned and used many of the company’s
products. Now, Line 6 has announced the
latest in its long lineage of modeling amplifiers: the Spider IV. I was fortunate to get
my hands on an advance unit, and I spent
days with it in my studio, putting it through
its paces.
What struck me first was the amount of
amazing features. For example, when you
select an amp model, the tone controls automatically adjust to give you a decent sound,
so you have somewhere to start from.
Speaking of the tone controls, they’re customized to change so that they’ll
be voiced to match each amp model. There’s also a manual mode that
allows you to bypass the preset settings and use the front-panel knobs to
set your sound in real time.
The Spider IV’s artist presets cover a wide range, from country to jazz,
rock to blues, and pop to metal. Plus, there are signature tones for songs
from each decade, from the ’50s to the ’00s — there are even tones for
worship songs. With all these presets, however, there may be times when
you call up a familiar song but don’t agree with the preset tone. If this
happens, then here’s a suggestion: put on the original song and really
focus in on the guitar — block out the bass, the drums, the keyboards,
and the vocals. You might find yourself surprised at how the guitar really
sounds when you isolate it — which makes for a very interesting educational opportunity for dissecting the tones and learning what works in a
mix. Of the songs I knew, with the recordings I had for comparison, I’d say
Line 6 was spot-on with the song tones.
The Line 6 Spider IV offers a tremendous combination of flexibility, power,
value, and tone. It’s perfect for a cover-band situation where you need a
variety of sounds, or for finding your own signature sound. It’s compact,
lightweight, and compre> > Line 6 Spider IV
hensive. You can’t go wrong!
Sweetwater Awarded
LEED Platinum Certification
To summarize, this amp is
freaking ridiculous! Here are
just a few of the features:
■ 16 amp models
■ 20 effects
■ 4 effects at a time
■ 4 programmable, selectable
amp channels/memories
■ 75 watts
■ 1 x 12 combo
■ built-in tuner
■ headphone out
■ built-in looper
■ support for FBV foot controller
■ tap tempo for rhythmic effects
■ CD/MP3 input
■ direct-recording out
■ new effects, including a smart
pitch shifter and an auto wah
■ 250 artist and song tone
presets
And there’s much more!
Becoming a green company and supporting our environment isn’t just a passing trend here at Sweetwater; it’s
a lifestyle. Earlier this year, Sweetwater was awarded LEED Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building
Council (USGBC). LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum is the USGBC’s highest rating for designing and constructing the world’s most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings.
Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry, along with Liz Ellis, a representative of the Indiana chapter of the USGBC,
presented the LEED Platinum award to Sweetwater founder and president Chuck Surack on June 26, 2009, at
a special ceremony preceding our 30th-anniversary GearFest celebration.
Completed in January 2008, our $35 million, 150,000 square-foot corporate headquarters satisfied our goals
of achieving LEED certification for energy use, lighting, and water and material use, as well as incorporating
a variety of other sustainable strategies. It was designed by Fort Wayne architectural firm MSKTD and built by
general contractor Corporate Construction.
So, what makes the building so green? Skylights reduce the need for electric lighting, and light sensors turn
electric lights on in a room only when movement is sensed. Air-monitoring systems pump fresh air throughout
the building to flush out contaminants, and dual-flush toilets and waterless urinals reduce water waste, creating a 54% savings in annual water usage. During overnight hours, ice storage tanks on the campus produce
ice for the mechanical systems’ cooling needs, reducing both the overall power consumption and the load on
the utility grid. And insulated, heat-treated glass reduces solar heat gain to aid in cooling the building. These
are just a few of the many ways we’re staying green at Sweetwater.
Our green campus is the only commercial building in Indiana to receive a LEED Platinum certification award,
and it’s one of fewer than 150 such buildings in the United States. An informational video and a complete list
of companies involved in the planning, design, and building of Sweetwater’s campus can be found at www.
sweetwater.com/feature/leed. Improving the environment as well as our workplace and community has been
a very rewarding process for us, and we hope that other businesses will consider “going green” as they plan
new facilities.
Sweetwater price $299.99
www.sweetwater.com/Spider4-75
Exclusive videos, features, and hands-on reviews at www.sweetwater.com/expert-center
Page 07.indd 7
8/13/09 10:29:43 AM
SWEETNOTES | SUMMER 2009 | PAGE 8
Propellerhead Record
Without a doubt, Propellerhead’s
Reason has changed the soft
synth game. It’s affordable, easy
to use, awesome sounding, CPU
efficient, and astonishingly powerful — definitely a true bang-foryour-buck item. So, what if the
minds behind Reason took their
know-how and packed it into an
equally feature-packed DAW, one
with full-on recording and mixing
capabilities? There’s no need to
ponder the question any longer
— they’ve released it, and it’s great. Check out Record.
