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E editor@musicplanetmag.co.uk
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H
Paul Harris
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To advertise:
Please contact Chris Fleischhack
ello and welcome to MusicPlanet, the first issue of Dolphin Music’s new free
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Contributors:
Jeannette Appleton, Peter Bickerton, Helen Burge, The aim of MusicPlanet is to provide a forum for musicians to interact with each
Martyn Casserly, Robert Collins, Mark Cousins,
Anita Curbishley, Trevor Gilham, Steve Harvey, other, manufacturers, and the music industry, and also welcome those who would
Owen Hopkin, Sarah Kelsall, Ellie Laycock,
Richard Lennon, Miguel Mascolinas, Paul
love to get into making music.
Oldfield, Oz Owen, Peter Pollard, Ivan Silva, Lee
Varey, Sheldon Wood, Andy Wright, Jade Wright
Our vision is to have a community of musicians at all levels – interacting,
A big thank you to all the suppliers, manufacturers communicating and providing relevant content on all genres and all musical
and distributors who helped us put together this
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The Official
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Contributors
All contents copyright Dolphin Music Ltd, 2008

While we make every effort to ensure the
content contained within MusicPlanet is correct
at the time of publication, we cannot take
responsibility for nor be held accountable
for any errors or omissions. Due to constant
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to be accurate with product price details at the
time of publication. The opinions expressed in
MusicPlanet Magazine are not necessarily those Owen Hopkin Mark Cousins Steve Harvey
of Dolphin Music or Note Media Ltd. For Owen’s our drum expert. You might think you recognise Steve is MusicPlanet’s acoustic
up-to-the-minute price information, please He’s been hitting wood and this man – it has been said expert. Having co-founded
check the Dolphin Music website at complex metal alloys for he bears more than a passing Acoustic magazine, he was
www.dolphinmusic.com nigh on 20 years. His parents resemblance to Angus its Editor for three years and
called it sonic vandalism, Deayton. In fact, Mark writes is now a regular contributor
MusicPlanet Magazine
ISSN 1758-0951 (print) Owen still maintains it’s art. A TV and film production music to Guitarist magazine. Over
ISSN 1758-096X (online) 9-to-5 escapologist by trade, for BMG Zomba. He’s also a the years, he’s amassed a
he’s The Crimea’s drummer leading authority on matters sizeable collection of desirable
and Xfm’s go-to man for all of music technology and acoustics and has played
Published by Note Media Ltd things digital and on-line. recording, and has written and written about every
Houdini had been known to more words on the subject significant acoustic body
hit him up for tips. And he over the last few years than shape in existence.
likes holding famous stuff. he cares to remember. Clever man…
E info@note-media.com
T 01749 880016
W www.note-media.com
www.dolphinmusic.com 0844 248 8117 MusicPlanet Autumn2008 03
003_MusicPlanet_01_v3.indd 3 20/8/08 11:33:05

ISSUE 01 Autumn 2008
CONTENTS 06
The Subways
FEATURES 33 Review dbx DriveRack PX

06 The Subways 43 Group Test Powered studio
Still determined to follow their own path monitor round-up
21 Making digital music 51 Review AKAI MPC5000
Getting started in computer music 53 Preview 2box DrumIt Five
29 48 hours in Liverpool 62 Review Toontrack Superior2.0
The best music venues on Merseyside
64 Six of the Best Studio mics
35 Jason ‘Phats’ Hayward
One man’s continuing musical mission 67 Review Native Instruments
Guitar Rig Session
47 Gig reviews
43
The pick of the summer’s live events 69 Reviews In Brief
57 Buying an acoustic guitar
How to choose the right model for you REGULARS Monitors
74 Unsung heroes – Snake Davis
Successful session saxophonist 13 News round-up
34 Win a Jaguar Special HH
GEAR 39 Music Clinic
Your questions answered
18 Six of the Best Digital Recorders 52 Win a pair of Yamaha MSP7s
27 Review Fender Classic Player 72 Top Five Best Sellers
Jaguar Special HH
35
Jason ‘Phats’
Hayward
57
Buying an
acoustic guitar
04 MusicPlanet Autumn2008 www.dolphinmusic.com 0844 248 8117
004-005_MusicPlanet_01.indd 4 14/8/08 13:20:42

21
Making digital music
WIN
A JPAAGG !
ON E 34
27
Fender Classic
Player Jaguar
Special HH review

T
s of small home-
y embarked on a serie
with their parents, the w to play, write and perform on the
you have the country tours, learning
ho
that it can be done. If The Subways,
the band, now called EPs. These are
he Subways are proof nfidence and you’re willing to put way. At the sa me tim e, ed
co ecord
talent, if you have the hard yards, a band can come from ited-edition, self-r
put out a series of lim collectors’ items.
ft an d co ve r the n’t involve
in the gra bal competitors. It does now rightf ully cons idered
nowhere to become glo estment, hype or a magazine
THE SUBfarWisAY
l inv
buckets of major-labe d of that particular five minutes. It’s as that of 10,000
un pretty much the same
declaring you’re the so nation to follow through on it and Their story so d the three
about se lf-belie f, de ter mi
at shows. That’s d recordings had turne
at songs and play gre bands, but the gigs an rock‘n’roll machine, experienced
the ability to write gre e Subways one of the most inspiring ine
teenagers into a genu nd their years. In spring 2004, The
Th
precisely what’s made o why new chapters keep being and harde ne d far be yo
etition with a
bands in Britain. And
als unsigned band comp
ng story… Subways entered an were Michael Eavis and clan, and
added to their fascinati ger called Billy Morgan in the arguably s
dif ference – the judge ing slot at that summer’s Glastonbury
It begins with a tee na rden City, home
hire town of Welwyn Ga the prize was the open the challenges of the UK’s unsigned
unremarkable Hertfords es, forgotten ’90s punks S*M*A*S*H Festival. Brushing aside ddenly, The Subways found
of goalkeeper David Jam d Wheat factory in the centre of town, Su
community, they won. nal stage, rocking the mud-
de
and, thanks to a Shred our. Having fallen in love at an early themselv es on the na tio
of viewers on
t od
a surprisingly pleasan Nirvana and Oasis, Billy decided that impressing thousands
as splattered crowd and y say, is history...
age with bands such nd of his own. Unable to find like- the BBC. The rest, as
the r Brothers,
he wanted to form a ba persuaded his equally young girlfriend, the attention of Warne
The Subways attracted m their appearance at 2004’s
ly
minded musicians, Bil up the bass guitar, and his brother,
k
up. Fro
which snapped them 05, they became one of Britain’s
➥
➥
Charlotte Cooper, to pic drums. Billy re-christened himself Glastonbury an d into 20
lea rni ng the
Josh, to start g off in a van
grandfather and, settin
Lunn in honour of his

006-010_MusicPlanet_01.indd 7
(centre) and Josh Morgan
Charlotte Cooper, Billy Morgan
www.dolphinmusic.com 0844 248 8117

MusicPlanet
The Subways
Autumn2008
UNDERGROUND HEROES
From small-town Hertfordshire to appearances with some of the biggest names
07
in the business, Robert Collins charts the ongoing rise of an inspirational UK act.
iii
players
12/8/08 14:51:24
Dolp_T+S_s2.0:Layout 1 13/8/08 11:25 Page 1
iii
players
e between
have such a long tim
“We never planned to Charlotte on one of the band’s rare
us scenes ins
the two albums,” expla e went on tour for over two years
Side-stepping the vario
must-see rock bands. built up only to be subsequently s fro m the road. “W y all over
that came and went – er-fickle British music media – they
bre ak
rel ea se of Yo un g Fo r Eternity. We got to pla wrote
after the – and we
ev
knocked down by the ir own terms. The gigs were wild – stralia, the US, Europe
ed pu rely on the m any the world – Japan, Au this time. But during 2006 Billy started
succeed wd fro t
rling himself into the cro new songs throughou ging and we had to start cancelling
Billy’s penchant for hu came a nightly highlight, and the g pro ble ms with sin s
be
available launch point debut album, Young For Eternity,
ha vin of doctors’ visits, he wa cision
de d the sh ow s. After several months ca l ch ord s, an d a de
singles that prece
rden City had a band
hinted that Welwyn Ga the time the album arrived, then, The
that could KEYKIT ON
diagnosed with polyp
the m to
s on his vo
be removed. He had the ng and
operation in
LIFTING TH E LID was ma de for recoveri
appeal to the world. By alongside the Arctic Monkeys as the THE SUBWAYS’ SOUN
D the next few months time to rehearse
s we re sta nd ing A. They early 2007 and spent ba ck . We us ed thi s
Subway invasion of the US his vocal streng th
s of the lat est British Bill y “I pla y mainly Gibson SGof the ge ttin g we re co mp letely prepared
twin spearhead Nig ht talk show circuit and dropped Clas sics and Juniors becaus
e
ins tru me nta lly an d make sure we 20 07 for a month
Late ent ially
dio in Jun e
played the American de are ess
Bait Shop in an episo P-90 pickups, whichsingle-coil pickups. . We went into the stu er and October to finish off.”
ty to ap pe ar at the cru nch y sou nding to rec ord
into Orange Coun I use Vox amps –AC- an AC-50 for my
C for my low and then went ba
ck in Septemb
de this album any
series The OC. nk we could have ma through in the last
of the teen drama TV um, All Or Nothing, was released high end and an ma30C
s a Fish n aco ust ic am p
“I rea lly do n’t thi
The band’s se co nd alb end – plu Gib son “What we ’ve be en
d crashed for the piezo I built-in
to my
other way,” insists Billy. trumental in making this album as
er a three-year gap an signature model
earlier this summer aft , welcomed back into the rock fold 335 Tom DeLongewh red s be en ins
ha t been for the time
en we tou ye ars
that he gav e me few
straight into the Top Ten y of fans who long craved for new with Angels & Airw aves in 2006. I
so I go od as it’s tur ne d out to be. Had it no wouldn’t have
with open arms by an love with.
arm from the
use stereo leads ic and electric
335
cal surgery, I
to fal l in can split the acoust m on and sp en t recovering from my vo , All Or Nothing or Strawberry
Subways tracks in their pickups and switchwthe Lostboy
ee Subways – now all songs like developed songs like all really important songs on the
Life is good for the thr round of success wasn’t easily off during the shory.for I thi nk are
cond Kalifor nia and Ma Blond e , wh ich recovering from the
early 20s – but this se of life in a rock‘n’roll bubble had lan d gui tars alb um . A lot of time was spent with me touring. And the rest
achieved. The pressure and Charlotte’s romantic relationship, Charlotte “I use Lak lid years of
with an Ampeg SVT 2 head and an
al is the BOSS surge
ry in 2007 after two so g the record.”
brought an end to Billy and lung-busting performances took 8x10 cab. My main ped ve. I love my of that year wa s sp en t ma kin
g ODB-3 Bass Overdrilov
while non-stop tourin chords – hence the three-year gap solid low-
their toll on Bil ly’s vo ca l Lakland. It gives acomely, bin ed wit h the
E BUTCH COkinNgNthaEC TION producer –
ee n Yo un g Fo r Ete rnity and All Or Nothing. end sound. This, what makes that
ove rdrive pedal, is nd that I use TH t rec ord was its
betw beautiful distorted sou .” An im portant ally in ma de sk on iconic records such
through most of our set hind the
Butch Vig, the man be , Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream
as Nirvana’s Nevermind Securing his services was final proof
.
and Sonic Youth’s Dirty come an important band – Vig isn’t
t Th e Su bw ay s ha d be
tha .
ords with just anyone
a guy who makes rec times when he was touring with
“We’d met him a few e of our shows
arlotte. “He came to on ly had
Garbage,” explains Ch s tha t Bil
him some demo
in LA and we played ntact from then, but we never really
ke pt in co
produced. We to produce the album r favourite
.”
tho ug ht of as kin g Bu tch ou
to a hu ge bu nc h of
“We’d decided to listen ht producer for us,” recalls Billy. “We
the rig
CDs in order to find wrote down
Butch when we initially
didn’t actually include cause we never thought that he’d
be
the list of candidates what with him being this legendary
wi th us –
want to wo rk nny suburban
rld -cl as s pro du ce r and us being three ski
wo
English kids!” were at a bit
ral other producers, we
“But after meeting seve e, “None seemed to understand
arlott
of a loss,” continues Ch record. We decided to take a
at we wa nte d fro m the went over to
wh some demos and we
chance and send Butch ile he was mixing the Against Me
wh
New York to meet him excited by the demos and we loved
se em ed qu ite
record. He
he had.”
the production ideas a shot in the dark when we sent him
“We de cid ed to tak e ly, “but he really
s we’d done,” adds Bil
that CD of all the demo t up for coffee and the rest is history!
loved the songs. We me sically. The guy read our minds; we ➥
➥
ba
He was unbelievable,
››› BILLY’S PENCHANT FOR

HIMSELF INTO THE CR
HURLING
OWD
BECAME A NIGHTLY HIGH
LIGHT

iii
players
ted the
in soundchecks and tes write
d so much songs for this album ed us to
wavelength and we ha nk this infl
songs out on tour. I thi uld enjoy playing live. For
ue nc
were all on the same We were just pulling the songs t we wo
. tha
fun making this album he av ier so ng s
an d first performed Girls An
d Boys
wr ote
out of our sleeves!” tch Vig has worked wi
th example, we
nday tour.”
TRACKPICKS Billy’s being modest. Bu rock musicians of the last
ative
on the Taking Back Su write album number two
rni ty to
THE CREAM OF THE some of the most cre seal of approval that’s putting Taking an ete
try standard, but so oft
en it’s
SUBWAYS’ CATALOGUE two de cade s and s
it’ his
For a has become an indus the tardy band’s popularity
e that lof ty company. l in
accompanied by a lul the potential problem facing The
The Subways alongsid Billy’s displayed a remarkable
Young For Eternity
The title track of their s, is wa s
wham-bam-thank- writer barely into his 20 ums, possessing a genuine an d for tun es . Th
ars is a long time betwee a few
n albums
alb ye
you-ma’am debut maturity over his two re elements behind what makes Subways. Th ree
me the band if they ha d
co and no one could bla
album, Young For
understanding of the s aided on fan ba se was still
Eternity highlights everything tural songwriter, he wa their ex cita
nerves about whether tour in late spring proved that the
ble
that’s great about The Subways. a great pop song. A na thm section’s development into
A celebration of the pleasures
All Or Nothing by his rhyl unit. More than anything, the there. A low-key British and the presence to dominate
es
band still had the tun d on, but it would be outdoor
of youth, highlighted by Josh’s
thundering drums and Billy’s a melodic and powerfu on- and off-stage turned up the pe are
throat-melting vocals, Young For adventures of the band the amps – for the songs on an y sta ge the y ap
and the celebration of
everything
Eternity was too heavy to release
excitement level – an
d stages at Glastonbury Festival that would prove to be
as a single, but that didn’t dilute its d
undeniable greatness. album nu mb er tw o. metal at the Downloa
the crucia l litm us tes ts. re so
Turnaround
URE n’t have worried: “We’
Could this highlight
SUB CULT years, pla ying all these fan tas tic It turns out they need waited for us!” enthuses
have
“Being on tour for two ing countries to these crazy grateful that our fans
of All Or Nothing be
y-style face
the best Subways
es in all the se am az g Ch arlott e, wh o ha pp ily sported Paul Stanle day as
song to date? At the venu re writin d Download the same
ted the songs we we paint when they rocke g sold out, and every night
very least, it’s Charlotte’s finest vocal
audiences really affec ly. “We wrote all the time on sp rin
performance, the icing on the cake Bil Kiss. “The tour thi s
baked from the finest punk rock during that time,” says s and self-analysis on this ppy to hear the old so
ngs again,
ingredients: a dash of Queens of the es
tour and all the crazin g were infused in all the the audience were ha new ones. We were quite
Stone Age, a few drops of Smashing vin
adventure we were ha up with. The more shows we and excited to hear the load performance as a lot of
Pumpkins and three heaped wn
material we we re co mi ng and nervous before our Do tioning whether we were heav y
spoonfuls of Ramones. Tasty.
ha rde r we d
’ pla y an d the more balconies op le ha d be en qu es of people’s
did, the pe
1am (demo)
think we changed a lot
Widely available online, the speakers I’d dive off!” to a lot more music since enough to perform. I day, and we loved being up
t
demo’s scruffy recording can’t
disguise the song’s canny “We’ve been exposed ,” adds Charlotte. “We’ve opinions about us tha y new crowd. It was a very
g Fo r Ete rnity nt of a ma inl
recording Youn t also there in fro the Pyramid
music, like Refused, bu also us when we played on dday, and
simplicity and raw power. A
minor riot of melody and rhythm listen ing to he av ier pro ud mo me nt for
been Death Cab For Cutie. We too. We were on at mi d up to
Stage at Glastonbury,
clocking in at under two minutes,
1am perfectly demonstrated that very melodic music, like azing live bands, like the Foo tha t so many people tur
ne
am were so surprise d
something special was brewing got to play with some Sunday. We wrote a lot of the mu d, the re we re a lot of people
in Welwyn Garden City...
Fighters and Taking Ba
ck watch us. Despite the
dancing , too!” d,” admits Billy candidl
y. “We
“We’d been quite worrie would remember us! It had
ople
wondered whether pe g to 30,000 people at midday
wh ile, bu t pla yin s to rest
been a
really put those worrie
on the Friday at Glasto think preparing for these festival
.I
and we had great fun ar was a
touring we did this ye
dates with all the early went on stage ready to rock it
good idea, though. We
whatever happened!” harged live shows are quickly
The Subway ’s super-c national treasure, but there’s
of a
becoming something nd than hyperactive mosh
mo re to the ba
so mu ch Because
s stage-diving habits.
pits and Billy’s notoriou bands so frequently fall by the
g
in an age when youn in the big
pe and promises of life
wayside, blinded by hy for the workload heading their
league but unprepared Subways have demonstrated
way, the ever-charming nds with the drive to put in
ba
more than once that the rewards. Wild on stage but
p
the hard work can rea nd that’ll never make tabloid
d off it, thi s is a ba exactly
relaxe
t the music – which is
headlines. It’s all abou
how it should be. MP album All Or Nothing is out
t
The Subways’ lates hers.
rn er Br ot
›››
now on Wa
FOR A WRITER BAREL Y INTO HIS 20S,