Hands On
Focusrite Saffire PRO 24 DSP
By Mitch Gallagher
There’s no shortage of USB and FireWire audio
interfaces on the market, and they’re all quite good;
the sound quality is excellent, there are many nice
features, and so on. But, when Focusrite announced
the Saffire PRO 24 DSP FireWire interface, it was clear
ar
that they intended to push things to another level. Before
fore
we dive into what’s new, let’s run down the features:
Reason die-hards are going to love Record from the get-go. Why? Like Reason, Record is totally
musician-centric. The user interface just makes sense, with as few steps as possible between booting up the software and actually recording music. If you’re a first-time DAW user, a singer/songwriter,
a band musician wanting to record rehearsals, or an educator setting up a school music lab, then
you’re not going to find an easier-to-use recording solution than this.
Our very own Mitch Gallagher had the special opportunity to beta test Record for Propellerhead.
Here’s a bit of what he had to say about it: “What I found especially cool about Record was the virtual
channel strip concept. Each channel already has a full EQ and dynamics section ready to go. So, if
you’re new to software, but you’ve worked with a mixer, then the transition to Record will be seamless. Emphasizing Record’s ease of use, though, shouldn’t outshine the way it sounds. The virtual
console is surprisingly musical — it’s modeled, in fact, after SSL’s 9000K. All in all, I was pleasantly
surprised by Record — it’s powerful, but CPU efficient. I can see Record being an instant hit with
singer/songwriters. In some ways, you can almost think of it as ‘Reason 5,’ since, if you already own
Reason, all of Reason’s features will be incorporated seamlessly into Record. The two together make
an amazingly comprehensive music-creation solution.”
Apart from its great user interface and unique console-style setup, Record offers features that will
help you handle more advanced projects or lay out song ideas. Some of these extra features include
a Reason-style virtual instrument rack with loads of virtual instruments (pianos, bass, drums, strings,
and more) and a collection of POD-inspired bass/guitar amp simulations from the folks at Line 6, as
well as instant compatibility with Reason. Nice.
Record is officially hitting the streets on September 9, so you’ll want to call your Sales Engineer or
go online now to secure your copy in the first
shipment. If you already own Reason, then
> > Propellerhead Record
you’ll be happy to know you can get Record for
Sweetwater price $249.97
an exceptional value with the specially priced
www.sweetwater.com/record
Record For Reason Owners. And if you’re new
> > Propellerhead Record for Reason Owners
to Propellerhead, then you can purchase an
Sweetwater price $149.00
affordably priced Record/Reason bundle.
www.sweetwater.com/recordR4Up
• 2 premium Focusrite microphone preamps
• 16 inputs (4 analog, 2 S/PDIF, 8 ADAT, 2 “virtual”)
• 8 outputs (6 analog, 2 S/PDIF)
• Bus powering (no need for a power supply,
though one is provided)
• Onboard latency-free monitoring features
• Control-room monitoring features, such as dim
and mute
• Built-in DSP-driven hardware compression, EQ,
and reverb
• 24-bit/96kHz support
• MIDI I/O
• Dual headphone outputs
• 5-stage LED metering
• Bundled software (Focusrite VST/AU plug-in suite,
Ableton Live Lite 7, Loopmasters loop library,
Novation BassStation soft synth)
You can see from this list, the Saffire PRO 24 DSP is
definitely a full-featured box. Plus, it comes with Saffire
MixControl software, which serves as a go-between with
your DAW software and also allows you to manage all the
input and output routings and levels, create monitor mixes,
and apply the hardware effects processing. All of this
can be done with no monitoring latency, since the Saffire
has onboard DSP (digital signal processing) to handle the
signals, with no load on your computer.
But, the big news here is the new VRM system. VRM (virtual
reference monitoring) is a new modeling approach to
re-creating different listening environments. It’s especially
useful when mixing through headphones. When you switch
on VRM in the Saffire MixControl software, you’re given
three settings to play with: The first selects the modeled
room you’re listening in (pro studio, living room, bedroom).
The second selects your listening position (six different
locations in the selected room).
room) The
third selects the type of monitors
you’re listening to (there are 10
easily recognizeable types, from “Japanese White Cone” to
“Finnish Studio”). Turning on VRM really does give you the
sense that you’re in a real room; plus, being able to listen
to your mix on various “monitors” is very useful for creating
a transportable mix that will sound consistent on different
playback systems.
It took me less than 15 minutes to crack open the box,
install the Saffire PRO 24 DSP onto my Mac dual G5, reboot
the computer after installing the software, load up Logic,
get a drum part going in Logic’s UltraBeat, and lay down my
first guitar track. It all went flawlessly. It doesn’t get much
easier or more “plug-and-play” than that.
The sound quality of the interface is excellent, and there’s
plenty of routing and mixing capability for building monitor
mixes during tracking. The microphone preamps (which
have 48V phantom power) work well and provide good
response, clarity, and depth. Having hardware reverb, EQ,
and compression available during tracking is very useful.
The VRM system is an impressive addition. If you’re working primarily on headphones, then VRM is something you’ll
want to check out — once you use it, you’ll be convinced.
I’d give the Focusrite Saffire PRO 24 DSP a 5-star rating.
It’s perfect for home and project studios as well as for
portable work with a laptop. And, if you’re working in headphones, then it’s a no-brainer. This one definitely stands out
from the audio interface pack.
> > Focusrite Saffire PRO 24 DSP
Sweetwater price $399.99
www.sweetwater.com/saffpro24dsp
Guitar
By Jon Schafer
While we’ve touched on pickups and mods in previous “Guitar 101”
columns, in this installment we’re going to take a look at the differences
in how manufacturers treat the color coding of their pickup wiring. After
all, the color of the wire tells you what purpose each wire is meant to
serve, so understanding the color-coding will make pickup installation
much easier.
Most modern humbuckers are equipped with 4-conductor wiring, which
means there are four wires coming off of the pickup that facilitate
anything from standard humbucker wiring (coils wired in series) to more
unique applications, such as coil taps and phase reversal.
What follows is the color-coding of the four wires coming off of a
pickup using standard wiring from some of the most popular pickup
manufacturers — with the two coils wired in standard series operation.
Let’s get the easy one out of the way first: the bare wire ALWAYS goes to
ground, no matter which manufacturer made the pickup.
Seymour Duncan pickups use the black wire for the hot lead and the
green wire for the ground. The white and the red wires get soldered
together if the humbucker is to be wired for standard series operation.
DiMarzio uses a slightly different setup, with red as the hot lead and
green for the ground. The black and the white wires get soldered
together to run the humbucker in series.
Gibson uses red as the hot lead,
lead and black for the ground,
ground and the green
and the white wires are soldered together for series operation.
The two wires that get soldered together in the previous examples can
also be routed in conjunction with the hot and the ground wires to create
customized pickup configurations, with the addition of push-pull pots
or mini toggle switches. Single-coil pickups and vintage-style pickups
have simpler designs. And typically, they have only two wires: a hot and
a ground.
View online versions of our print publications at www.sweetwater.com/publications
Page 08.indd 8
8/13/09 10:16:18 AM
SWEETNOTES | SUMMERG 2009 | PAGE 9
Virtual
Drums Part II
By
By Mitch
Mit
Mitch
ch Gallagher
G
Gal
alla
lagh
gher
er
Last issue I reviewed an array of virtual drum libraries and programs — if you read thatt article, then you know
state-of-the-art
tthat
hat the range of options is astounding, and that the sound quality of the state-of-the-ar
rt virtual drums is simply
stellar. In fact, I’ve use those programs to create CD-ready tracks, and I doubt anyone could
ould tell that the drums
drum
weren’t
w
eren’t “real.”
But the hits just keep on coming! (Sorry...couldn’t resist throwing in a bad pun.) For this issue, I’ve got even
more virtual drums to check out, as well as new sound expanders. Join me as I crank up the hard drive and
give each one a try playing MIDI tracks that were laid down in real time by a drummer using a Roland TD-20
electronic drum kit.
Native
Instruments
Battery
N
ati
tive IInst
trumentts B
att
ttery 3
Native Instruments Battery is a venerable pprogram
rogr
g am — one of the first virtual
drum programs to hit the market back
when the software instrument industry
that
was young. BBut,
ut,t ddon’t
on’t’t ttake
akke tth
hatt ttoo mean
that the program is lagging or is long
in the tooth; version 3 is on the cutting
edge, with tons of flexibility for creating
either synthetic- or realistic-sounding
drum parts. A huge included library
covers a broad range of musical styles
types
kits.
Battery
andd ty
an
type
pess of dru
ddrum
rum
m ki
kits
ts.. Th
Thee Ba
Batt
tter
eryy
the
deepest
virtual
iinstrument
nstrume
t
ntt iis one off tth
he ddeepe
stt vi
irttuall
instruments
there.
There
grid
into
which
samples
loaded.