REMARKABLE
BILLY’S DISPLAYED A TW ALBUMS
MATURITY OVER HIS O

“The Satchurator is the
most musical, most
dynamic, multi-function
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played through.”
Joe Satriani
JOE SATRIANI
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Drawing on Joe Satriani’s knowledge accumulated from decades of
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Featured on Joe’s new release,

‘Professor Satchafunkilus and
the Musterion of Rock’.
photo courtesy of ccphotoart.biz www.voxamps.com

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professional, home recording and broadcast studio. or call Dolphin Music on 0844 248 8117.
Vocal Booth Ad.indd 1 8/7/08 2:46:04 PM

PLANET NEWS The latest gear and
events for bands,
players and DJs
Take ultimate
control of Cubase
Steinberg teams up with Yamaha to develop the most
integrated front-end controller ever for Cubase 4
Who better to build a fully integrated hardware Alongside this is a bank
controller for Cubase 4 than Steinberg, the of 12 rotary encoders
developers of Cubase itself? Designed in and six buttons designed
collaboration with Yamaha, who acquired to provide you with full
Steinberg from Pinnacle in 2004, the new CC121 control of Cubase’s built-in 4-band
Advanced Integration Controller replicates many parametric EQ. With these sections alone you’d
of the essential software features of the Cubase have a powerful controller that would make
mixing environment in hardware. It enables you to mixing in Cubase a more enjoyable experience. includes a Cubase Ready LED, which shows when
distance yourself from the confines of the mouse However, the CC121 doesn’t end there. You also get the unit is connected and ready to use.
for a more tactile approach to mixing. an eight-button transport section, jog wheel and The CC121 Advanced Integration Controller will
The CC121 has a single 100mm motorised an innovative Ultra-Precision Advanced Integration be available in the autumn and could prove to
touch-sensitive fader, which can be used to take Controller knob which can be assigned to any be the ultimate hardware front end for project
control of any channel in Cubase. Alongside the visual parameter in Cubase by simply clicking on it. studio owners using Cubase 4. Pricing is yet to be
fader is a dedicated pan knob and a selection The CC121 is plug-and-play compatible with announced, so keep a keen eye on the Dolphin
of channel control buttons, for solo/mute, record Cubase 4 with no additional setup or parameter website for more details.
arm, automation read/write and effects settings. assigning necessary before you get started, and www.dolphinmusic.com
Brass and woodwind events JBL ANNOUNCES

at Dolphin Music stores CONTROL 2P
Achieving a detailed reference
Want to play an instrument, but not sure how to mix in small environments is
start? Now’s your chance as Dolphin Music stores
are hosting a series of events aimed at helping you
WHERE AND WHEN about to get easier, thanks to
the JBL Control 2P Compact
choose an instrument. First of all Dolphin has teamed 18 September Gateshead Store Powered Reference Monitors.
up with Yamaha to demonstrate a variety of brass Back To School, Yamaha 2pm-8pm The Control 2P is a 5-inch
and woodwind instruments. Yamaha representatives 2-way powered stereo system
will be in Dolphin Music stores to answer questions. 20 September Huddersfield Store boasting a high output level
The Huddersfield store will be showcasing the Back To School, Yamaha 10am-4pm without distortion and a
saxophone on 15 November with Rico Reeds, linear frequency response
Cannonball 15 November Huddersfield Store with impressive low-frequency
Saxophones and sax Saxophone day. 10am-4pm performance for its size. jbl’s
legend Snake Davis. specifications claim a low end that runs right down
While the Gateshead 14-16 November Gateshead Store to 80Hz, with a maximum SPL of 115dB.
store will be staging World Of Brass Weekend. The system includes two speakers, one of
a World Of Brass Normal opening hours which incorporates the 35 Watts per channel power
Weekend, with amplification and user controls – including a high-
special discounts 18 October Huddersfield Store frequency contour – while the other speaker is a
available on a range Clarinet Day. 10am-4pm passive system.
of instruments. In addition the JBL Control 2P speakers have
For more details, Huddersfield Store 01484 427455 a built-in headphone jack and are magnetically
call the relevant Gateshead Store 0191 493 2244 shielded, so they can be placed near your
store; details are in www.dolphinmusic.com computer monitor without interference.
the box, right. www.dolphinmusic.com

PLANET NEWS
SNIPPETS
SPECTRASONICS OMNISPHERE
It’s not often that a new software synth builds
the kind of anticipation that has surrounded
Unleash
Spectrasonic’s new Omnisphere since it was
first announced at NAMM in January this year.
However, Omnisphere is no ordinary virtual
the digital DJ
instrument, promising to deliver unique and
innovative sounds using a variety of real-time
synthesis techniques combined with a huge
within
library of psychoacoustic sounds.
Omnisphere is based on Spectrasonic’s new
STEAM audio engine, which is capable of variable
waveshaping synthesis, granular synthesis, timbre
shifting FM, polyphonic ring modulation and Serato and Numark have been collaborating to develop their new
sample playback among other techniques.
Omnisphere will be released on 15 September. high-end NS7 product that’s specifically aimed at digital DJs.
Pricing is yet to be confirmed.
The fruits of Numark’s partnership with Serato of scratching and better response in Serato’s ITCH
Audio Research have been revealed with the software. The system also provides dedicated MIDI
release of the new NS7 computer DJ system. The controls for many of the functions available in the
NS7 system combines two motorised seven-inch software. However, these are all assignable to
turntable platters with a 2-in/4-out audio interface different controls, should the need arise.
and a DJ-orientated MIDI control surface. The audio section has a single balanced
The two turntables use a direct-drive 1/4-inch input for use with microphones, and
mechanism and feature adjustable torque with stereo RCA inputs for use with other line-level
a real vinyl surface to give you a professional DJ equipment. Separate outputs for the main
turntable feel. Control and audio signals from the speakers (on both XLR and RCA) and booth
NS7 are sent over USB 2.0, with control signals monitors (RCA) enable you to set up pre-mixes
providing more than double the resolution of from the booth, or from the headphones.
PUTTING IK IN THE BOX standard MIDI. This gives you an even greater level NS7 is expected to be available later this year.
IK Multimedia’s Total Workstation line of sample of control over your mixing, improved accuracy Dolphin ID 37711 Price £899
instruments, powered by SampleTank are now
available pre-installed on the Muse Research
Receptor hardware plug-in player. The Total
Workstation Rack combines SampleTank 2.5, Sonik New exotic
Synth 2, Mirsolav Philharmonik, SampleMoog and
SampleTron with the Receptor’s unique hardware
to create a powerful hardware instrument.
Dean guitars
Over 10,000 sample-based sounds are included, Dean Guitars have a range of new electric guitars
and with Muse Research’s UniWire technology available, including the ML Exotic and ML Knight.
they can be integrated into any DAW as a normal Both of these guitars has a
instrument plug-in without putting any strain on
the host computer’s CPU. FIND A NEW REASON 24.75-inch scale mahogany neck and rosewood
fingerboard. Dean’s signature stylings are evident
Propellerhead is giving you the opportunity to on each of the new models, with a variety of
INTO THE BLUE WITH DOLPHIN expand your sonic palette in Reason with the launch different finishes available for each.
Blue Microphones has grown from a small firm of three new bundles. With exotic woods like Bubinga, Mapa Burl
making hand-built microphones in California to Propellerhead Studio Combo bundles together all and Spault, top-quality hardware including Dean
one of the most innovative developers in the four Reason hypersampled sound libraries – Reason Humbucker or EMG pickups and a Floyd Rose
world. These mics, including the new Dragonfly Drum Kits, Reason Pianos, Abbey Road Keyboards tremolo on the ML Knight these new guitars
large-diaphragm condenser (Dolphin ID 35877, and Reason Electric Bass – for a price of just £199. are sure to sound as good as they look.
£449) are now exclusively available in the UK The Propellerhead Rhythm Combo combines Each of the woods has its own unique
through Dolphin Music. the Reason Drum Kits and Reason Electric Bass for look, feel and tone so be sure to try each
The Dragonfly will be joined by the rest of only £119. And the flagship bundle Reason Premium of them out to find the best instrument
Blue’s range, which includes dynamics, the Edition includes all four sample libraries along with a for you.
Woodpecker ribbon mic, a wide range of small- full copy of Reason 4 for just £399. Final pricing has yet to be
and large-diaphragm condensers and three Whether you only need to expand your rhythm decided, but by the time you read
tube-based large-diaphragm condensers. tools, your entire sonic arsenal or you’re looking at this the new models should be
Dolphin will also be stocking Blue’s specialist taking the leap into Reason 4 for the first time, there available. Call or visit Dolphin
high-specification audio cables. is a bundle for you. And with these extra instruments Music for more details.
www.dolphinmusic.com added to your collection you should have all the www.dolphinmusic.com
sounds you’ll need for every occasion. 0844 248 8117

SNIPPETS
OILED UP
Ultra-Pure Professional Valve Oil is used by some
of the greatest trumpeters, including Wynton
Marsalis, Dave Douglas and Arturo Sandoval. It
David Gilmour
keeps your valves playing smoothly and prevents
them sticking or behaving sluggishly, even in
incredibly dry locations and under stressful tour-
signature model
ing conditions. The oil is non-toxic, odourless, and
long-lasting, ensuring your playing experience is
kept as enjoyable as possible.
Dolphin ID 38364 Price £4.99
Fender Custom Shop set to honour David Gilmour by reproducing
his signature Black Strat for mere mortals to own and play…
Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour is being features a black lacquer over three-colour sunburst
honoured by the Fender Custom Shop with a alder body with a black pickguard, one-piece
signature guitar based on his famous Black Strat. maple neck, custom pickups and electronics, and
Gilmour’s Black Strat has been a cornerstone a shortened vintage tremolo arm.
of the Pink Floyd sound, defining the tone of The guitar is available in two variants; The Relic
many of Gilmour’s greatest guitar solos. Featured (£3,200), with aged parts and worn paint, and
extensively on Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You the New Old Stock model (£2,700) with all-new
Were Here, Animals, The Wall and his recent solo parts and finish and an additional white plastic
album On An Island, the Black Strat has recently backplate. Both come in a custom black case by G
won a vote in Guitarist Magazine for the best ever & G, with plush green lining and embroidered logo, BAND ON THE WALL REBORN
guitar tone, with readers singling out the 1979 track a set of GHS David Gilmour signature strings, an Legendary Manchester venue Band On The Wall
Comfortably Numb as the guitar’s finest moment. Evidence Audio cable, a deluxe Fender strap and has been awarded a £3.2 million redevelopment
Developed by the Fender Custom Shop in a David Gilmour plectrum. You’ll also get a copy of grant by the Arts Council of England and the
conjunction with Gilmour and his long-standing David’s three-disc Live In Gdansk CD/DVD and Phil Heritage Lottery Fund. The aim is to provide new
guitar tech Phil Taylor, the David Gilmour Signature Taylor’s book The Black Strat, which chronicles the facilities for performances, education, recording
Series Stratocaster is a complete reproduction of guitar from 1970’s Atom Heart Mother to now. and a music archive. The venue has been
the look, feel and sound of Gilmour’s Black Strat. It Both models should be available in November. important for local bands, including Joy Division,
The Buzzcocks and Art Blakey. Building work on
the venue has already begun, and it’s scheduled
to re-open in Spring 2009.
EVENT OPAL DEVELOPMENT BEARS FRUIT Contact 0161 834 1786
Event Electronics has recently completed the The Event Opal has been designed by
development of a whole new range of monitors,
which the company hopes will set a new
standard for nearfield monitors.
Marcelo Vercelli as an 8-inch, 2-way speaker with
the same dynamic and extended mid-range as
the most expensive 3-way systems. To achieve
Big sounds in
this, Marcelo and the Event R&D team have
developed innovative new technologies at every
stage, including completely redesigned woofers,
little packages
tweeters, amplifiers and cabinets. Ashdown Engineering has launched two new
The EX8 driver operates from 30Hz to 10kHz diminutive bass amps that will fit easily in your gig
with power handling of up to a staggering bag, but fill the room with sound when hooked
1000 Watts, while the high-power neodymium up to a bass cabinet. The Little Giant 350 and
motor offers 24mm of linear excursion, aimed at 1000 weigh just 3kg and 3.5kg respectively, but
creating an extremely detailed and responsive provide you with a whopping 350 or 1000 Watts of
low end. The unique X-Coil system increases amplification and a powerful range of features.
the driver speed and lowers total harmonic Both pack switchable active/passive instrument
distortion, resulting in a mid-range that Event inputs, a 7-band parametric EQ, Deep and Shape
claims surpasses even the best 3-way systems. switches and EQ bypass, along with separate i/o
The range will include two further monitors, level control and metering. Combination 1/4-inch jack
which share the same DNA as the Opal, the Type and Speakon outputs are included with a pre/post
25 and Type 28. All are expected soon. Check the switchable DI output.
Dolphin Music website for more details. 350 is available now, the 1000 is due mid-Sept.
www.dolphinmusic.com Dolphin ID 35477 (Little Giant 350) Price £225
Dolphin ID 35478 (Little Giant 1000) Price £325

dolphin deals
Here at Dolphin Music, we like to give that little bit extra to our loyal customers.
So, as well as giving you this cool magazine to keep you well informed of what’s hot in the music industry, we have put together
a great selection of our best and most exciting deals. This is only a small selection of what we have to offer, so we have tried our
very best to display a varied mixture of goodies from across our (huge!) range.
We understand that everyone is different, so if nothing here fits the bill, please call or email one of our dedicated team of experts
and they will be delighted to help you.
Happy shopping!
Prices correct at time of print, phone or check online for latest prices.
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››› SIX OF THE BEST
Portable recorders have come of age lately, offering
high-resolution recording and a wealth of features
squeezed into devices no larger than an iPod...
Yamaha
Pocketrak
£215 Dolphin ID 35408
2G
The Pocketrak 2G has many of the same features
you’d find on other portable recorders, but it’s small
enough to fit in your pocket. Weighing in at only 49
grams, the Pocketrak 2G is the smallest portable recorder
currently available. Squeezed in alongside the retractable
USB jack and cutting-edge Eneloop battery is a built-in
stereo microphone that tilts up to 90 degrees, while a
built-in speaker enables you to audition your recordings
on the move.
The built-in solid-state hard disk can store up to two
gigabytes of audio and can be used as an MP3 player. It
can also serve as a data stick for storing and transferring
non-audio data.
M-Audio
MicroTrack II
M-Audio’s MicroTrack II builds on the success of
the previous model by extending the input range of the
built-in microphone preamps, enabling you to record with
extra gain to capture quieter sources without internal noise
problems. To prevent the preamps being overloaded when
turned up, M-Audio has also built-in an analogue limiter
that cuts the input gain when the signal strength exceeds
the threshold, ensuring distortion-free recordings.
Like the original model, the MicroTrack II has balanced
1/4-inch inputs capable of delivering 48V phantom power
to professional microphones.
Edirol
R-09HR
£247.95 Dolphin ID 36261
The R-09HR initially appears to be a
minor update of the successful R-09 design, with
the option of recording at sample rates of 96kHz
instead of the 24-bit/48kHz maximum recording
resolution of the R-09.
But it doesn’t stop there. Edirol has fitted the
R-09HR with an OLED screen and improved the
circuit design and built-in microphones to reduce
the noise floor of your recordings. Furthermore,
the Edirol R-09HR has a built-in speaker, enabling
you to listen to your recordings without the need
for additional speakers or headphones.