Once
loaded,
drum
dr
um iins
nstr
trum
umen
ents
ts oout
ut tthe
here
re. Th
Ther
eree is a ggri
ridd of ““cells”
celllls”
ce
s iint
ntoo wh
whic
ichh sa
samp
mple
less ca
cann be lloa
oade
dedd. O
Onc
ncee a ce
cellll iiss lo
load
aded
ed, a
huge number of parameters can be adjusted to taste. It’s tremendously powerful, whether you want to load preprogrammed drums or create your own unique sounds; there are even built-in effects. And for more variation,
layer
cells
together,
cell
routed
output.
But,
once,
sound-design
youu ca
yo
cann la
laye
yerr ce
cell
llss to
toge
geth
ther
er,, an
andd ea
each
ch ccel
elll ca
cann be rrou
oute
tedd to iits
ts oown
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utpu
put.t. BBut
ut,, fo
forr on
once
ce,, al
alll th
that
at ssou
ound
nd-ddes
esig
ignn
power doesn’t come at the price of usability. Battery is easy to use, even if you want to do in-depth editing.
Another big plus for Battery is that it’s CPU friendly, even on my more-than-half-a-decade-old dual G5 Mac. But,
the big kudos here go to the easy sound-design aspects and to the overall excellent sound quality of the huge
library
comes
with
Battery.
tremendous
variety
sounds
kits,
exibility,
lilibr
brar
aryy th
that
at ccom
omes
es w
wit
ithh Ba
Batt
tter
ery.
y. IIff yo
youu ne
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ed a ttre
reme
mend
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ouss va
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riet
etyy of ssou
ound
ndss an
andd ki
kits
ts,, wa
want
nt a llot
ot ooff flex
exib
ibililitity,
y, aand
nd
want to take advantage of the programming others have done, then give Battery a serious look.
Sonic Reality Studio Profiles Drum Masters Gold
Wouldn’t it be great to have Danny Gottlieb (Pat Metheny Group), Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson), Jerry Marotta
(Peter Gabriel), Ed Greene (Donald Fagen, Barry White), Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick), Steve Gadd (Paul Simon,
Steely Dan), or Nick D’Virgilio (Tears for Fears, Genesis) play on your next track? With Drum Masters Gold, you
can! This is a multifaceted collection, consisting of stereo and multitrack kits and stereo and multitrack grooves
from each drummer. More than 30GB of drums and grooves are included, including 750 multitrack grooves and
1,200 stereo grooves. The sound quality is excellent, and since the Studio Profiles “Infinite Player” — the actual
instrument that loads the drum sounds — is based on the ubiquitous Kontakt Player, there’s plenty of power and
flexibility for tweaking the sound and the response to your liking.
Drum Masters is really two instruments in one: There are the drum kits for each player, which sound quite
natural and provide a good range of drum sounds that are appropriate for just about any style of music. Then,
there are the grooves played by each player, which can be triggered by using notes from your sequencer/DAW
or by using a MIDI keyboard. The loops cover everything from Bun E.’s signature parts with Cheap Trick to hand
drumming from Bill Bruford — and everything in between! The feel on the loops is stellar, which isn’t a surprise
considering the players in this collection!
With itss artist-played loops and signature artist kits, Drum Masters is a great-sounding collection that covers a lot of ground.
Sonic R
Reality Ocean Way Drums Gold
Similar
Drum
Masters,
Sonic
Reality
Ocean
Si
Simi
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ts D
Dru
rum
m Ma
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s, tthe
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Wayy
Drums Gold package is based on the Kontakt Player, but this
one was recorded by the renowned engineer/producer duo of
Allen Sides and Steven Miller, at the world-famous Ocean Way
Studios. The pair collected their favorite drums, then assembled
multi-mic
Sides’s
collection
vintage
a mult
ltii-mic
i rig
i bbased
asedd on SSid
ides’’s enormous coll
llectition off vi
intage
t
and modern premium gear.
The word that comes to mind when yyou
ou hear these drums is,,
“Wow!” There are snare-on and snare-off versions of each sound
(meaning the snares on the snare drum can rattle when, for example,
the
kick
mentioned,
am
ple,
l you hhitit tth
he kki
ickk ddrum).
rum)). AAs me
ntitionedd, O
Ocean W
Way D
Drums
is based on the Kontakt Player, and with its new version 3.5 (a free upgrade), you have a ton of control over the
sounds, plus access to a full selection of built-in effects. Note mappings are provided for General MIDI (with
“IMAP,” which is a proprietary mapping for more intuitive playing from a keyboard) and for Roland TD electronic
drum kits. Speaking of kits, 19 are provided, each in two versions: with an SM57 over the snare, or with a C12a
stereo mic over the snare and two Sony 55P mics under the snare. There are six mix presets provided for each
drum and kit, ranging from dry to ambient. You can also create your own mixes.
barely
scratching
the
surface
it’s
safe
that
Gold
I’ jjust
I’m
ustt bbar
ely
ly scrat
tchi
hingg tth
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utt iit’
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fe tto sayy th
att O
Ocean Way
W yD
Drums G
old
ld iiss ddeep
eepp. If yyou
ou reall
really
llyy
want to take control over your drums, and you want big-studio sound quality, then look no further!