››› Portable Digital Recorders
Zoom H2
Handy Recorder
Zoom’s H2 Handy Recorder goes one step further
than the competition by providing you with two pairs of
stereo microphones. The front pair are set at 90 degrees to
each other, while the rear pair provide a wider stereo field,
set apart at 120 degrees. You can use either stereo pair
individually or capture a surround recording using all four
microphones simultaneously, enabling you to take advantage
of a variety of recording techniques including quadrophonic
surround sound.
The H2 also doubles as a USB microphone when
attached to your PC or Mac, bypassing the internal SD card
memory and providing up to four channels of audio directly
to your DAW via USB.
Tascam DR-1
The Variable-Angle Microphone Mechanism built-in to Tascam’s
DR-1 enables you to angle the microphones to point directly at the source
even when the recorder is placed flat on a table.
Also built-in to the DR-1 are some useful effects, including an analogue
limiter and auto-gain control, a low-cut filter and a useful instrument tuner.
There’s also a vocal-cancel feature that can be used to strip the vocals from
the centre channel of a recording.
The DR-1 also enables you to overdub recordings, so you can make
primitive sound-on-sound recordings without needing a DAW.
Korg
MR-1 1-bit
››› BUY NOW

While almost every other digital recording device
we’ve come across uses PCM recording at bit rates of
16–24-bit and sample rates of 96 or even 192kHz, Korg has
adopted the advanced 1-bit DSD recording format, which is To buy, or for expert advice call
also used by SACDs. This format has a frequency response 0844 248 8117
that goes all the way up to 100kHz and has a staggering Or logon at
dynamic range of 120dB.
In addition to the unusual recording format, the MR-1 has
And enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left of the screen.
a 20GB internal hard drive and comes with Korg’s AudioGate
software for converting recordings into the more standard
PCM file formats.

what a revolution sounds like.
Korg first defined the concept of the workstation with the legendary M1.
Now, the new M3 Music Workstation/Sampler revolutionises everything
a workstation is and all it can do for you.
The M3’s all-new OASYS-derived Enhanced Definition Synthesis delivers
sounds so realistic you’ll swear you’re coaxing them from the instruments
themselves. Second generation KARMA interactive phrase-generating
technology fluidly adapts as you play, creating shifting musical
backgrounds to fuel the imagination. Capture and further shape your
playing with a new hi-res sequencer and advanced sampler.
Take command of your musical performances with a powerful control
surface, dynamic drumpads, and the colour touch screen’s KAOSS
capability. Plus, you can use the M3 with your computer as virtualised
hardware with the included plug-in editor software, and single cable
audio/MIDI communication via the EXB-Firewire option.
Only Korg brings so much sonic power, inspiration and flexibility to a
single instrument. The M3 defines a new class of workstation that sounds,
and is, awesome.
M3. A SONIC REVOLUTION.

Download the free update from www.korg.co.uk/m3
KARMA® (Kay Algorithmic Realtime Music Architecture) and the KARMA

Logo are registered trademarks representing patented technology
licensed from Stephen Kay, Karma Lab LLC, www.karma-lab.com.
In practice
Making digital music

Taking your first steps in music production needn’t be too taxing
thanks to the huge choice of intuitive, loop-based audio
››
packages out there. Mark Cousins puts you in the picture.
Computer-based In this feature we’re going to yourself, many DAWs come
recording has redefined break down the process of creating with a wealth of loop-based
music production in a loop-based track using a DAW content designed to help you
recent years, trading (Digital Audio Workstation). Although build up your tracks piece by piece,
ISTOCK.COM
traditional musical we’re going to concentrate on just using the various components as
conventions such as the ability to two entry-level DAWs – Steinberg’s you see fit. In the absence of any
play an instrument or the need to Sequel 2 and Ableton’s Live LE – the beat-matching technology, though,
understand compositional ‘rules’ for same principles can be applied to this ‘jigsaw puzzle’ approach
a passion for music and a keen ear any contemporary audio application. can soon become a cacophony, Is your PC up to it?
for how a track is pieced together. In but thanks to a DAW’s ability to
particular, the advent of loop-based THE BUILDING BLOCKS automatically time stretch loops, Most off-the-shelf computers
audio applications such as Ableton Listen to any piece of music and everything should stay in perfect should be more than capable
Live and GarageBand has enabled you should be able to identify a sync irrespective of the original of running a basic audio
›››
composers to experiment with the number of key building blocks that tempo the loop was played at. application. However, you’ll
need to ensure that you’ve
got around six Gigabytes of
WITH JUST A LAPTOP AND A SPLASH OF free drive space if the package
IMAGINATION YOU COULD BE CREATING includes a large amount of
looped sound content.
RELEASE-QUALITY MUSIC IN HOURS
building blocks of music, layering make up the track: drums, bass, Once you’ve selected the is commonly termed an Arrange
different drum loops, bass lines and maybe some keyboard and guitar appropriate loops from the DAW’s page. The Arrange page shows the
so on to create a kind of musical hooks, and vocals. Although you media browser, you can start to progression of the song over time
collage. Indeed, with just a laptop can choose to play these parts assemble your song using what from left to right, organised into a ➥
➥
and a splash of imagination you
could be creating release-quality
music in matter of hours.
As inspiring as this all seems,
though, the task of putting together
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Choosing the right application
your first track can seem rather
daunting. With so many different
applications to choose from – not
to mention a seemingly endless
list of terminology and no clear
step-by-step explanations of the
progression from A to B – it’s all Apple
too easy to get lost in technicalities Ableton Steinberg Logic
rather than enjoying the process of Live LE Sequel 2 Express 8
making music. However, by breaking £94.99 £69 £129
Dolphin ID 33245 Dolphin ID 28038 Dolphin ID 33445
down the task into the key essential Built on the same technology that powers
Live LE is the entry-level version of Ableton The cut-down version of Apple Logic Studio,
steps and acquiring a better Live, an application that’s fast becoming one Steinberg’s popular professional audio application Logic Express 8 offers the same powerful
understanding of the possibilities of the most popular means of creating loop- Cubase, Sequel is an easy-to-use and intuitive production tools as its big brother, including full
based music both in the studio and on stage. solution for those starting out in music production. notation and 24-bit/192kHz resolution. Plus you
offered by the various software The learning curve is slightly steeper than There’s more than 6GB of audio content included get 36 instrument plug-ins and 70 effect plug-
packages, you can soon start packages like Sequel or GarageBand, but it’s with the application, and the range of functions ins from the full version of Logic. It’s a bit more
packed with tools and features that make it, is wide enough to include all of the essential expensive than the other two offerings here,
assembling your own music with in essence, a thoroughly professional product. features of a typical studio-based DAW. but you do get a lot of stuff included.
little or no previous experience.

NOCTURN - The Stylish Automatic Intelligent Plug-in Controller
Checkt!
Nocturn is an intelligent desktop controller that gives every plug-in the
pimpin’ of its life. Just boot up a plug-in and the parameters automatically
dis ou
assign to each control. Nocturn combines eight touch-sensitive dials,
eight buttons and a cross-fader with Novation’s unique ‘speed dial’ and
exclusive Automap Universal 2.0 software to deliver the most lethal plug-in
controller in history. Check it;
Understand the difference! Novation’s Automap Universal 2.0 delivers

a whole new level of software control
Nocturn’s transparent control GUI lets you check at a glance how
everything is assigned.
Instant ‘learn’ function lets you re-assign every control in seconds.
Simply click and touch.
Each encoder has a bright eleven-LED ring; ideal for laptop DJ’ing
Custom transparent GUI; check at a glance
in a dark club environment.
how each control is assigned
Novation’s unique ‘speed dial’ lets you instantly take control of whatever
your mouse is focused on!
To see how your plug-ins can be officially pimped, visit www.novationmusic.com/pimped
For more details call 0844 248 8117 or visit www.dolphinmusic.com

In practice
are the differences between the two

types of loops presented to you.
GETTING STARTED IN STEINBERG SEQUEL 2 One loop type, for example, will
display a waveform view of the
material contained within it. This
type of loop is known as an audio
file (it can also be referred to as
an audio clip or audio event) and
contains an actual recording of an
instrument or phrase, whether it’s
two or four bars of acoustic drums,
a piano melody or something
else. As they’re based on actual
recordings, an audio loop tends to
provide plenty of authenticity and
‘flavour’, although, as we’ll see in
a minute, the authenticity might be
1 Create a new Project (select File>New Project) and
open the MediaBay at the bottom of the window. From
2 Drag the loop into the Arrange Zone and Sequel will
create a new track for it. Add further instruments and
at the expense of a certain degree
of flexibility.
here, you can specify various criteria to narrow down loops to subsequent tracks as you require, selecting The other principal type of loop
your search to ten or so different loops. the various parts from the MediaBay. breaks down the ‘information’ into
two constituent components – the
raw note data (also referred to as
MIDI data) and an accompanying
software-based virtual instrument. In
Sequel 2, for example, this is called
an Instrument Part, with the MIDI
data displaying as a series of blobs,
and controls (available from the
track’s Inspector) provided to modify
certain qualities and parameters
relating to the instrument.
Although more complicated than
a straightforward audio event, an
3 Start to piece together your arrangement, either by
dragging the small arrow on the right-hand side of
4 Now open the Mixer page and start to balance the
levels of the respective tracks. You can also apply
Instrument Part offers powerful
flexibility, enabling you to change the
the loops to extend them or copying a loop to another effects (such as reverb and EQ) to each loop by clicking pitch and duration of each note as
location by holding down the [Alt] key and dragging. on the Track Inspector tab. well as the character of the sound
used to play it – maybe changing
it from a deep, subby hip-hop bass
patch to a buzzy electronic bass
›››
sound, for example.
series of different tracks, such as

THE PROCESS OF CREATING INTO THE MIX
bass, drums, guitars and so on; Determining where the loops come
loops that you’ve selected from A GOOD MIX BEGINS WITH in and out of your track is very
the media browser can be dragged
onto a corresponding track lane. The CAREFULLY CONSIDERING important in terms of musicality. It’s
also just as important to consider
loops are represented as a series of
blocks that indicate their duration.
LEVEL AND PAN SETTINGS how it’s mixed: putting additional
emphasis on particular loops, for
As you duplicate and move these example, as well as effects (reverb
blocks around the screen – perhaps it using the Scissors tool – losing a cases, it might be that the loops or compression, perhaps) that you
bringing certain crucial loops in at the beat to provide a suitable musical automatically conform to your song’s might want to use to change how a
start of the piece with others coming pause, perhaps, or cutting out smaller existing key signature settings. If not, loop sits in the mix.
in later – you effectively start to elements of the sound (an individual you can adjust the Transposition In addition to the Arrange View of
structure your song. note or drum hit, for example) to be parameter and perform the job by your song, a DAW will also present
Alongside the basic techniques used elsewhere in the song. ear (a technique that can also be the you with a Mixer View. On this screen
and tools for copying and duplicating If you’ve used ‘tuned’ loops – a source of some interesting creative each track is displayed horizontally,
loops, you will also find a number of bass line played in the key of C tuning effects). along with a variety of tools to
other Arrange tools that enable you to major, for example, or a guitar change how the track and, of course,
further refine how the loops are used strumming a chord – you may need DECISION TIME the mix as a whole sounds.
in the song. Rather than using the to adjust the relative transposition of Important points to note as you The process of creating a good
whole loop, for example, you could the loop up or down to match the start to assemble the various loops mix begins with carefully considering
choose to slice small segments from key of the other material. In some you’ve selected into a finished piece the level and pan settings for each ➥
➥

In practice
loop. All of the various elements

playing together at high volume
will make for an uneasy listening
experience and probably result in
distortion across your main output
(also indicated by red peak LEDs
››› THIS WAY OF WORKING IS GREAT FOR BOTH
KICK-STARTING THE CREATIVE PROCESS AS
WELL AS LEARNING HOW TO USE A DAW
lighting up). A better approach,
therefore, is to structure the principal actively exploit the full width of the ‘louder’ and more intense) and Erosion, Redux and so on – can
instruments and build the additional stereo image to give better definition reverb (which simulates the effects distort and re-shape a loop to the
supporting elements around them, and focus between the loops. of room ambience). By mixing and extent that’s it’s unrecognisable from
ensuring that individual elements all matching effects (usually placed its original form. Equally, using
have space to breathe. GET EFFECTED in series in the signal path) you automation – which adjusts the
Pan, of course, sets the relative Further manipulating the sound of can control how the loop appears settings of faders, pan pots and
position of the loop in the stereo the individual loops will require the in the mix, maybe applying some effects over time – will make your
image, from the left speaker to the use of some form of effects plug-in. compression and bright equalisation mix more dynamic and interesting.
right speaker. With everything panned Typical effects include equalisation to make one loop sit towards the
centrally your mix might begin to (this changes the relative timbre of front of the mix, while another has EXPORT STRENGTH
sound cluttered and ill-defined, so the sound by raising or lowering reverb and a darker equalisation The final part of the creative process
different frequencies in much the applied to sit it at the back. is to export your mix as a two-track,
same way as the treble and bass Getting creative with plug-ins stereo audio file, in an audio format
controls on a hi-fi), compression enables you to bring individuality to that’s suitable for your particular
(used to squash the dynamic range the loops and the track as a whole. objective. Use a high-resolution,
of loop and effectively make it sound More extreme plug-ins – Auto Filter, uncompressed format such as a
24-bit, 44.1kHz .WAV file if you want to
burn the mix to a CD-R. Alternatively,
create a compressed MP3 file, which
renders down the mix to reduce file
size. This format is preferable if the
GETTING STARTED IN ABLETON LIVE LE file is being uploaded to the internet
– to a MySpace page, for example –
or being sent via email.
BEYOND THE LOOP

What we’ve explored here are
the techniques and processes of
producing music with loops, but
equally, it’s also been a perfect
opportunity to introduce the
concepts of a DAW and how music
and audio is handled in the digital
domain. As you’ll soon find out,
this way of working is great for both
kick-starting the creative process
1 Click on the Arrangement View Selector (top right) to set
the Arrangement View. Open the File Browser to browse
2 Double-clicking on a loop will enable you to view its
properties. In this case we can see the results of the
as well as learning how to use
a DAW, enabling you to achieve
your loops, which can include clips files from Live 7 LE’s tempo-matching process, and we also have the option professional-sounding results with
content as well as .WAV files from your own collection. to change parameters such as tuning. the minimum of fuss.
As we’ll see, though, mastering
this process and learning how to turn
raw ideas into a finished piece of
music take time to perfect, but with
many exciting tools and possibilities
to discover along the way, it’s a
journey well worth undertaking. MP
Next time
In next issue’s In Practice
we’ll be taking a look at the
principles behind acoustic
3 Importing a MIDI-based clip gives you even more
control over the clip’s properties than you have with
4 Live LE’s Session View is a more traditional mixer
interface. From here you can balance the various treatment and considering how
audio clips. In this example, the Grid Editor is being used elements and shape your mix or apply further effects to you might be able to improve
to re-program the drum loop from scratch. the loops in the Live Set. the sound of your studio.

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Planet Gear
WIN
FENDER CLASSIC PLAYER A JAG!
JAGUAR SPECIAL HH ON PAGE 34
Want a guitar that stands out from the crowd, and has big-name quality?
Martyn Casserly straps on the new Fender Classic Player Jaguar and
rediscovers an overlooked masterpiece.
£569.99 Jazzmaster), through to the chrome-covered control plates
FEATURES and tremolo, the retro vibe is tangible. Originally meant to
››
Dolphin ID 37747 (Sunburst) Construction appeal to surf-rock players of the sixties, the design still
Dolphin ID 37748 (White) ➔ Alder body, maple neck
looks exciting and edgy today, offering a viable alternative
for those who want to play something a little bit different.
➔ Rosewood fingerboard
When Fender first introduced the ➔ 24-inch scale length FEELGOOD FACTOR
Jaguar back in 1962 it took the ➔ 22 medium jumbo frets The 22-fret rosewood neck features a shorter 24-inch
world by surprise. Gone was the scale-length (as opposed to the regular Fender 25.5-inch),
➔ Dot inlays
brutal simplicity of the Telecaster or which seems to soften the string tension a touch, making
Strat, replaced instead by a more Hardware the guitar very comfortable to play. Add to this the spongy
complicated beast that boasted ➔ Chrome-plated control tremolo system, which is perfect for those 50s-style
some unusual features. Although initially only a panels wobbles, and suddenly the Jaguar has an effect on you.
moderate success, it wasn’t until the early nineties ➔ Adjusto-Matic bridge Rather than the normal riffs that might leap almost
when bands such as Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Placebo, subconsciously from your fingers, somehow the feel,
and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers adopted the Jag as ➔ Vintage-style floating look, and general originality of the guitar coaxes you into
their weapon of choice that its potential was finally tremolo different areas. Altered chords appear, stranger voicings, it’s
realised. Now Fender has added it to its Classic ➔ Tremolo lock almost as if the Jag knows something you don’t and wants
Player range, making the Jaguar more affordable ➔ Vintage-style tuners to share. Whatever it is – I like it!
than ever and opening up its unique vibe to us all. Electronics
➔ Two Enforcer humbuckers SOUND INVESTMENT?
MADE TO MEASURE? ➔ Tonal blend controls
With clean tones the Jaguar is crisp and full-bodied.
The first things that catch the eye are all the Dialling in the humbuckers warms up the sound without
switches and dials. In total there are eight, but ➔ Kill-switch it becoming muffled, and switching the pickups back and
don’t let this put you off, they all make sense in ➔ Low-cut filter control forth reveals pleasing combinations.
no time at all and are the heart of the guitar’s ➔ Master volume and With overdrive the two Enforcer humbuckers really show
flexibility. On the upper horn are a slider switch tone controls their class. You’d always expect some spank and grit from
and two dials. The slider is a kill-switch, which ➔ Fender Super a Fender, but these pickups add more grunt and attitude.
totally mutes the guitar once engaged (handy for 250R (10-46) strings Lead lines soar, while angry rhythm work is rewarded with
those tremolo moments that you want to control excellent open tones. Put them together with the kill-switch
by hand). The two other controls allow you to Extras and you’ve got a real modern workhorse with bags of retro
dial-in single coil or humbucker ➔ Deluxe gigbag cool. Obviously surf-style players will enjoy the Jag, but
tones for each individual alt-rockers will also find much to make them smile. MP
pickup – always handy.
On the lower section of
the body are three slider
ACCESSORIES ➔VERDICT
switches, two of which Essential add-ons ● Great looks
simply turn the neck or
Fender Mini ‘57
● Huge tonal flexibility
bridge pickups on or off.
The third is a low-cut filter,
Twin Amp ● Classic Fender sounds
£32.41
which essentially takes Dolphin ID 34131 ● Easy to play
some of the bass out of the Not just a practice amp ● Originality
signal allowing the tone to this little beauty –
former Black Crowes In a world of ‘me-too’ manufacturers the refreshing
stick out more. Lastly, of guitarist Marc Ford can
course, we have master be seen recording with nature of the Jaguar is a welcome relief. Classy looks,
volume and tone one on YouTube. plenty of tonal options, and great feel. If you’re stuck in
controls complete a rut, this kitty might well dig you right out.
››› BUY NOW

with vintage-style Ibanez TS9DX
Tubescreamer
knobs. Turbo
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the Jaguar is
stunning. From
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Adds a Mode switch 0844 248 8117
its body shape with four distinct preamp Or logon at
that resembles a
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TS-9’s Drive, Tone and www.dolphinmusic.com
lopsided strat (shared Level knobs. And enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left of the screen.
of course with the
027_MusicPlanet_01.indd 27 14/8/08 14:10:06

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venues:Liverpool
48 HOuRs
ISToCK.CoM
on the scene in...

It’s officially Britains’ Most Musical City
and European Capital of Culture 2008, so
Liverpool
what better place to take in some gigs?
F
The Liverpool Echo’s Jade Wright explains.
rom the heady days of the Cavern, through Eric’s, the Korova is a bar run by electro-
house music years at Cream and now Korova and The rockers Ladytron. Arctic Monkeys
Zanzibar Club where The Coral and The Zutons were usually pop in when they’re in town
spawned, Liverpool’s music scene is intrinsically linked to and Dave McCabe from The Zutons is
the venues that inspired it. never far away.
A stone’s throw from the rehearsal rooms The Zutons In fact, one look around shows that
share with the city’s up-and-coming unsigned acts lies everyone there is in a band. Some are
Mathew Street. It’s the top spot on the itineraries of the working there, others drinking. There’s
thousands of tourists who make the pilgrimage to get normally a singer or two behind the
their pictures taken next to the statue of John Lennon, bar, and a drummer supervising a
buy a souvenir or wander down the steps of the rebuilt delivery outside. They host live bands
Cavern Club – the original closed in 1973 and was every weekend, and Friday nights are
demolished by Liverpool City Council. always popular.
But, while they may have come to tread the same The Rascals, Mark Ronson, Rumble
steps as John, Paul, Ringo and George, they also take Strips, The Kooks and of course
time to look at the spot where Eric’s once saw the birth of Ladytron have all played there recently.
the second great wave of Liverpool bands, including the There’s a restaurant in the back room
Mighty Wah!, Echo and the Bunnymen and the Teardrop – every bit the epitome of shabby
Explodes. Wandering further along the street music wafts chic, lots of antiques and thick red
from the many pubs and bars hosting the stars of the velvet – that’s surprisingly good value.
future in return for a few quid and a pint of Liverpool’s Their jambalaya rice balls are fantastic, Korova
finest Cains beer. Mathew Street in 2008 seems worlds and at £8, there’s still change for one
away from the dingy sidestreet of legend, and mixed in of their great speciality beers. At 11pm
with the salty breeze from the Atlantic is an unmistakable each night the restaurant is transformed into a dancefloor,
sense of optimism. where you can dance until the wee small hours.
Liverpool is a small city, easily navigable on foot. If you’re planning on going, log onto their website and
In minutes you can stroll from Mathew Street to the
Philharmonic Hall via the Neoclassical splendours of St
become a member first, it’s free and it will get you a 20%
discount on food and drink. venuedetails
George’s Hall, passing scores of live music venues on Korova
your way. The problem is choosing which to visit… 39-41 Fleet Street
or... Barfly – 90 Seel Street t 0151 709 7097
Friday evening (late) If you fancy something a bit more hectic, head down
www.korova-liverpool.com
Barfly
Korova – 39-41 Fleet Street to packed student favourite Barfly. With three spaces
and live music every night, they take bookings from 90 Seel Street
With a clientele which reads like a who’s who of Liverpool’s signed and unsigned bands from all over the world, t 0844 847 2424
music scene, start your time in the city with the uber-cool although competition for slots is tough. www.barflyclub.com/liverpool
kings of the indie scene. ➥
➥

Ellie Laycock
venues:Liverpool
Hard Day’s
Night Hotel,
McCartney suite
Saturday (early) Mathew Street

Mathew Street
No trip to Liverpool is complete without a Feeder sampling
pilgrimage down Mathew Street. It’s hard 3345’s bar stock
to think of Liverpool’s music scene without
also contemplating the city’s most famous
sons, The Beatles.
Try as you might to imagine a Mersey
sound without them, the fab four cast a
venuedetails long shadow.
Start off in The Grapes. This is where the fab four drank
The Grapes in their Cavern-playing days. The evidence remains in a
25 Mathew Street 1962 photograph taken of John, Paul, George… and Pete
t 0151 255 1525 Best, as they relaxed after one particular gig. You may even
The White Star bump into their old promoter Sam Leech in the back room.
2-4 Rainford Gardens Buy him a pint and he’ll tell you all you ever wanted to
t 0151 231 6861 know about Liverpool’s most famous sons.
www.thewhitestar.co.uk From there, go for a pint in the White Star, just around
the corner. This former 19th Century ships’ chandlers is
Hard Day’s Night Hotel named after the great shipping company The White Star
North John Street Line, and The Beatles were known to frequent the back
t 0151 236 1964 room – just have a look at their nameplates on the chairs.
www.harddaysnighthotel.com And if you’re feeling flush, pop into the bar of the new
Hard Day’s Night Hotel, again just a stone’s throw away. It’s or... The Magnet
Carling Academy the world’s only Beatle-themed hotel and worth visiting for
11-13 Hotham Street their superb lifesize photographs that adorn the walls. Indie favourite, with bands on most nights. Downstairs
t 0151 707 3200 DJs play a frenetic mix of hip-hop, drum and bass
www.liverpool-academy.co.uk and Northern Soul. It gets packed at the weekends,
or... Carling Academy Liverpool so it’s worth heading down early if you can, or resign
Zanzibar yourself to the resultant crush.
The Academy occupies the former home of the
43 Seel Street legendary L2 in Hotham Street round the back of
t 0151 707 0633 Lime Street. The building has been extensively
www.thezanzibarclub.com
The Magnet
refurbished to provide two venues in one building a
1,200 capacity main hall upstairs and a smaller 500 Sunday (lunchtime)
45 Hardman Street capacity venue on the floor below. 3345 – 33-45 Parr Street
t 0151 707 0633 Parr Street is the hub of Liverpool’s music scene, and the
www.magnetliverpool.co.uk biggest studio in the country outside London.
3345 Saturday (late) It hosts relaxed acoustic gigs throughout the week, and
Zanzibar – 43 Seel Street its award-winning restaurant cooks up a mean Sunday
33-45 Parr Street lunch to help you recover from the night before.
t 0151 707 1050 The bar that launched The Coral and The Zutons features The studios are run by Echo and the Bunnymen’s
www.3345parrst.com a host of live music every night. It’s popular with everyone managers, and play host to the biggest names around,
Egg Cafe from students to the more mature music lover, and Noel including Coldplay, Echo and the Bunnymen, Rihanna, The
Top Floor, 16-18 Newington Gallagher has even been known to pop along for the Beautiful South and The Charlatans.
occasional impromptu gig. It’s also home to producer Ken Nelson, who has won
t 0151 707 2755 It’s not quite as exotic as the name sounds – there three Grammy awards during his time at Parr Street, thanks
www.eggspace.org doesn’t seem to be an African theme – but it’s a fantastic principally to his work on Coldplay’s albums, Parachutes,
bar and venue nonetheless. Rush of Blood to the Head and X & Y.
The studiously understated There’s also a hotel upstairs, normally used by visiting
clientele are a friendly bunch, and artists and bands, so the celeb count is high, but the strict
on any given night you’ll hear a doorstaff keep out the riff raff. mp
mixture of indie-rock, electro and
funk. The Zanzi, as it’s known to its or... Egg Café
friends, has regular band nights,
where acts turn promoters for the The Egg is something of a Liverpool institution. It’s a
evening and join together to put on fantastic vegetarian and vegan cafe that hosts acoustic
a bill of likeminded artists, but more performances and poetry readings throughout the
often than not, there’s a bigger band week. It also provides some of the best value dining
in, with support from local acts. in the city, with three courses and a tea or coffee for
Either way, the standard is normally £8.50, but it doesn’t have a drinks licence, so bring
Zanzibar high, and it’s well worth a visit on your own wine or beer for a small corkage.
any music fan’s trip to the city.

031_MusicPlanet_01_Emu.indd 33 19/8/08 20:54:40
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creative compression to the individual channels using
insert effects.
DriveRack PX FEELING THE SQUASH

All doesn’t stop with EQ-based effects though. DriveRack
PX comes with dbx’s classic Overeasy compression
Designed to optimise the performance of any algorithm, PeakStopPlus limiting dynamics processors
and a subharmonic synthesizer for adding extra low-end
powered PA, and simplify the sound engineer’s task. frequencies to your mix.
Using compression and limiting across the master buss
Miguel Mascolinas finds out if it delivers the goods. is a useful, but tricky technique, as it is just as easy to ruin
the mix as it is to make it better. If you aren’t familiar with
buss compression, it’s best to start with a fairly low ratio
››
£279 FEATURES and a high threshold, so you don’t overdo it. However, we
Dolphin ID 37059 ➔ Auto-EQ with 28-band
found the dbx Overeasy algorithm fairly forgiving.
The limiter is even easier to use and guarantees that
real-time analysis you don’t over-drive the amps in your powered speakers.
Mixing a live performance is a taxing job that ➔ Three-band parametric EQ With the loud funk/metal act on which we were testing
involves numerous simultaneous tasks, any ➔ Stereo feedback elimination DriveRack, we were able to push the compression fairly
of which could improve or spoil the music. ➔ Subharmonic synthesizer hard to get a tight, thumping sound, which pounded your
Thankfully there are several bits of kit that chest. However, it did require a little bit of control from track
can help to make life a bit easier in one way from the dbx 120A to track as different songs brought with them very different
or another. dbx’s DriveRack PX is one such ➔ Classic dbx compressor dynamic levels.
item, fitting into your live rig across the master buss. ➔ PeakStopPlus Limiter The subharmonic synthesizer was also incredibly useful
with our live act, as it gave the low-end a good amount of
THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME punch, which you could feel right in your chest.
The DriveRack PX provides a number of useful functions,
which in many cases should reduce the amount of other ONE FOR THE ROAD
external gear you need on your master buss. The primary The DriveRack PX is one of those bits of kit you don’t
function of the unit is to act as a speaker optimiser, realise how much you need until it’s taken away. The
designed to get the most out of powered speaker systems, improvement in sound quality we achieved at the
with presets already in place for many popular powered two test gigs was incredible. Not only does the
PAs, including the almost ubiquitous Mackie SRM350 and DriveRack itself improve the sound, but it enables the
SRM450 models. engineer to concentrate on the more important aspects
DriveRack comes with a measurement mic, which
is used with the unit’s Auto-EQ function to analyse the
ACCESSORIES of his task, knowing that the DriveRack is taking care of
everything else. MP
room and compensate for any problems in the audio Essential add-ons
environment. Once you’ve analysed and created an EQ
curve to compensate for room deficiencies, you can use Gator GR-2S ➔VERDICT
Shallow Case
the parametric EQ to apply creative shaping to the output. £67.99 ● Set up and use in a couple of minutes
Once you’ve compensated for a room you should hear a Stock Code 38446 ● Provides EQ, dynamics and subharmonic
more natural sound coming from the PA. This makes life
considerably easier when you start mixing.
This unit is going to have
a hard life being traipsed
synthesis in one unit
In addition to providing both a 28-band graphic EQ and all over the place. Don’t
just chuck it in the back
● Replaces several other rack units
a three-band parametric EQ, DriveRack PX also has an of the Transit, move it
Advanced Feedback Suppression (AFS) system. This has 12 safely in its own case. The dbx DriveRack PX is a joy to use, and we’re looking
forward to making it a permanent part of our live rig.
notch filters that enable you to ramp up the levels knowing
››› BUY NOW

that DriveRack will automatically compensate for any Dolphin Music
XLR/XLR 10m
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In our early experiments with the DriveRack, just using £9 To buy, or for expert advice call
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of mixing the band. Finding space for each instrument
inputs that need to be
plugged into the desk. www.dolphinmusic.com
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compensated for. Furthermore, since we no longer needed

Competition
Win a Fender Classic Player
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Strap on the new Fender Classic Player Jaguar
and rediscover an overlooked masterpiece!
When Fender first introduced the Jaguar back in 1962
it took the world a bit by surprise. Gone was the brutal
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mp_jag_comp.indd 1 18/08/2008 09:08:30

iii
players
Having shot to fame with the
massive hit Turn Around, Jason
Hayward always believes the
next hit is just around the corner,
as Oz Owen discovers…
‘PHATS’
ASON
J YWARD
HA
F
ew places in the UK are overflowing with talent like Brighton, a 14 year-old Jason acquired his first synth, a Korg MS-10 – a
cultural beacon of the south coast and mecca for creative beast of a machine by anyone’s standards. There’s nothing like
types of all persuasions. For Jason Hayward, aka Jason Phats, hitting the ground running! The studio is still being added to
SIMON GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY WWW.SIMONGREENPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK
founder member of feel-good chart-toppers and multi- regularly, with recent acquisitions from the likes of Dave Smith
platinum selling outfit Phats & Small, Brighton has witnessed Instruments and Moog keeping his sound fresh. He’s also just
over two decades of a music career that’s seen him score signed a deal with Ministry Of Sound’s Data Records, which
considerable success as DJ, musician and producer. sees him paired up once again with long-time collaborator
It was a love of all music that led to an early fascination and ‘voice of Phats & Small’, Ben Ofoedu.
for dissecting the music by artists as diverse as The Specials “I’ve just produced the video for the new single. There’s a
and Neil Young, but it was a love of early 80s synth pop – tiny trailer on YouTube – if you search for Phats & Small Can’t
spearheaded by masters The Human League and Heaven 17 Stop you’ll find the trailer. Doing that was great fun, but I really
– that would see his life dedicated to a love of music. have to watch myself though – taking on too much stuff to
His compact studio space now houses a massive collection learn. But it’s been really good fun. The technology’s there so
of hardware and software that kicked off back in 1984 when you can do these things yourself these days. That’s the next ➥
➥

which pretty much says it all. It’s been superb. I just plug
a Røde NT2 into it and I’m away.”
“I had Paul Carrack [Roxy Music, Squeeze] recording
some vocals down here a few years ago. He was using
an expensive BLUE microphone, but he was so happy
with the result that we got from the Røde plugged into
the 430 that he said, ‘leave it, I’m happy with that!’ There
are so many rules when it comes to music production,
but ultimately you have to trust your ears.”
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

With huge quantities of hardware and software at his
fingertips, no one is in a better position to illustrate the
differences between the two, and define the roles that
both play in Jason’s sound. “I think they’re totally different
instruments, like the acoustic guitar and the electric guitar.
Everyone goes through periods when they think music’s
exciting because it hasn’t sounded like that for a while –
like the last few years everyone’s loved the Electro thing,
for instance, and at first you could tell without a doubt that
it was produced inside computers. I mean, I can hear that
now, the more experience I get and the more I play with
pro-level kit, my ears have definitely become tuned to it.
It’s enjoyable to hear that digital sound, but then you get
bored of it and then you want to return to that analogue
sound again.
“I’m loving the analogue at the moment, and the
MIDI thing as well – it just sounds different, it triggers
differently, computer speaking to computer. It clocks
KEYKIT differently. It took me ages to get used to the transition
SELECTED GEAR FROM from an Atari ST to a Mac. I just hated it at first because
A HUGE COLLECTION they’ve got a totally different sound, a different groove.
■ Apple: 3 desktops Macs, 1 thing – a feature length film and I’ll do the music too! But analogue’s doing it for me at the moment, I’m just
laptop, Logic 7 & 8
I envisage ‘Brighton’ written across the South Downs in loving it.
■ SSL Duende
■ Universal Audio UAD Nevana big white letters, Hollywood style! It’s been one of the “But then on the processing side of things, since I
fully loaded with all UAD most exciting things I’ve done recently. The single will be bought the Universal Audio UAD kit and SSL Duende
plug-ins
■ Waves Platinum Bundle
out… probably October, but maybe September. After the there’s been no looking back. Having all that at your
■ Ableton Live 7 and all plug-ins closing parties in Ibiza. fingertips has been wonderful, absolutely wonderful!
■ GForce plug-ins “We’re also working on an album at the moment, “I do tend to do a lot more of the actual signal
■ Ohmforce plug-inss so we’ve been beavering away on that. I never stop processing in the computer, mostly because of the recall
■ FXpansion plug-ins working, never stop writing songs. I carry a dictaphone settings. That’s one of the things that bugs me about
■ Native Instruments Komplete 5
■ Celemony Melodyne
around with me 24 hours a day, so I’ve always got plenty using the analogue stuff… There’s been a couple of
■ Yamaha NS10M monitors of ideas, plenty of songs to work on. And I’m still working occasions when I’ve been fiddling about on the Prophet
■ KRK V6 monitors very closely with Ben, the singer – we’re rekindling our 8 and I haven’t saved the sound and then I’ve changed
■ M-Audio Oxygen 8 keyboard love of good, catchy, hooky songs.” something in Logic and it’s done a program change and
■ Focusrite: ISA430 Producer The dictaphone may be where a lot of Jason’s ideas I’ve lost my settings. It all goes digital in the end though,
Pack, Platinum Compounder,
Platinum VoiceMaster, Plati- first get locked down, but it’s the studio where those it all goes into the computer and from there I’ll process
num Mix Master ideas will be hammered out, and after so long making it… So I’ll record stuff live into Logic and then process it
■ TLAudio: C1 Compressor, EQ2
Parametric Valve EQ music, be it remixes or original material, he’s got the from there.
■ Lexicon PCM91 production process down to a fine art. “With those UAD plug-ins, well… You just can’t beat
■ Sherman QMF Quad Modular “For recording vocals, I use Focusrite’s ISA430. I got the hardware, but I haven’t got the cash or the space for
Filter Bank
■ Røde NT2 microphone
it back in 2000, the original MkI version, and it’s just a Fairchild compressor. I’d make room for one, though!
■ Moog Voyager V3, Little Phatty fantastic. I think it’s a re-creation of a Neve channel, When you have dedicated chips, well… That’s the
Stage II
■ Dave Smith Instruments:
Prophet 8, Evolver
›››
■ Novation: Bass Station, Super
BassStation, DrumStation,
O CESS IN G SID E OF TH INGS, SINCE I