Toontrack New York Studios Volume 2
The subtitle on this expansion collection for
Toontrack’s
Superior
Drummer
Toon
To
ontr
trac
ack’
k s Su
Supe
peririor
or D
Dru
rumm
mmer
er 2 iiss ap
apt:t: ““The
Thee
Th
Lost New York Studios.” The drums in this
recorded
the
lamented
Allaire
sett were record
dedd att tth
he llate,
ate,
t llament
tedd Al
All
laiire
Studios
Factory
N.Y.
Gretsch,
Ludwig,
Stud
St
udio
ioss an
andd Hi
Hitt Fa
Fact
ctor
oryy N
.YY. G
Gre
rets
tsch
ch, Lu
Ludw
dwig
ig,
Slingerland, Sabian, GMS, and other drums
and cymbals are included, all recorded with
premium
gear,
world’s
fantastic
prem
pr
emiu
ium
m ge
gear
ar, in ttwo
wo ooff th
thee wo
worl
rld’
d’ss fa
fant
ntas
astiticc
signature acoustic spaces. As with the “stock”
drums that come with Superior Drummer (which
were recorded at Avatar Studios in New York),
the sounds here are uniformly excellent, and, like the other Superior drums, they’re highly playable and quite
dynamic. The sounds are natural — not hyped or processed. They sound and play like real drums recorded in a
real (great) studio, and they’re ready to use in your mix.
Toontrack The Metal Foundry
Bang your head! If heavy metal and hard rock is your thing, then these are your drums. The Metal Foundry is
a 35GB collection of hard-hitting drums for Toontrack’s Superior Drummer 2. We’re talking drums from TAMA,
Sonor, Ludwig, DW, Pearl, and more, plus Sabian cymbals. There are single-kick kits, double-kick kits, small kits,
huge kits … everything you need to spread mayhem throughout the musical firmament. Performed by Meshuggah drummer Tomas Haake, the drums tracks were recorded by experienced metal engineers, using excellent
gear. When you register the package, you’ll be able to download a large collection of MIDI drum files. There are
grooves, fills, intros…plenty of material to build realistic, slamming parts and songs. For any flavor of hard rock
or metal, this is the one to get.
Moving? Moved? Want more than one copy? Call, fax, or e-mail us your new address and don’t miss an issue of SweetNotes!
Page 09.indd 9
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SWEETNOTES | SUMMER 2009 | PAGE 10
understanding (or even caring about) what I really
need, C) treats me as an annoying interruption
to his or her busy social life, or D) is insincere
and solicitous, and practically piddles himself/
herself while spewing canned sales-speak. Is it
any surprise that so many folks are wary of the
stereotypical salesperson?
Inside the
Jeff Radke
While I understand and relate personally to
this sentiment, it’s also sad, because a truly
professional salesperson can be a tremendous ally
to a consumer. Having been involved in sales my
entire professional life, both on the manufacturing
and the retail side, I’m on a career-long “quest” to
do all I can to change this perception. So, I’d like to
define what I believe to be the core characteristics
of a “truly professional salesperson.”
A truly professional salesperson:
I’m not sure what your experiences have been
when trying to buy expensive or complex products,
but I usually wind up with a salesperson who A)
doesn’t really know what he or she is talking about,
B) is trying to steer me into a product without
Hands On
• is focused on you and asks questions to make sure
he or she understands your specific needs.
• is accountable. When they say say they’ll call you
by 2 p.m., they call you by 2 p.m. If they promise a
quote on Monday, then you get it on Monday.
Wechter Nashville
• adds value. There are vast differences among
a clerk (“May I take your order?”), a customer
service rep (“How may I help you today?”), and
a professional salesperson (“Tell me about your
application and what you’re trying to do”). All
things being the same, price is the only meaningful
variable. But, all things are rarely — if ever — the
same. So, how does one salesperson/company
really compare to another? Does one offer extras,
such as a better warranty, tech support, or a
consultation prior to the sale? Or, are they just
moving a box from the warehouse to your home,
stage, or studio?
• is honest, period. Nobody wants to buy from
somebody they can’t trust; integrity matters.