“ON THE PR
Supernova, ReMOTE SL61
■ Roland: VP-9000, Super JD-
990, JV-1080, Juno-106
TH E U N IVER SA L AU D IO UAD KIT AND
■ Korg: Legacy Collection, MS10,
BOUGH T N O LOOKING BACK”
Zero8
■ AKAI: S1100 x 2, S3000,
SSL DUEN DE TH ER E’S BE EN
S3200 x 2, S6000, MPC
2000XL
■ Technics SL1210 x 2
■ Pioneer CDJ 1000 mk3 x 2
■ Vestax PMC 50A

iii
players
››› “I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT IF YOU KEEP
THROWING THE BALL AT THE HOOP,
EVENTUALLY IT WILL GO THROUGH…”
difference between using the chips in the Mac or using the TURN AROUND
dedicated chips inside the UAD system or Duende. There are For many artists, it would be difficult to listen to a single that TOPTIPS
Jason’s advice for making
all these arguments on the forums now, people saying that was so ubiquitous for such a long period as Turn Around – the it in the music business…
you can get the same results through Logic as you can with debut single for Phats & Small – but not for Jason. “That record
these high-end systems, but it just makes the job easier. makes me smile – it was done so innocently! It was a year 1 No matter what anyone
“I use Duende and the UAD a lot, I max them out. I’m just that I was very prolific, I was doing a lot of remixes for DMC, and tells you – never give
up. You’re in the wrong
thinking of getting some more in, actually, but it will mean me I was helping a lot of people out in situations where they’d run industry if you can’t take a
getting an expansion chassis, though. I could do with another out of deadlines for a mix, or someone hadn’t delivered. I’d get knock back.
two UADs and the chassis – which is ridiculous money, about a phone call and someone would say ‘can you do a mix for 2 If you’re starting out,
a grand or something.” me? Yeah, I need it, er… tomorrow?!’ pick yourself up a cheap
“When it comes to monitoring, I’m looking at some big “So I was boshing out all these mixes, and just doing what Mac and get yourself Logic,
it’s got everything in there.
Genelecs right now. Those KRKs that I use, they’re great, but I loved, and wasn’t really making any money out of it, and I It will teach you about
I need something that’s going to make the room throb. This did Turn Around in 12 hours with an Atari ST and a sampler. every aspect of production.
is probably going to be the most extravagant spending for It’s just the simplicity of it – it all just fell into place. I grabbed 3 Watch what you’re
me. I can’t believe I’ve left it right until last, because it’s so a few records from my collection and an a capella record that signing, and treat every
important. I think I’ve been thinking about my neighbours had been gathering dust and it just happened…! The filtering record you make as if it’s
a hit, because it just could
more than anything!” was done through the MS-10 and the BassStation, and it was be. You can’t second-guess
just seven tracks of MIDI on an Atari ST. That year I just made what’s going to happen.
lots and lots of records. I strongly believe that if you keep Turn Around took 12 hours
to make, and went on to
throwing the ball at the hoop, eventually it will go through. sell 3.5 million copies.
And if it doesn’t – then just keep trying!” MP Records like that don’t
come along every day. No
The next Jason Hayward single Can’t Stop will be one can predict them, or
released in mid-October on Data Records. knows how they happen.
Remember – where there’s
a hit, there’s a writ. So be
very careful!

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A HARDWARE CONTROLLER, AND ALL THE ADVANTAGES OF A PLUG-IN.
It’s the arsenal of vintage and classic gear that gives top
producers the edge they need to truly nail a mix. Such an array
of classic processors simply isn’t a reality for most of us, but
with Liquid Mix 16, their sound is.
Liquid technology delivers genuine emulations of all the
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No host-based plug-in can do this. No other DSP-based solution
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Mix 16, it’s never been so affordable.
Ready to nail that mix? Contact your local pro-audio dealer,
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION: FOCUSRITE, the FF logo, LIQUID TECHNOLOGY, LIQUID MIX CONTROL, LIQUID MIX and the LIQUID MIX 16 logo are trademarks of Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd. DYNAMIC
CONVOLUTION is a trademark of Sintefex Audio Lda. All other product names, trademarks, or trade names are the names of their respective owners, which are in no way associated, connected nor affiliated
with Focusrite or its LIQUID MIX products and which have not endorsed Focusrite’s LIQUID MIX products. These other product names, trademarks, and trade names are used solely to identify and describe the
third party products the sonic behaviour of which was studied for the LIQUID MIX products, and to accurately describe the functionality of the Liquid Mix products. The Liquid Mix products are an independently
engineered technology which utilises the patented process of Dynamic Convolution to actually measure examples of the sonic impact of original analogue products upon an audio stream, so as to electronically
emulate the performance of the original product studied. The result of this process is subjective and may not be perceived by a user as producing the same effects as the original products studied.
For more details call 0844 248 8117 or visit www.dolphinmusic.com

››› MUSIC CLINIC Got a problem related to performing or recording your music? Then drop
MusicPlanet’s team of experts a line and we’ll come up with a solution.
To submit your question to MusicPlanet’s Clinic team simply email
clinic@musicplanetmag.co.uk with the word Clinic in the Subject line.
GET A CAB?
If you can’t get the sound you want,
feedback occurred. Alternatively, some
outboard graphic EQs, such as the
Samson S-Curve 215 (Dolphin ID 31922,
think about changing the amp format £159) have LED faders that light up
to indicate the loudest frequencies,
Q
I’m thinking of buying a new valve amp which are commonly the ones that
for practising at home as well as gigging, are feeding back. MM
but wanted some advice on which to pick.
Our band plays mainly classic rock covers in pub/club SPEAKER PLACEMENT
Q
type venues, and up until now I’ve used an old 100 I’ve just recently bought a
Watt Marshall head and 4x12 cab. The problem is that pair of Behringer’s TRUTH
I can never really turn it up loud enough to get the B2031A monitors, and I
sound I want before the rest of the band complain it’s was just wondering if you had any
too noisy. Any ideas? advice on positioning them in the
Dave Williams, Stroud
Orange Rocker 30: spare room I use for my studio. Do
I really need to buy some speaker
a quality combo
A
In all honesty, unless you’re playing big stands, or will they be fine sat on my
venues you’re probably better off with a Hurricane (Dolphin ID 7965, £999.99) and Laney VC30 desktop either side of my computer?
quality combo. Many of the great tones we (Dolphin ID 24880, £374). The advantages of a combo Martin Eastwood, Newcastle
hear on records are created by the amplifier being include less lugging things in and out of the van and
A
pushed really hard, which drives the power stage. This more space at home where the 4x12 used to be! Positioning monitor
simply can’t be done without turning up the volume. But if you really love your current setup then maybe speakers is a fine art that
Most manufacturers worth their salt offer 15, 18, 30 buying a power attenuator will be the answer. It goes needs to take into account
or 50 Watt models which will do the job nicely. Good between your head and cab and acts as a master many factors. With a rudimentary
examples are the Vox AC30 (Dolphin ID 10039, £450.21), volume control. Just turn up the amp full blast, then set understanding of the principles,
Orange Rocker 30 (Dolphin ID 12484, £614.99), Cornford an acceptable level on the attenuator – bingo! MC though, and the opportunity to
experiment with various placements
in your room, you should find an
adequate solution.
A
FEEDBACK PROBLEMS Feedback is the bane of live coming from 120 degrees to either The first point to remember is the
Q
I’ve just purchased my production – there are many side. So place your speakers in front golden triangle – with your ‘sweet
first small PA rig. I’m using ways it can be produced of you at roughly this angle to the spot’ (in other words, the point in
it to play my songs in and many methods for taming each microphone, facing the audience. your room where you listen) and the
small bars – it’s mainly just for me one. However, one of the first things To get even more gain without two monitors forming an equilateral
to sing vocals and to amplify an you should be looking at is the feedback, you need a PA with a triangle. You also need to make sure
acoustic guitar. I’ve managed to work relative positions of your microphones graphic EQ on the outputs. If you the monitors are firing at your ears
out most of the functions, and am and speakers. The most common have good ears you can ‘notch out’ correctly, which will involve pointing
fairly happy with the sound I’ve been microphones for live performance are the exact frequency that is feeding them inwards slightly and ensuring
getting. However, I usually have cardioid dynamics, such as the Shure back. If you aren’t sure you can do this the mid-point between the woofer
feedback problems long before the SM58 (Dolphin ID 2022, £74.50). These take a bit of time before you play to and the tweeter is aligned with your
system is up to full volume. Is there offer excellent rejection to signals from notch up each frequency until it feeds ears. It might be that your existing
any way I can reduce this? the rear, helping to reduce feedback, back, then notch out the frequency desktop or workstation allows for this,
Steve Johnson, London and are best at rejecting sound that needed the least pushing before especially if you have a raised shelf ➥
➥
A graphic EQ unit can help you identify and eliminate feedback problems

like those provided on workstations
such as Quiklok’s dual-level Z600
A&H Xone:4D: far (Dolphin ID 4766, £499).
more than just a Monitor stands, of course, provide
MIDI controller a more adjustable solution, as well as
improving the isolation between the
speakers. Look for heavier designs
that will support the monitor properly.
The less the monitor and stand move,
A
Luckily there are a couple of ways you can the more acoustically effective they
SYNC’ING FEELING?
Introducing a laptop to your DJ set can
attack the problem you’re having. One would
involve purchasing a more advanced controller,
are. You should also be careful not
to position the monitors too close
or mixer, that includes jog wheels capable of controlling to any of the walls in your room, as
bring a new degree of complexity Ableton. This would allow you to change the pitch of the this can produce an unnecessary –
Q
I have recently been performing DJ sets audio playing back from your MacBook in real time and and often muddy – boost in bass
using both CD decks and a MacBook therefore mix between the two mediums seamlessly. frequencies. Before you settle on a
running Ableton Live. I am controlling the You could opt for something basic like the EKS XP5 particular solution, though, try moving
set up with a Novation Nocturn MIDI controller and Digital DJ controller (Dolphin ID 34875, £129), or invest in the position and orientation of your
have got a good overall sound using my DJ mixer. The something more fully fledged such as the Allen&Heath equipment around, listening carefully
only major problem I am having is keeping everything Xone:4D (Dolphin ID 36978, £1468.95). The latter is not to the sound you achieve. MC
in sync. just a MIDI controller but supplies a full audio interface
I have no problems when using the CD players to and DJ mixer. GUITAR STORAGE
Q
mix, but I can’t seem to be able to get things in time The second solution would be to use a device that I’m going to be storing my
when I want to play back music from the laptop. The converts audio signals to MIDI clock. This allows Ableton Taylor 310CE in the loft for
main problem is that I can’t change the speed of the to sync to the correct tempo and locks the mix between a few months. Should I
music in Ableton like I can on the CD decks. decks and laptop. This is a pretty groundbreaking slacken off the strings?
Is there any way I can get round this problem, or a area, but there are more and more manufacturers Jim Fry, Dorset
way to make things easier? incorporating this technology into their products, so keep
A
Spin, Birmingham an eye out. MC Firstly, let’s take the issue
of storage. Under no
circumstances store any
RE CORDERS
FOR REAL MUSICIANS
Want your multitrack with lots of knobs? Want to hit a button instead
of scrolling a menu? - Then get a load of these cool Fostex MR digital
multitrackers. Power up, plug-in and start recording - it’s that easy.
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Whether you go for the MR16HD/CD with 16-track playback, CD mastering, 4 fully-featured inputs, AUX outs
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Call 020 8418 1470 for your nearest dealer

Fostex Multitrackers FutureMusic 5-8-08.indd 1 5/8/08 07:07:15 SCV
›››MUSIC CLINIC
guitar – acoustic or otherwise – in cause the neck to warp. In effect, the doesn’t mean you couldn’t get some do is reverse-DI your signal, which
your loft. Guitars are made from an tension created by the strings helps to good sounds this way. Many studio you can do very simply with a passive
organic substance and although the keep the guitar stable and rigid. SH effects are added after the guitar has DI box, attaching your leads in reverse.
wood would have been ‘cured’ prior been recorded. However, it is entirely This will sort the impedance, but you
to being used in manufacture, it’s still AMP EMULATIONS? possible to run the signal from your will still need to be careful with the
Q
subject to the atmospheric conditions As a guitarist I have guitar into the computer and then output level. Radial Engineering makes
around it. It’s the same principle as been reading a lot about back out to your amp for recording. a dedicated unit for this purpose,
wooden garden gates. They swell software amp emulation To do this you will need to DI (Direct the Pro RMP (Dolphin ID 25168, £82),
up in the winter when it’s wet and and effects recently, and while I’m a Inject) the guitar signal going into the which addresses both the level and
shrink in the summer when it’s hot. little apprehensive about bypassing computer, process it and send the impedance matching. MM
The same could be true of your guitar my amp entirely (I have collected output signal into your amp. If you
if you don’t control the conditions some beautiful amps over the years), have a spare input channel you could
around it. I am intrigued at the prospect of then record the amp at the same time.
The temperature of your loft swings using the various effects built into Or if you don’t, you can always record
from icy cold to baking hot, sometimes amp emulation software. the DI guitar first and add the amp
on a daily basis. Subjecting an Is there any way I can combine processing afterwards.
acoustic to such temperature extremes the best of both worlds, or should I There are a couple of things you
will cause havoc and almost certainly get a hardware effects processor? I should look out for when doing
damage the guitar. If an acoustic is considered recording the amp and this, firstly the output from your
to be stored it should be kept in a then running the signal through the audio interface is almost
case and at a constant room-like effects, but this would place the certainly line-level,
temperature. Anything else and you’re effects after the amp, which I guess while your amp will be
asking for trouble. would not be an ideal situation. expecting a guitar signal,
Secondly, it’s true that some Grinko, Manchester so plugging it straight in
manufacturers do slacken off strings could overpower the amp
A
prior to transporting an acoustic, but Your guess is correct, and even damage it. In
only by a small amount. Remember recording the amp first and effect, what you need to
that your guitar is designed and then running it through
built to work in conjunction with the effects would not be the ideal
the tension that the strings create. way to use the effects in amp Radial’s Pro RMP is a
Eliminating that tension altogether can emulation software, although that useful passive DI box
Transparency
If there’s one thing you don’t want from a monitor
it’s sound colourisation. The sound should be transparent and
pure. It’s as simple as that. And that’s what you get from the superb
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Distributed in the UK by SCV London. Call 020 8418 1470 for your nearest dealer

7:07:15 SCV PM Series Half FutureMusic.indd 1 5/8/08 06:56:27
Number one
by design.
INTRODUCING
The Studiophile BX Deluxe Series

What happens when you surpass what people expect from a near-field reference monitor? You end up with the
USA’s best selling* monitor in its category—the M-Audio Studiophile™ BX5a. Now our obsession with perfection
has led us to raise the bar again. Meet the Studiophile BX5a Deluxe and the Studiophile BX8a Deluxe.
The BX Deluxe monitors sound balanced at a wide range of volumes, so your mixes will translate across diverse
listening environments. They also provide detailed sonic imaging, seamless frequency integration and an amazingly
cohesive sound. The BX Deluxe monitors are designed to deliver an exceptional monitoring experience that’s true
to your music. Hear for yourself at your local M-Audio dealer. * Source: MI SalesTrak
To learn more about M-Audio’s complete line of monitors, please visit www.maudio.co.uk/monitors.
Studiophile BX8a Deluxe Studiophile BX5a Deluxe

• 130 watts of bi-amped power • 70 watts of bi-amped power
• 8” Kevlar low-frequency drivers • 5” Kevlar low-frequency drivers
• 1” natural silk high-frequency drivers • 1” natural silk high-frequency drivers
• XLR balanced and 1/4” TRS inputs • XLR balanced and 1/4” TRS inputs
• OptImage IV wave guides • OptImage IV wave guides
For availability and pricing information please visit the Dolphin website at www.dolphinmusic.com or call the sales team on: 0844 248 8117
© 2008 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Product features, specifications, system requirements and availability are subject to change without notice. Use of the enclosed software is subject to a related license agreement.
Avid, M-Audio, the “>” logo and Studiophile are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the U.S. and in other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
www.maudio.co.uk
Monitor round-up
Powered monitor
group test
Picking the right pair of active nearfield monitors ACCESSORIES
could make all the difference to your studio setup. Essential add-ons
Andy Wright examines some of the available choices.
I
Samson MS200
monitor stands
£59
Dolphin ID 32063
nvesting in a pair of studio-grade project studio musician, a number of space-conscious 5-inch models, Mounting your monitors
active monitors could easily be one key manufacturers now produce a through to larger 8-inch designs. using stands improves
of the most important and beneficial range of attractively priced, high- Rather than being swung by any their performance,
creating a more accurate
improvements you can make to your performance active monitors. But immediately impressive and flattering representation of
home studio. Although it’s tempting how do you go about distinguishing characteristics, though, we’ve taken a your mix.
to think that a trusted pair of hi-fi between the various models on long hard listen to all of the monitors
speakers will provide an enjoyable offer? Is it best to go with established in question – identifying how they Dolphin 3m cable
and reliable working environment, monitoring brands? Can a small 4-inch might positively affect your working XLR(m)-XLR(f)
£5
you’re more likely to end up producing woofer provide a performance that process over time, as well as the sonic Dolphin ID 34932
recordings that simply won’t translate matches that of a monitor with an characteristics that really count. Most active monitors
over a range of systems. You would 8-inch woofer? And, ultimately, which Ultimately, of course, it’s still worth feature a balanced XLR
also be missing out on the subtleties monitors best suit your kind of music using your own ears before you connection for the input,
which will need to be
and nuances that are so important and production activity? make the final decision, but this fed from your mixer or
when working with tools like In this round-up, we take a broad guide should at least help identify the audio interface’s outputs.
compression and equalisation. overview of the types of active principle characteristics and differences
Realising just how vital a good monitors available in the sub-£700 between the various options out there Auralex Mopads
›››
set of monitors have become to the price bracket – from affordable, you’ll need to choose from. £34
Dolphin ID 2331
If you’re placing your
INVESTING IN A PAIR OF STUDIO-GRADE monitors directly on a
desktop or a shelf, it’s
ACTIVE MONITORS MEANS YOU WON’T MISS well worth considering

some form of isolation
THE SUBTLETIES AND NUANCES OF YOUR MIX

pads – like Auralex’s
Mopads.
Genelec 8020A
£399 (pair)
Dolphin ID 35641
Standing just 242mm tall, the Genelec the 8020s, and there’s also an array
8020 seems to defy the laws of of DIP switches to help fine-tune the
physics, delivering an impressive monitors to your room’s acoustic. The
studio-grade performance from just level control is also handily accessible
a 4-inch woofer. Although the bass from the front of the monitor, although
extension doesn’t quite match the unfortunately, it also doubles as the
larger monitors, the Genelec 8020s power switch.
really delivered in respect to their
detail and neutrality. They enabled us
to hear right into the depths of the
➔VERDICT FEATURES
mix, as well as delivering a surprising Don’t let their size deceive ➔ Bi-amplified 40 Watt
amount of separation and detail you – the Genelec 8020s deliver active nearfield monitor
between sounds. The top end wasn’t a surprising amount of power ➔ 3/4-inch metal dome
quite as pin-sharp as some of the and bass-extension. The 8020s tweeter
excelled at providing a detailed ➔ 4-inch bass driver
more ‘hyped’ monitors, but this seems representation of the mix, making
to help create a more transferable mix. them a perfect choice for critical ➔ 66Hz–20kHz free field
Built-in Iso-Pod isolation stands listening environments without lots frequency response
undoubtedly help the performance of of space to spare.

Monitor round-up
KRK Rokit RP5 G2

£249.99 (pair)
Dolphin ID 37568
The second generation of KRK’s provide XLR, TRS and RCA (phono)
Rokit series features many of the connections, making it easy to
design innovations first developed incorporate the Rokits into a range of
on the company’s VXT and Exposé setups, and a HF adjust control (both
FEATURES monitors. Overall, the Rokit RP5 G2s positive and negative) allows you to
seem keenly targeted at the needs contour the top-end to match your
➔ 1-inch
and demands of the project studio particular tastes.
Neodymium Soft market. Using a 5-inch design
Dome tweeter
➔ Glass Aramid
keeps down the cost and space
requirements, yet they still deliver a
➔VERDICT
Composite Cone sound that isn’t overtly boxy or lacking An effective balance between
Woofer in bottom end. sonic performance and price – the
We particularly liked the mids KRK Rokit RP5 G2s cost under
➔ Front-firing port £300, but deliver a sound clearly
➔ Curved front delivered by the Rokits. Vocals, for influenced by KRK’s top-of-the-
plate eliminates example, tended to be clear and up- range monitoring solutions. A good
diffraction distortion front, allowing you to extract plenty of sense of bass, tight and defined
detail and information from such an mids, and an airy top-end that isn’t
important area of the mix. The inputs overly harsh.
Yamaha MSP7
£495 (pair)
FEATURES Dolphin ID 34225
➔ Bi-amplified 70 Watt
active near-field monitor Having somewhat invented the first
➔ 5.25-inch Kevlar low- ‘universal standard’ for reference ➔VERDICT
frequency driver monitoring with their ubiquitous A worthy (and considerably
➔ 1-inch silk-dome high NS-10s, Yamaha’s monitors always more audiophile) addition to the
frequency driver demand scrutiny. Certainly, it’s clear to NS-10’s legacy – the MSP7 delivers
➔ 60Hz–22kHz frequency see that things have come a long way a clear top-end that doesn’t tire
since the rather mid-heavy sound of over time. The bass extension is
response also very natural and delivers a
the NS-10s, with the MSP7s revealing
well-reasoned amount low-end
a surprisingly open and neutral sound. woofer movement without any
ESI nEar 05 eXperience The woofer is slightly larger than
the majority of other monitors on
excessive hype.
£153 (pair) test – measuring 6.5 inches – with

a 1-inch titanium-domed tweeter to
Dolphin ID 30850 cover the top-end of the frequency
spectrum. The weight of each monitor
At £153 the ESI nEar 05s are astonishing enough detail to pull the mix together also indicates plenty of power in the
value, particularly when you consider in an effective way. As well as being amplifier, with a total of 120 Watts split
the price of an affordable passive an excellent choice for cost-conscious between the two drivers.
monitor can fall into this bracket. They users, it’s also well worth considering Although maybe not terribly
might not be built to the same level of a pair of nEar 05s as your secondary exciting on first listen, we kept being
visual and technical charm as some of small-scale monitors in a larger setup. drawn back to the MSP7s for their
the more expensive 5-inch monitors, neutral sound, excellent imaging, and
but the nEar 05s still include plenty ➔VERDICT wide sweet spot that made them a
of studio-grade features, including a pleasure to work with over time.
Kevlar woofer, as well as a generous ESI nEar 05s deliver a
70 Watts of bi-amplification. performance that far exceeds
While the sound of the nEar 05s what you’d expect from a sub-£200 FEATURES
pair of active nearfields. Although ➔ Bi-amplified 130 Watt active nearfield monitor
isn’t super-wide, we still found them they lack some of the depth and
suitably un-coloured and detailed precision of some of the more ➔ 6.5-inch cone woofer
enough for studio work. The top expensive monitors, a generally ➔ 1-inch titanium dome high-frequency unit
end extends well without sounding neutral sound and clear top-end ➔ 45Hz–40kHz frequency response
too pushed, and the mids possess aids effective mixing and recording.

Monitor round-up
JBL LSR4326P
£619 (pair)
Dolphin ID 13716
It would be easy to talk at length
FEATURES about the accurate imaging and wide ➔VERDICT
➔ 130 Watts of bi-amped power frequency characteristics of the JBL An impressively forward-
➔ 8-inch Kevlar woofers LSR4326Ps, but what’s particularly thinking design including room
➔ 1-inch silk high-frequency drivers distinctive about these monitors are calibration, remote USB control, and
➔ 40Hz–24kHz frequency response the controls and features they offer. JBL’s HiQnet 5.1 array system. Plenty
Of all the monitors here, only the of hands-on control from the front
JBLs offer direct digital connectivity, of the monitor makes the JBLs
ideal for perfecting the monitors’
M-Audio BX8a Deluxe
including AES/EBU and S/PDIF. Add to performance in a given room.
that an intriguing HiQnet system for
connecting the monitors as part of a
£299 (pair) 5.1 array, and a USB connection to run
Dolphin ID 37858 JBL’s Control Centre software. Using the
supplied mic, you can also calibrate
Although some 5-inch monitors big sound – extending well down to the monitors to your room’s acoustic,
produce an impressive bass-end, the bottom of the mix where smaller activating an optimised EQ profile
there’s only one real solution to monitors can fail to give a full and using the small RMC button on the
achieving effortless sub-100Hz effortless representation. The only front of the cabinet.
extension – buy a bigger monitor! In downside was a slight lack of detail If this level of control and
that respect, M-Audio’s BX8a Deluxe in the mids, although the top-end felt customisation appeals to you, then
was easily the most impressively sized suitably clear and well defined. the JBLs are well worth a listen,
monitor we tested, striking a dominant offering the potential to really tailor the
presence in any setup. Looking to the
rear, the BX8a Deluxe controls and
➔VERDICT speaker’s performance to overcome
potential inadequacies in your studio.
inputs are relatively straightforward: If the low end of the mix is
with just an XLR and TRS connector important to you, then M-Audio’s
BX8a Deluxe provides a good FEATURES
for the inputs, and a simple gain
dose of power and bass extension ➔ Bi-amplified 220 Watt active nearfield monitor
adjustment for the monitor’s level.
With 8-inch woven Kevlar woofers, beneath 100Hz. Ideal for anybody ➔ 6.25-inch self-shielded Neodymium woofer
producing hip-hop or dance music ➔ 1-inch self-shielded Neodymium tweeter
and a 130 Watts of bi-amplification, who needs a suitably ‘vibey’ pair
these monitors deliver undeniably of monitors.
➔ 55Hz–20kHz frequency response
Adam A5
£465.98 (pair)
Dolphin ID 36432
By using Adam’s own ART (Accelerated If that’s the case, though, you can FEATURES
Ribbon Technology) ribbon tweeter always use the tweeter level control ➔ Bi-amplified 50 Watt active
technology, the company has certainly (to the back of the unit, along with
made its A5 monitors stand out from two other room EQ controls) to tailor nearfield monitor
the crowd in terms of the way they the output accordingly. ➔ ART tweeter
represent treble. ➔ 5.5-inch Rohacell/
Carbonfibre Woofer
In theory, a ribbon tweeter provides
a far more electrically effective way
➔VERDICT ➔ 55Hz–35kHz response
of moving air (in comparison to more Superb high-frequency
typical ‘voice coil’ designs). This results
in faster transient response, better
high-frequency imaging, and a more
imaging and transient response
set Adam’s A5s apart from the
crowd, making them a must for
››› BUY NOW
To buy, or for expert advice call
extended top-end. In that respect, the anybody who prefers a crisply
A5s sound great on drums, and really
defined top-end with plenty
of percussive detail. A worthy
0844 248 8117
enable you to pick apart the top end Or logon at
entry-level ‘multimedia’ version
of a mix, although the slightly more of Adam’s ribbon-driven monitor www.dolphinmusic.com
‘upfront’ sound of the ribbon tweeters design, that wouldn’t sound out of And enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left of the screen.
might not be to everybody’s tastes. place on any desktop.

046_MusicPlanet_01_Laney_v3.indd 27 19/8/08 09:15:09
planet
Missed a gig you really wanted
to see? Perhaps a MusicPlanet
reporter was there. This is what
live
we thought of the summer’s
more esoteric acts…
New York Dolls, Hyde Park, London

At the very beginning of the summer, 70s has passed away doesn’t help. But
survivors Kiss played a high-profile headline this is a band that comes armed with
slot at the Download Festival, accompanying some of the best rock and roll tracks
their trashy brand of pop rock with an armoury of any age; songs of sex and street life
of lights and explosions. A month later 70s that epitomised punk before it even
survivors the New York Dolls also played a had a name.
festival, invited by Morrissey to the Prince of David Johansen can’t quite hit the high
Misery’s day at the O2 Wireless shebang in Hyde notes these days, but Babylon, Jet Boy,
Park. Safe to say, they let rip with their trashy Pills and the ever-fantastic Trash still pack
brand of rock to considerably fewer punters than a sonic kick to the groin. They’re not
the guys in the face paint. afraid to bring out the new tunes either,
Once, both these bands were contemporaries, Dance Like A Monkey proving age is no
putting the fun back in rock and roll and giving barrier to punk rock spirit.
the finger to prog and the baggage that came Despite their massive financial
with it. This isn’t the place to reflect on their success Kiss never came close to
divergent paths, but in the present, the contrast equalling the mighty influence of the
is striking. Because where Kiss are overblown Dolls. Too raw, too extreme and too
and dated, the New York Dolls still burn with the dangerous, music wouldn’t have been
excitement that must have set Manhattan alight the same without them. We’re lucky to
back in 1973. have them around.
Of course, these are old men now. And the Review by Robert Collins
fact that three-fifths of the classic Dolls’ line-up www.myspace.com/newyorkdolls
Honest Jon’s Chop Up! reputation as a musician who thrived while the funky jazz of the Hypnotic
Barbican, London in collaborations. Brass Ensemble met perfectly with
Damon Albarn has come a long After visiting Mali with Oxfam and Toumani Diabaté’s spidery kora
way since his band’s fight with Oasis recording over 40 hours of music, playing and Afel Bocoum’s bluesy
took Blur to the heady heights of Damon launched new label Honest acoustic guitar.
the singles chart. Unlike his rivals, Jon’s from a record store in London to When Damon finally took to
Damon has looked to constantly promote the album and other world the front of the stage for a closing
re-invent himself. 1997’s Blur saw the music artists. To celebrate the artists performance of Sunset Coming On –
band turn to grunge, with the single on this label, Honest Jon’s arranged the standout track on Mali Music –
Song 2 possibly being the most the Chop Up! at London’s Barbican, backed by Simone White and Candi
defining grunge song after Nirvana’s bringing together many of the artists Staton, the crowd was electrified. It
Smells Like Teen Spirit, and 1999’s to share a stage. was a shame it had to finish at all.
13 experimented with Gospel In typically under-stated fashion Review by Miguel Mascolinas
and electronica. Damon took a back-row place www.myspace.com/damonbluralbarn
Damon continued to experiment behind his harmonium for most of
with music outside of Blur, joining the night, leaving his label-mates SeriousMusic
Mike Patton and Dan The Automator to take the front stage. The fusion Golden Lion, Bristol
on the Lovage project, which no of African rhythms, vocals and solo Anticipation is high and it’s standing-
doubt inspired his later hip-hop performances with more Western- room only, due partly perhaps to the
explorations with Gorillaz. However, themed bass parts and structures fact that SeriousMusic gig relatively
it was 2002’s Mali Music album can sometimes fall flat, but tonight infrequently, making their shows
recorded with Toumani Diabaté and everything merged perfectly. Tony something of an event on the local
Afel Bocoum among others that Allen’s exquisite drumming provided calendar. A five-piece live band,
helped to cement Albarn’s a driving force from start to finish, they cram a bewildering array of ➥
➥

planetlive
equipment onto the small stage. all-consuming, the metronomic

Turntables sit atop huge beer barrels, beats of drummer Matt Albon
the drum kit is supplemented with meshing perfectly with the huge,
sampling pads and there’s not a thundering sub bass and spiky
guitar or bass to be seen. Instead, piano, Rhodes, Clavi and Hammond
producer Hollin Jones performs both lines fired by the keys.
lead and bass instruments on a SpokesMao is joined by the
mothership of live keyboards hooked band’s other live rapper Chalk MC,
up to various amps. whose machine-gun delivery and breakdowns, and the band and MCs last year with the unique pay-what-
Debut album The Heights is deft rhymes complement perfectly are as adept at freestyling salsa, you-choose distribution method for
a heady blend of hip hop, funk, the rapid fire, conscious lyrics of the dub and bouncy hip hop as when the band’s latest album In Rainbows.
jazz and dub with a strong Latin Colombian. He raps, incidentally, sticking to the script. An impromptu However, this little episode is likely
influence thanks to Colombian- both in Spanish and English, which is stage invasion closes the show to be only a footnote in the history
born MC SpokesMao. Produced at quite something to behold. and SeriousMusic leaves the crowd of a band who’ve been busy
Portishead’s Bristol studio, it was Album tracks like Food For calling for more. See them. pushing the boundaries of their
going to be intriguing to see how Soul, crowd pleaser Un Tono and Review by Sarah Kelsall musical world since their inception
the band would translate its slick, Recall are delivered with ferocious, www.myspace.com/theseriousmusic in 1992. Having defined a whole
layered style to the live arena. bouncing energy and the crowd genre of melancholy rock with 1995’s
Taking the stage to a slow-building loves it. New tracks Acid Tongue and Radiohead The Bends, Radiohead moved
and unexpected samba workout, Spirits reveal a harder-edged future Victoria Park, London on to bigger things with 1997’s OK
SeriousMusic immediately dispelled direction for the band, and scratch Rarely does one band change Computer and then again shifted
any notion of a beats’n’shouting hip DJ Cutterz Choice features heavily the face of the music industry so gear into glitchy electronica with
hop performance. The sound is on several apparently improvised abruptly as Radiohead managed Kid A and Amnesiac.
At Victoria Park, Radiohead once
more showed their determination
to not look back, opening their set
with three tracks from In Rainbows,
driving the crowd into a frenzy with
the galloping beats of 15 Step, the
driving bass of Bodysnatchers and
Thom Yorke’s beautifully shifting
vocal on All I Need. This set the stage
for the five-piece to work through
nearly every song from In Rainbows
as well the excellent Bangers &
Sheldon wood
Mash from the In Rainbows boxset,