• is sensitive to you as an individual. If you prefer to
communicate by phone at your home after 6 p.m.,
then a professional salesperson should respect
that. Professional salespeople should do everything
possible to accommodate your schedule and
preferences; after all, you’re the person putting food
on their table and a roof over their head!
• knows his or her products and technologies. The
Web is a great resource, but it can’t replace a vast
range of experience, resources, connections to
manufacturers, and up-to-date product knowledge.
• is your “inside source.” It’s not necessary that the
two of you become fast friends, but a salesperson
should be somebody you enjoy working with — both
helpful and friendly. Life is too short to work with
people you don’t like. To that end, Sales Engineers at
Sweetwater strive for a one-on-one relationship with
each of their customers. If you aren’t connecting
this way with your Sales Engineer, then please let
us know. We’ll be happy to set you up with another
person that’s a better match for you.
These are the standards we strive for at Sweetwater.
We’ve worked really hard to hire the right people and
to give them the training and resources they need to
be truly professional salespeople. If we aren’t meeting
your standard of excellence, then please contact me,
at (800) 222–4700 x1200 or jeff_radke@sweetwater.
com. Your satisfaction is important to us.
Jeff Radke
Vice President of Sales
Customer
Casey
C
y Corum and Alabaster Studios
Studio:
By Mitch Gallagher
Even if you’ve
never heard the term “Nashville tuning,” you’ve probably heard Nashvilley
tuned guitars. Nashville tuning uses the standard-tuned high E and B strings, but the
D,, aand
strings
alll tuned an octave higher than normal. It’s sort of like a
EE,, A,
A D
nd G sstr
trin
ings
gs aare
re aal
six regular-tuned strings removed. Nashville-tuned guitars
12-string guitar with the si
are often used to simulate a 12-string guitar when combined with a regular guitar.
Special inlay on
the 20th fret.
years,
guitar
players
have restrung standard guitars to Nashville tuning. But, the
Forr ye
Fo
year
arss, ggui
uita
tarr pl
play
ayer
erss ha
lighter
tuning don’t intonate well on a standard guitar, the
liligh
ghte
terr strings
striring
st
ngss used
used for
for Nashville
N
Nas
as
correctly, and the lighter strings don’t activate the resonance
nut slots aren’t cut correct
that’s
off a gguitar
uitar
i that’
h ’s bbracedd ffor
o normal strings. Now, Wechter Guitars has created the
perfect
solution:
Nashville
Special Elite, a dedicated Nashville-strung guitar.
perf
pe
rfec
ectt so
solu
lutition
on:: th
thee Na
Nash
sh
There
versions
Ther
e e ar
aaree twoo ve
erssioonss ooff the Nashville: one with a cutaway and built-in Fishman
pickup/electronics and the other without a cutaway or electronics. Both
Presys + pickup/electron
feature
mahogany
back
feat
fe
atur
uree a ma
maho
hoga
gany
ny bbac
ac and sides, a solid cedar top, and a nato neck with a
rosewood fingerboard.
I received the model with the cutaway and the
electronics. The guitar is small — similar in size
to a parlor guitar. The design provides balanced
sound for the custom-gauged strings, with beautiful, warm sparkle, thanks to the cedar top. The
frets
fret
fr
etss ar
aree finished using a Plek Pro system, which results in perfect
and intonation. You can play chords all the way up the neck,
action an
and the gguitar is so comfortable and well set up that the full range
fretboard
is usable. When you get way up there, it’s easy to
of tthe
he ffre
rett
chiming voicings or even mandolin effects.
create ch
Whether used for doubling regular-tuned guitar or as a solo
Wheth
instrument, the Nashville shines. The chord voicings are
inst
interesting, and the tone is angelic. At this price, it’s a
in
nno-brainer: guitar players will want one for their arsenal
(why bother restringing an acoustic guitar?), and studios
should have one to offer their clients. Once you try it,
you’ll be hooked!
> > Wechter Nashville
Sweetwater price $599.97
www.sweetwater.com/NashECMceNT
By Mark Hutchins
Houston is a big town, even by
Lone Star State standards. So, it’ss
only fitting that the city serves as
home for the large, multifaceted
Vineyard Music organization,
which encompasses a range of
modern worship music operations. Says Casey Corum, Chief
Creative Officer and Executive
Producer (even the titles are
bigger in Texas), “We’re a publishing company, a live events
company, a record label, and a
studio. We’re also involved in
direct sales.” Vineyard Music
is dedicated to bringing new worship songs to
churches, and, at its heart, you’ll find Alabaster Studios.