which saw Thom supplementing Phil
Selway on drums.
My Bloody Valentine Earlier hits, such as Paranoid
Android, Karma Police and Creep
Carling Apollo, Manchester were ignored in favour of fitting in
more of the band’s experimental
My Bloody Valentine is a band that many assumed work, and even when they went
would never return. It was part of their myth: after two back to their earlier catalogue only
perfect albums – Isn’t Anything (1988) and Loveless Just could be considered one of the
(1991) – they vanished, amidst rumors of mental more radio-friendly choices. This
breakdown, bankruptcy and tales of the loudest gigs ever. gave the band an opportunity to play
Fifteen years later, they’re back. less well known fan favourites, like
As soon as the first notes of I Only Said were played, How To Disappear Completely and
the whole power of the My Bloody Valentine live Planet Telex.
experience hit you like a tsunami: the extreme loudness “Thanks, we were frightened,”
of the guitars, the bass shaking your guts, the strobe noise. From time to time, slight changes in the said Thom as he sauntered back on
lights and the psychedelic projections. It felt more like pattern could be noticed, while frantic visuals stage for the encore to play Cymbal
an art performance, with sound and visuals so hypnotised the audience. When eventually the Rush from 2007’s solo album The
intrinsically married as to be more important than the images slowed down, we all just felt the end was Eraser, before the band came back
band themselves. coming soon, and My Bloody Valentine went back on for the closing You And Whose
MBV played classic tracks from their albums, but the into You Made Me Realise to an ecstatic audience. Army and the incredible swirling
highlight was set closer The Holocaust, which turns 1988 One last chorus, and it was over. syncopation of Idioteque. Those
single You Made Me Realise into the loudest 20 minutes Afterwards, the crowd leaving the venue looked expecting more of a greatest hits
in your life. tired. Some faces were stunned. Some simply selection for their £40 could be heard
Those brave enough not to wear the free earplugs appeared relieved that they’ll still be able to hear mumbling words of discontent as
distributed before the gig, had no choice but to protect clearly – when the tinnitus recedes after a couple of they made the long walk back to
their ears. It wasn’t music anymore, but an art statement, days. We did it. We survived My Bloody Valentine, the tube, but among the majority of
an experiment, pushing and challenging the audience the loudest band on earth. attendee’s, ourselves included, it was
– some people couldn’t cope and had to leave. No Reviewed by Ivan Silva all huge smiles and gleeful faces. mp
discernible notes, just a loud rumble and sheer white www.myspace.com/mybloodyvalentine Review by Miguel Mascolinas
www.myspace.com/radiohead
48 MusicPlanet Autumn2008 www.dolphinmusic.com 0844

0844815
2480888
8117

dolphin music
Liverpool Gateshead: Huddersfield

Unit 6, Central Station 16 Garden Walk, Yellow 11-15 Market Street,
Liverpool, Ranelagh Street, Quadrant, Metro Centre, Huddersfield, West
Liverpool, L1 1QE NE11 9XY Yorkshire, HD1 2EH
Tel: 0151 706 0441 Tel: 0191 493 2244 Tel: 0148 442 7455
mp_brand_ad.indd 1 14/08/2008 09:09:40

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Portable Recorders MusicPlanet.indd 1 14/8/08 13:25:02

Planet Gear
AKAI
MPC5000
With its brand-new flagship
music production centre
and sampling workstation,
AKAI hasn’t skimped on new
features. But does it cut the
musical mustard? Andy Wright
samples the delights.
››
£1,549 sample looping and audio processing tools, including Chop
Shop 2 for beat slicing and automatic time stretching. Or
Dolphin ID 36476 you can import existing sample data and record audio
direct to the hard drive. You even get a 650MB sample set
AKAI’s MPC sampling beat production of crunchy beats from Loopmasters pre-installed.
workstations have long been a staple of
studios and producers worldwide, used
FEATURES There’s a powerful mixer section where you can balance
levels and also apply any of the onboard effects to audio
➔ 64 voice drum/phrase
in the making of such seminal albums as sampler tracks. There is an excellent selection of effects on offer
DJ Shadow’s Endroducing, and countless to spice up your productions and two master effects –
others. The newest member of the family ➔ 16 MPC pads compression and EQ – to boost and sweeten the final mix.
also happens to be the biggest and most fully featured ➔ Built-in synth plus
they’ve built to date, the flagship MPC5000. arpeggiator ONBOARD SYNTH
➔ Hard disk recording The other major new addition, apart from those mentioned
EXTENSIVE ROUTING ➔ Onboard effects
and the many workflow and capacity improvements,
The interface will be familiar to anyone who has used an is a built-in analogue synthesizer. With three oscillators,
MPC in recent years, with the 16 pads for programming ➔ 12 Q-Link controllers 20 voices and a built-in programmable arpeggiator, it is
beats and sequences dominating the front panel of the ➔ 64MB RAM perfectly suited to hip hop, r’n’b, grime and other similar
unit. The MPC5000 is designed to be the centrepiece of kinds of music with its selection of fat basses and gritty
your studio, able to perform many or even all of the tasks leads. For those preferring a more hands-on approach to
you might normally associate with music production. making sample-based music, the MPC5000 represents the
As a result it’s furnished with an impressive set of ins and most total solution available for sampling, recording and
outs round the back, comprising combined jack/XLR stereo programming – capturing the vibe that has made the MPC
inputs; a phono input stage with RIAA preamp for sampling series such a success over the years. MP
from turntables; S/PDIF coaxial in/out and optical ADAT out
with eight channels. There are stereo master outs plus eight
separate mix outputs, six MIDI ports and a USB socket for
➔VERDICT
connecting a computer. ACCESSORIES ● Powerful sampler
Essential add-ons ● Well designed
EXPANDED HARDWARE ● Great new synth
On the face of the MPC5000 is a control section to the right,
a hinged display panel (bigger than on previous models) Dolphin Music
MIDI Cable 3m
● Hard drive recording
plus twelve Q-Link controllers comprising four faders and £5 ● Multiple inputs and outputs
eight knobs. These are assignable and can control external Dolphin ID 34988
MIDI equipment but also get mapped automatically to ● Extensive audio tools
For connecting the
important parameters on whichever edit screen you are MPC5000 to other Keeping the things that made the MPC series great, the
MIDI devices, you will
currently working with. Making settings and entering data is need MIDI cables. This MPC5000 builds on earlier successes by adding some
therefore intuitive and fairly speedy. range from Dolphin is handy new features like a hard drive, built-in synth and
The unit ships with 64MB of RAM, expandable to 192MB via extremely cost-effective. a set of real-time controllers. A great hands-on music
a user-accessible memory port and there’s a CompactFlash production solution.
››› BUY NOW

card slot for media up to 2GB. A great new feature is a AKAI EXM-E3
128MB
built-in 80GB hard drive which supports up to eight tracks Expansion Board
of direct-to-disk recording of any external source such as £95.99 To buy, or for expert advice call
guitars, bass or vocals. It can also be used to mix down
tracks internally and burn them to disc using the optional
Dolphin ID 38397
Bumps up the 0844 248 8117
CD-R/DVD drive for a complete production solution. onboard memory of Or logon at
The MPC5000 functions like other MPCs in the sense that
the MPC5000 from the
standard 64MB to a very www.dolphinmusic.com
you work with samples, sequences and songs. You can useful 192MB. And enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left of the screen.
sample your own material and edit it using the extensive

competition
Win A Pair Of Yamaha MSP7s!

Yamaha’s monitors always demand scrutiny.
The MSP7 delivers a clear top-end that doesn’t tire over time. The bass
extension of the 6.5-inch bass drivers is also very natural and delivers a well-
reasoned amount of low-end woofer movement without any excessive hype. For
your chance to own a pair of these fantastic studio monitors of the 7-inch bass
drivers answer the following question.
Question: What is the diameter (in inches) of the bass driver on
the Yamaha MSP7?
a) 1
b) 6.5
c) 150
Win
Yamaha
MSP7!
To enter Visit
www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/msp7
No purchase necessary. Visit www.dolphinmusic.com for full details of competition entry.
mp_msp7_comp.indd 1 18/08/2008 10:35:23

2box DrumIt Five Preview
WORLD
EXCLUSIVE Out of the box
Owen Hopkin visits Stockholm to investigate a product under development
S
that’s destined to become a big player on the electronic drum scene.
tockholm is the picturesque location for MusicPlanet’s world AN eNVIABle leGACy

exclusive visit to the premises of burgeoning electronic drum Before DrumIt Five is even ready to hit the shops, it already has
maker 2box. Since we first heard about it at the NAMM show in credentials many kits would kill for. The brainchild of Bengt Lilja
January of this year, we’ve been desperate to get a close-up of and Rik van der Brugghen, it comes with two lifetimes’-worth of
this brand-new product. We reckon it’s going to cause a big stir experience in the digital music industry.
in the world of electronic drums when it goes on sale later this “I was a musician interested in new technologies and
year. It’s called DrumIt Five – and it’s very orange indeed. triggering electronic sounds,” says Bengt. “There were no
If truth be told, were we to have a world exclusive anywhere solutions available at the time and that’s where the idea for the
in the world, we may just have settled on Sweden’s capital city. Ddrum came from. Rik and I worked on that together.”
Its gentle hills and delicate patchwork of islands paint the most Ddrum was the first go-to electronic drum brain for
glorious of backgrounds. And DrumIt Five itself is no eyesore, forward-thinking musicians looking for inspiration. Until it was
and with its relatively modest anticipated price tag of around
£1,600, you could almost say it’s even more attractive than
some of the Swedish – ahem – citizens.
sold to an American company a few years ago, Ddrum was
a huge commercial success, with more than a few admirers.
A combination of great sounds and ease of use saw its core
The heaD
Who’s for a beating?
From a country already punching above its weight in values seized upon by manufacturers who could clearly see the
The black mesh heads that
the worlds of artists (Abba, The Hives, The Cardigans) and potential in electronic drumming. cover each of the DrumIt
instrument makers (Ddrum, Clavia), DrumIt Five and 2box may This in itself would be enough heritage for many a new Five’s drums add a great
well be the next names etched on the walls of the country’s product, but DrumIt Five also benefits from the pair’s next career look and feel. Typically the
hall of fame. Yes, it’s entering a very competitive market, but move, which saw them mastermind a range of Nord keyboards reserve of the market’s
this Swedish revelation is ready to jostle for space with the at Swedish synthesizer giant Clavia. In the form of the Nord top end, 2box has brought
behemoths of the digital drum world and, from the glimpse we Lead, the duo launched another very successful product. Here, the technology kicking and
had of it, might well create itself some space. control over digital sounds and their triggering was key. screaming into the semi-
pro world. like acoustic
drums, the heads are
held in place with tension
screws, which allow for
an almost limitless range
of ‘feels’. Regardless of
the tension, the drums
stay disconcertingly
quiet despite a few of
MusicPlanet’s greatest
metal drumming moves.
This is clearly good
news for long-suffering
neighbours, parents and
partners the world over.
The mesh heads are
also easily changed for real
drum heads. Clearly more
noisy – the drum’s bearing
edge produces a fantastic,
even tone – this gives
the DrumIt Five as real a
look and feel as possible
without straying into the
acoustic world. Added to
the different-sized drums,
we’d venture there isn’t
much Bengt and Rik
could have done to make
acoustic players feel more
at home.
Rubber heads are
another work in progress
for 2box. Different types
with different properties
are currently being
researched with the aim of
creating a rebound which
is as realistic as possible.
➥
➥
www.dolphinmusic.com 0844 248 8117 MusicPlanet autumn2008 53

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Studios, are just a few of the places the band captured road to rock stardom, JM4 Looper delivers these classic Line
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and Simon Phillips’ stomping beat. JM4 Looper lets you capture all your riffs
Jam 100 Outlaw Country Club is a smooth, twangy, mid- and musical ideas, sparking inspiration in
tempo bounce inspired by the greats of Outlaw County. It ways other looping pedals can only dream.
features a truly amazing ensemble in Brent Mason (lead
guitar), Dave Pomeroy (bass), Steve Turner (drums), John
Hobbs (keyboards), Pat Bergeson (acoustic guitar), and Paul
Franklin (steel guitar).
Jam 150 Walking Jazz is light and airy but dynamic with
Tony Franklin’s walking-bass backbone. Hear drummer Gregg
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Bissonette switch from sticks to brushes!
The secret weapon behind each jam in JM4 Looper is the 0844 248 8117
Endless Jam Engine. The Endless Jam Engine breaks each Or logon at
jam into sections and arranges everything between the www.dolphinmusic.com
intro and outro into an Endless Jam, keeping the jam tracks And enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left of the screen.
sounding fresh instead of boring and overly repetitive.

2box DrumIt Five Preview
ability to choke, the thick

black pads seem electronic in
appearance only. The hi-hat is
just as impressive. The pedal
allows vertical motion and
there’s enough give in the
clutch to resemble the action
of open hi-hats.
All of this eye-catching
goodness is hung from
grey aluminium hardware.
Two thick poles arc around
the kit horizontally, with the
top pole supporting the
rack toms and cymbals,
the bottom supporting the
bass drum with an added
supporting vertical screw on
The brain
We have the technology
the drum’s base to ensure
maximum stability. The As DumIt Five is the
brainchild of those behind
snare drum, hi-hat and floor Ddrum, it’s perhaps not
tom are supported by two so surprising to learn that
auxiliary arms and legs that the technology behind
swing from the rack’s main DrumIt Five is staggeringly
structure. It allows maximum impressive. It comes
manoeuvrability, enabling the with 128 editable kits,
drums and cymbals to get all monitored with 24-bit
Having neatly placed another feather in his cap, Bengt playback. There are 20
into the most awkward of positions. On top of this, the snare
dynamic ranges for each
decided to take a break from the business. drum’s cradle allows a 360-degree tilt, and the custom-built drum and cymbal, with
“I was painting my basement at the time and I had a flash mounts enable the drums to be adjusted to suit the most each sound within those
of inspiration. At that point, I decided it was about time Rik and I awkward of playing styles. ranges made up from a
got back into electronic drums.” Being that we’re in Scandinavia, perhaps it’s inevitable that combination of samples
DrumIt Five is also one of the greenest bits of music technology – virtually eliminating the
If kooks could kill you’re ever likely to encounter. There’s barely a sniff of chrome ‘machine gun’ effect of
As Bengt ushers us into 2Box’s modest workshop and office anywhere on the kit (chrome’s bad for the environment, kids), repeated samples. Throw
in the ability to instantly
space, we’re struck by the dictionary definition of a hive of and aluminium makes up the lion’s share of the drums and change the balance of the
activity. Cymbal and drum stands litter the floor, two large the hardware’s construction. This is good for two reasons: kick, snare and toms from
computers flash 3D hardware designs, leads hang from hooks firstly, it makes DrumIt Five incredibly light but also portable volume pots on the brain,
in spaghetti-like clumps and various bits of rubber top prototype and durable; secondly, virtually the entire kit can be recycled. and a function to adjust
drums on a small table. Standing proudly amid the chaos is We’re guessing the chances of you wanting to recycle the kit, the levels of the sample
DrumIt Five itself and, well, it looks amazing. however, will be pretty slim. combination, and you have
The first thing you notice is its unashamed ‘orange-ness’. It’s a very sophisticated sound
utterly glorious and positively radiates from the drums. Matched Unfinished business module indeed.
Not impressed yet? OK,
with a black bottom and the hardware’s frosted grey, it looks Despite our positive first impressions, Bengt keeps reminding how about the software
incredible. Ostentatious? Absolutely. Vibrant? Of course. It’s us that DrumIt Five is still a work in progress. “It’s not going to for your PC and Mac
everything a modern digital drum kit should look like and will be perfect. We’re trying to re-create human nature – it’s never that, via USB, will allow
certainly catch the eye in the scrum that is retail floorspace. going to be perfect!” you to drop in your own
The five drums that we see hanging from the rack are in In the short term there are still tweaks to be made before its samples and update the
different sizes: there’s a 12-inch snare, 8-inch and 10-inch rack retail release which is due in October. Most pressing is a studio software on DrumIt Five’s
toms, a 12-inch floor tom and a 14-inch, satisfyingly round, session to record some of the brain’s samples. “It doesn’t matter brain? On top of that, the
bass drum. Bengt tells us that the first model is unlikely to be how impressive the technology is, if the samples sound bad, brain is compatible with
Roland pads and vice
available in exactly this format, but the size differentials instantly the kit will sound bad. It’s as simple as that,” says Bengt. versa, allowing players the
make it resemble an acoustic kit and would make even the Despite considerable interest in the instrument fueled by utmost of flexibility and the
most die-hard drumming technophobe feel at home. Sure, the Bengt and Rik’s history, and an impressive showing at Frankfurt’s broadest of sound palettes.
sizes are a little truncated when compared to a traditional rock Musikmesse trade show, the 2box founders still believe there’s
kit, but future custom options will see these gripes disappear. work to be done on the kit in the long term. The real litmus test,
On each of the drums (including the bass drum), are black says Bengt, will be when the kit is put in front of real players.
mesh heads, but more on these beauties later… “It has to get out there and be played. We’ll get feedback
from drummers and take it on board. A project like this is never
Cymbal ideas really finished – it’s constantly a work in progress.”
Flanking the main body of the kit are four rubber cymbals, one We can say it’s a more impressive ‘work in progress’ than
of which is set up as a hi-hat. Round, thick and re-assuringly we’ve seen for a while. We’d also bet the modest number that
thwack-able, the material used provides a surprisingly lifelike hits the shops this autumn will provoke a similar response. We
rebound, whether the cymbal is being crashed or ridden. With hope to get our hands on one of the very first units in time for
three playing surfaces (bell, edge and body), as well as the a full review in Issue 2 of MusicPlanet – so keep an eye out. mp