The current studio was established after Vineyard Music
relocated to Texas from Southern California. Corum adds,
“It’s been around for about a year and a half in its current configuration. I started working with Vineyard Music
in the mid-’90s as an artist and a producer.” By 2004,
Corum was working for Vineyard Music full time. He
now oversees the creative output of the entire operation,
which also includes the Varietal Records label (with a
10-artist roster) and numerous outside clients. “We deal
with outside writers and churches as well,” he says. “We
work with close to 600 churches in the U.S.”
The Alabaster Studios facility includes A and B studios,
each with its own tracking room. Both are based around
Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel systems running on Macintosh
computers. The A room features a Digidesign Control 24
board, a Digidesign 192 I/O interface, and an impressive
assortment of outboard processing gear. In addition, it’s
outfitted with Genelec monitors. He loves the vintage
AKG
A C24 mic that moved
to Texas with Vineyard, and
he
h swears by his Empirical
Labs
L Distressor compressors
s (“I use them about 80%
of
o the time,” he says). Corum
also
a enjoys working with the
Spectrasonics
Omnisphere
S
virtual
instrument for an
vi
array
ar of sounds and textures.
The
Th B room is equipped with
Shure
Sh mics, which nicely suit
another
of Corum’s projects:
an
the biweekly Inside Worship
podcast. “We’re set up with four SM7s. They’ve been
great go-to mics for podcasts,” he says.
Corum’s relationship with Sweetwater precedes his
involvement with Vineyard Music and Alabaster Studios,
and he has developed a great working relationship with
his Sales Engineer, David Hess. Says Corum, “David’s
always been great. I trust his input. He’s been invaluable
as a consultant, and he’s a big part of why I’ve worked
with Sweetwater for so long. I’ve recommended scores
of people to Sweetwater because of his service.”
As for the future, Corum hopes to expand Vineyard’s
studio complex. “We’ve always wanted this to be a
creative space for writing and preproduction; we want
to develop the songwriting aspect and encourage the
creative process.”
To learn more about Vineyard Music, Varietal Records,
the Inside Worship podcast, and Alabaster Studios, visit
www.vineyardmusic.com.
Tech Support 24/7 at www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare
Page 10.indd 10
8/13/09 12:20:28 PM
SWEETNOTES | SUMMER 2009 | PAGE 11
Record Anywhere with
This ONE!
Hands On
Fender ‘57 Champ
By Mitch Gallagher
B
JJust how many watts should an amp
ccrank out? And how many controls does
it need to produce tone? If the amp you’re
talking about is the Fender ’57 Champ,
ta
then the answers are five watts and just
th
oone volume control! Based on the classic
ppractice amp from the late ’50s, the new
model is simplicity incarnate. A couple of
m
tubes; a few handwired electronic compotu
nnents; a special-design Weber 8" speaker;
and a lacquered, tweed-covered enclosure
an
(made from solid fingernger-jointed pine for resonance) with a leather
strap handle pretty much cover it. There are two inputs: one that has full
sensitivity and one that’s been knocked down 6dB to handle higher-output
guitars. An on/off switch, vintage brown/gold grille cloth, and a cover round out the package.
I took the ’57 Champ home to my studio and plugged it in, then hooked up my Tele. I set the amp
to about “3,” and then reveled in the clear, rich tones. As I tweaked the volume up, the amp slowly
melted into vintage-approved, smooth breakup. As the hours passed, I substituted Strats, Les
Pauls, and PRSs; I used guitars with P-90s, humbuckers, and single-coils. In every case, I was
pleased and impressed with the tone: rich and clear, no strain (even when breaking up), and no
harshness. I never missed having a tone control; the amp sounded great. The 8" speaker put out
a surprising amount of low end and volume, and there was no boxiness to the tone. With a Royer
R122 ribbon mic on it, the amp translated to a recording perfectly, sitting just right in a mix.
If you get the impression I’m enthralled, then you’re right! The ’57 Champ is a jewel! It’s not for
high-gain shredders or metalheads (though it takes pedals well, for distortion). But for tone junkies
and recording guitarists — or anyone needing a
> > Fender ’57 Champ
low-volume practice amp — it’s perfect! I predict
Sweetwater price $999.99
one will be joining my gear stable very soon.
www.sweetwater.com/57champ
If you like your recording rig to be able to go anywhere, then you’ll love this ONE! Apogee managed
to pack a high-quality 24-bit/48kHz USB interface — complete with a balanced mic input, an unbalanced instrument input, a robust preamp, and phantom power — into a 2¼" x 4¾" unit that’s only
an inch thick. They also built in a great-sounding condenser microphone! ONE is easy to use, thanks
to its single multi-control knob and included Maestro software. You can use it to get studio-caliber
results just about anywhere — at home, in the field, in the hotel room...or in the studio!
Compatible with any Mac Core Audio-based audio application, ONE shares its elegant single-knob
design scheme with Apogee’s renowned Duet interface. Even more compact than the Duet, ONE
can accommodate an XLR or 1/4" input, thanks to its handy breakout cable. Its 1/8" stereo output
provides premium audio to headphones or powered monitors. Level indicators let you keep an
eye on external mic, instrument, and built-in microphone levels, as well as the output level. These
levels can be easily controlled via the controller knob. This little interface/mic will more than earn
its keep in your mobile recording rig, and it’ll capture those
> > Apogee ONE
unexpected moments of inspiration at your desktop as well. Add Apogee
Sweetwater price $249.00
quality to your setup, with the affordable, versatile ONE!
www.sweetwater.com/one
Sw
weettwateer Excllusive:
Here at Sweetwater, we’re all about finding new ways to help you out. That’s why we’re especially excited to announce the
30-day Web Pass, a Sweetwater-exclusive bonus that comes free with the purchase of qualifying DAW software!
So, what is the 30-day Web Pass, exactly? We’ve teamed up with the leading online training team from groove3.com to get
you 30 days of instant, unlimited, 24/7 access to their video tutorials. In those 30 days, you can take it as far as you want —
they’ve got great videos covering beginning, intermediate, and power-user topics on each DAW. All in all, if you’re diving into
your next DAW or upgrading to the newest version of your studio’s current staple, then you’ll definitely dig this free training.
It’s just one more reason why getting gear at Sweetwater is so cool!
“Groove 3 tutorials cover the entire spectrum of pro audio learning, so no matter where you are in your quest for knowledge,
we’ve got material you’ll find informative and inspiring. We also stay on the cutting edge and create tutorials whenever there’s a
major software version update — for example, we’re currently developing a ton of really cool material for Logic 9. Check us out.”
— Antony Livoti, V.P. of Groove 3 Inc.
KurtMartin
Name: Kurt Martin
Position at Sweetwater: Sales Engineer
Start date: October, 2006
Education: Associate of Arts at Murray State University. Recording degree
at the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences.
Where are you from originally? Kirbyton, Kentucky
What was your occupation before coming to Sweetwater? I was a
Pro Tools Engineer.
Why did you first apply for a job at Sweetwater? The company I had
been working for moved to Los Angeles, California, and I was looking for
a long-term career with a good company where I could incorporate my
previous
audio experience.
p
Personal motto: Work hard, play harder.
Technical
strengths: Pro Tools and digital audio.
T
Favorite music-related website(s): Sonic State, Harmony Central, eBay
Real-life hero: My grandfather, who served in the Battle of the Bulge
during World War II and raised a family of nine.
Instruments you play: Piano and guitar.
How would your boss describe you? Always laughing.
Favorite magazine: Electronic Musician
Gear you own: Digidesign Pro Tools|HD 1 with 96 I/O; Creation Station
Rack
R XT; Dangerous Music 2-Bus LT and Monitor ST; Genelec 8030s; a
variety of guitars, keyboards, and drum machines.
How would your best friend describe you? An idiot with a work ethic.
Family info: I was the third child born in a family of six in west Kentucky.
My mother, brother, and sister are all English teachers, so going into the
music industry was definitely a “shock-the-world” scenario. I’m really close
to my younger brother, who followed me into the music industry when I
moved to Nashville, Tennessee.
What in your life best prepared you for the work you do here at
Sweetwater? My stint as a customer specialist at Best Buy. Learning the
basics of selling on that level provided me with a great foundation on which
to build here at Sweetwater.
Other stuff we should know about you: I’m a huge sports fan (Kentucky
Wildcats, St. Louis Cardinals)! I love to stay in shape, and I’m a hiking
fanatic. I finished the Louisville Marathon in 2005 and plan on hiking the
Appalachian Trail. I’m also an XBOX 360 and computer-gaming nut.
What did you dream about doing for a living when you were growing up? Playing college basketball and coaching.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the Sweetwater team?
The ongoing training and the opportunity to be myself. And that it’s okay to
be a salesman.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned at
Sweetwater? Relationships and interdependency build success.
Exclusive videos, features, and hands-on reviews at www.sweetwater.com/expert-center
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8/13/09 10:27:31 AM
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Inside This Issue:
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(800) 222-4700
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Focal Twin6 Be and Solo6 Be
Summer NAMM ’09
Virtual Drums, Part II
GearFest ’09
1979
2009
SweetNotes
®
(800) 222-4700 | www.sweetwater.com
Inside This Issue:
Focal Twin6 Be and Solo6 Be
Summer NAMM ’09
Virtual Drums, Part II
GearFest ’09
...and more
...