#24057 - Røde M3LiveAdMPlan V2 5/8/08 10:05 Page 1
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Buyer’s guide
CHOOSING AN
ACOUSTIC GUITAR
The choices you face when buying your first acoustic guitar
can seem endless and daunting. Should you opt for steel
or nylon strings? Cut-away or full-body designs? Onboard
electrics? Steve Harvey talks us through the options.
B ›››
uying your first acoustic guitar should be simple enough,
shouldn’t it? Just pick the one you like the sound and look THE NUMBER OF BRANDS AND
of and it’s done. But in reality, things just aren’t as simple
as that. The number of brands and options on offer can
OPTIONS CAN MAKE CHOOSING THE
actually make the choosing the most difficult part of the MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE PROCESS
whole process.
The vast range of guitars to be found in the average
music shop isn’t a bad thing, though. The fact is that Above: Tanglewood TW47 B, Famous steel-string songs include Extreme’s More Than
modern construction techniques – particularly the use Dolphin ID 37269, £449 Words, McCartney’s mega-hit Mull Of Kintyre and David
of CNC machinery – have raised the standards of even Right: Tanglewood TW28 CSN, Gray’s Babylon.
low-budget and entry-level instruments to new heights. Dolphin ID 37275, £179.95
If truth be told, a £250 guitar in 2008 is probably just as WHICH WOOD?
good as one that cost £400 in 1990. Some to One subject that often confuses newcomers to the world
HIGHLY STRUNG consider... of acoustic guitars is that of tonewoods – the different

woods used in the construction of the guitar itself. Does
The first choice you need to make is whether you Yamaha FG720S
it make a difference? Yes. Do different woods actually
want a nylon- or steel-string guitar. Typically, a set of £149 sound different? Absolutely. It’s true that the tonal variations
nylon strings comprises three nylon strings and three Dolphin ID 10098 unique to tonewoods become more evident the more
wound with steel (the upper and lower three strings Guitars from Yamaha’s expensive a guitar is, but even for entry-level models, the
respectively). Acoustics referred to as steel-string guitars FG series are fantastic materials used will have a real impact on tone.
entry-level instruments.
use strings made of metal, usually either nickel or steel, They’re well-built, Which wood you choose is up to you and your ear,
although sometimes both. reliable and excellent but, as a rule, opt for a guitar built from solid wood rather
As you’d expect, nylon strings sound very different from value for money. This than laminates. What’s the difference? As the description
gloss-finished 720S is
steel strings. Classical and Spanish guitars are strung with the pick of the bunch. indicates, solid-wood guitars are made from whole pieces
nylon strings – listen to Eric Clapton’s Tears In Heaven for of wood, but generally cost a little more. Laminates are
an example of the nylon-string sound. Vintage V300 essentially ‘wood sandwiches’ glued together. Solid
Nylon strings are often a good choice for beginners £75 woods generally function better than cemented laminates
– particularly young children – because fretting (the Dolphin ID 14261 because they vibrate more freely than and give a louder,
This small-body Vintage
act of pressing a string against the fingerboard) requires was recently voted Best clearer tone.
less pressure than it does with steel strings. By contrast, Acoustic Guitar Under
steel strings can feel like cheese wire to unaccustomed £100 – and it’s easy
to see why. It has a
BODY TALK
fingers, but they sound very much more contemporary. comfortable, fast-playing Just as the woods used in the construction of an
When you hear the likes of Coldplay, Bon Jovi or McFly neck, good dynamics acoustic have an impact on its tone, so too does the
play an acoustic, it’s a steel-string that they’re playing.
and plenty of volume.
size of the instrument’s body. Which is best for you really ➥
➥

207 GP 1-4th.indd 1 13/08/2008 16:31:37
Buyer’s guide
››› SPEND TIME PLAYING DIFFERENT

MODELS TO DETERMINE THE SHAPES
AND PROPORTIONS THAT FIT YOU
some of the guitar’s sound chamber you are, in fact,
sacrificing a percentage of its performance capabilities,
albeit a small one. Bob Taylor, owner of world-famous
Taylor Guitars, refers to the cut-away area as ‘prime real
estate’ and advises customers to choose a cut-away
guitar over a non-cut-away only if they really need to.
Again, whether to choose a cut-away or not depends
on what you’re going to be using the guitar for. If you’d
like to learn and play searing solos, then a cut-away
would be a wise choice. If, however, your aspirations are
more chord- and song-based, then it might be better to
stick to a non-cut-away model.
If you choose a cut-away, be aware that there are

different types of cut-aways. Some cut-aways are very
‘soft’ and some quite severe. A Florentine cut-away, for
example, is much more scooped than a Venetian cut-
away, which is more rounded. Try a few to find out which
is more comfortable for you.
depends on what type of music you want to play. By Above: a cut-away design offers
unrestricted access to the 14th
TURN IT UP
far the most popular body shape is the Dreadnought. fret and above.
Some acoustic guitars are fitted with an onboard preamp.
Originally designed by the Martin Guitar Company in the This battery-powered unit provides a means by which
early 1900s, the Dreadnought is a good all-rounder, but, Right: onboard electronics enable to process the sound and vibration of the guitar through
because of its beefy bass and overall sound projection, you to hook up your acoustic to an amplifier. The science of amplifying an acoustic guitar
an amp.
it excels when strummed and is the perfect choice for is not an uncomplicated one and, in truth, thousands of
accompanying a vocalist. So, if you plan to learn a few pounds can be spent seeking the Holy Grail of acoustic
chords and serenade the family, a friend or a loved one, a amplified tone.
Dreadnought may well be best for you. Some entry-level acoustics have an under-saddle
Smaller-bodied guitars such as an OM (Orchestral pickup fitted, which is more than adequate for its
Model) or folk-bodied instruments are often more suited intended purpose. Of course, if you purchase an electro- ➥
➥
to fingerstyle playing – that is, when individual strings
are played with the fingers rather than strummed with
a pick. Smaller-bodied instruments can also be much
more comfortable to play than the significantly larger
Dreadnought or Jumbo guitars.
Be aware, too, that as well as having different body Some to
shapes, acoustics can have different scale lengths – in
simple terms, the length of the neck. String spacings (the consider...
distance between each string) can also differ between
Fender
models. Even a difference of a millimetre or two will feel Sonoran SCE
very noticeable under your fingers, so it’s well worth £179.99
spending time playing a number of different models to Dolphin ID 33522
determine the shapes and proportions that fit you and This trendy cut-away
your fingers. Dreadnought has an
onboard preamp and is
available in candy apple
CUT IT OUT red, Lake Placid blue,
shoreline gold, surf
A cut-away guitar has a section of the body literally ‘cut green or natural.
away’ at the point where the neck meets the body.
Usually, a cut-away is on the treble side of the upper bout Ibanez AW28RLG
(the side of the guitar closest to the floor when it’s being £155
played). Some electric guitars, such as the iconic Fender Dolphin ID 15804
This new model from
Stratocaster, have what is referred to as a double-cut-away. the Ibanez stable
This is where a cut-away has been made on both sides of features mahogany
the neck, but this is rarely seen on acoustic guitars. back and sides,
a striking flamed
The purpose of a cut-away is to provide easier access sycamore pickguard
to the 14th fret and above. It comes at a cost, though, and a natural, low-
gloss finish.
both in financial and tonal terms. By chopping away

Buyer’s guide
››› THERE’S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR HAVING

TWO OR THREE SHORTLISTED
INSTRUMENTS WITHIN ARM’S REACH
the guitar has a strap button at the base of the neck

where it meets the guitar’s body. If you’re
going to be playing standing up,
you’ll need a strap. You can
fit a strap to the area
behind the nut (John
Lennon-style), but
you might find that
this arrangement isn’t
great at keeping the
guitar in place. If the
guitar you’re leaning
towards doesn’t have
a strap button, ask if
one can be fitted for
you. They’re relatively
inexpensive and easy
to fit.
Secondly, ask
whether your proposed
purchase comes with
any extras thrown
in. Even entry-level
instruments can sometimes
come with a case of some sort.
It’s also worth asking if the guitar
comes with a tuner. Training your ear to
be sensitive enough to tune a guitar can be a slow
and frustrating process. If you’re a beginner and your
preferred guitar doesn’t come with a tuner, we’d strongly
acoustic (an acoustic guitar equipped with a means of If you plan on playing standing recommend getting one. The battle to tune a guitar could
amplifying it), you’ll also need to purchase an amplifier. If up, ensure that you choose a be enough to put you off playing altogether! That battle is
guitar with strap buttons.
you’re a beginner and this is your preferred choice, we’d easily and inexpensively won with a tuner.
suggest looking into ‘package deals’. These generally
include an electro-acoustic guitar, a small amplifier, a PLAY IT BY EAR
strap, a tuner and, in some cases, an instructional DVD. Some to Finally, we’d advise trying as many different guitars as
Again, whether you choose to purchase an electro-
acoustic or not depends on your intended use for the
consider... possible – ideally back-to-back. There’s no substitute
for having two or three shortlisted instruments within
instrument. If you want to play to a large room or venture Tanglewood arm’s reach and playing the same chords/song/notes
into the world of home recording via your computer, you’ll TW28S SN on all three one after another. Trust your ears and your
need a pickup. Either scenario leads to greater expense £159.95 fingers. Your ears will tell you very quickly which one you
whether it be for PA equipment, software or similar. Dolphin ID 37276 prefer and your fingers will tell you which one is more
Buying a guitar with a preamp might save you a little bit This high-quality, satin- comfortable to play. Some say that you can tell within
finish Dreadnought has
of money as some models come with a built-in tuner. a solid Engleman 15–20 seconds of playing a guitar if it’s right for you.
It should be noted, though, that having a preamp fitted spruce top, ash Whatever the case, buying your first acoustic is always a
to your acoustic increases its price somewhat, and some back and sides, special occasion and, at the risk of sounding soppy, the
maple binding and a
would argue that it’s more advantageous to assign your rosewood fingerboard. ‘chosen one’ will hold a special place in your heart. MP
entire budget to the guitar itself in order to purchase the
best instrument possible. Remember that pickups and
preamps can be fitted at a later date if required – many
pickup companies produce magnetic soundhole pickups
Dean Tradition
Exotic
£165
Dolphin ID 19621
››› BUY NOW
that are designed to be fitted retrospectively. With its fancy soundhole
decoration, shapely
0844 248 8117
WILL THAT BE ALL? headstock and stylish Or logon at
Having made your choices concerning strings, body size bridge, this Dean
Dreadnought not only www.dolphinmusic.com
and shape and whether to choose a guitar with or without plays beautifully, but will And enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left of the screen.
a preamp, what else should you consider? First, check if also get you noticed.

Every XENYX 2442FX is tested over
Thomas, BEHRINGER Germany Dian helps assemble the XENYX Axel, BEHRINGER Germany Systems forty times during the production Thomas, BEHRINGER Germany
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circuitry seasoning that has made the advanced manufacturing complex. XENYX mic preamp from wholesome to guarantee that it’s really well done USB interface and ASIO drivers for
2442FX a worldwide best seller. Can she make one for you? ingredients. and free of defects. the 2442FX. Bon appetite!
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When we sampler, time/pitch engine, internal mixer w/EQ,
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in the U.S. and other countries. XT Software, the XT Software logo, energyXT2 and the energyXT logo are trademarks of XT Software AS incorporated in Norway,
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Planet Gear
TOONTRACK
Crowes, Beyoncé), and engineer Neil Dorfsman (Kiss,
Bruce Springsteen, Dire Straits and Sting) with session
drummer Nir Z (Genesis, Joss Stone and Chris Cornell). The
SUPERIOR
collaboration of these three individuals with Toontrack has
brought some of the finest sampled instruments we’ve
ever heard. However, the final say on how the instruments
DRUMMER 2.0
sound is entirely down to you, and controlled from within
the Superior Drummer software.
The mixer engine has a staggering amount of mic’ing
options for each instrument. There are four direct mics on
From the company that brought the snare drum, including both top and bottom, a side mic
and a separate channel for the top mic through a Neve 1176
us dfh and EZdrummer comes a compressor. You can also control how much bleed from
new release. Miguel Mascolinas other instruments comes through into each microphone,
as well as routing the channels in the mixer through their
gives it a Superior beating. own busses and adding effects either directly to the
channel or to busses. One of our favourite discoveries
››
from the mic’ing options was the Bullet Mic, a Shure 520D
£189
Dolphin ID 37573 FEATURES placed about a metre from the kit running through a Mesa
Boogie amp, which gives a crunchy, filtered sound without
➔ 20GB sample library any of the phasing issues commonly asscoiated with post-
For most musicians, getting a great drum ➔ Five built-in effects processing through distortion.
track for their recordings is one of the ➔ Three kick drums
trickiest production tasks they face. Even if ➔ Eight snare drums MIXING DOWN
you have (or are) a great drummer you’re Within the mixer you have five effects from Sonalksis
going to need a big mic collection and a ➔ Three hi-hats alongside the traditional five-band EQ. These include High-
superb-sounding room just to get your ➔ Five toms pass and Low-pass Filter, Gate, Compressor and Transient
drums in the right ballpark to compete with professionally ➔ Five cymbal set ups Designer, which enables you to emphasise or hide the
produced recordings. To make things easier Toontrack ➔ Four Rides attack phase of each instrument. The effects have a great
has been sampling drums in one of the most incredible sound all of their own, and are far more advanced than
studios in the world. They also provide you with the tools to ➔ Cowbell many of the built-in effects we’ve seen in other plug-in
manipulate these samples into your recordings, so that they instruments. While the EQ and Compressor don’t have quite
not only sound great, but also natural as if played by a real the flavour of an SSL or Neve desk, we’d be happy to mix
drummer, live in the studio. the drum sound on one of our recordings entirely within
Superior Drummer 2.0 builds on the unprecedented level
of control provided by its predecessors, providing you with
ACCESSORIES the Superior Drummer environment.
a huge selection of drum pieces to play, and the ability to Essential add-ons TWEAKER’S PARADISE
control exactly how the kit sounds in your recordings, as With so many different options to choose from, Superior
well as providing a means to compose and arrange your Toontrack Drummer 2.0 can be a little overwhelming for anyone new
drum tracks, either using pre-supplied MIDI drum loops EZdrummer to to drum mixing. If, however, you have the time to invest in
Superior 2.0
played by Nir Z, or by playing in your own drum parts with Crossgrade learning your way around it, or you already know your way
a MIDI controller or e-Drums kit. £129 around a professional studio, SD2.0 offers the flexibility to
Dolphin ID 37575 produce everything from incredibly clean, tight drums, to
TOTAL CONTROL If you’re a registered
EZdrummer user, you
big, pounding roomy sounds or dirty, biting hits.
Subtitled The New York Studio Legacy Series, the tracking can crossgrade to And if all this does seem a bit too much for you,
for the Superior Drummer 2.0 samples was done at Superior 2.0 for £60 less. Toontrack’s EZdrummer has a similar amount of quality in a
Avatar Studios in New York by producer Pat Thrall (Black less-advanced and easier-to-use package. EZ also offers a
great way into SD2.0 at a later date. MP
➔VERDICT
● Incredible-sounding drums
● Massive creative potential
● Flexible mixer
● Great-sounding effects
If you like to stay on top of your drum sound, this is
the software for you. Superior Drummer 2.0 gives you
control of every facet of your drum track, from the
rhythm itself to the kit used and the tone of each piece.
››› BUY NOW

0844 248 8117
Or logon at

063_MusicPlanet_01_HandInHand.indd 2 18/8/08 10:27:53
››› SIX OF THE BEST
Kitting out your studio with one or two
good microphones can bring a new
dimension to your recordings. And
doing so needn’t cost the earth
Røde M3
The small-diaphragm Røde M3 is a versatile
studio microphone designed to be used for everything
from vocals to acoustic instruments, as drum overheads,
or even in front of a guitar cabinet. This flexibility is further
enhanced by a built-in switchable 80Hz low-cut filter and
a three-position pad, which can provide up to 20dB of
attenuation. The M3 is also useful for field recordings, as it
can be powered from a standard 9V battery as well as by
phantom power.
The M3 comes with a heavy-duty flight case, foam
windshield for use outdoors and a sturdy mic clip. Røde
also provides a ten-year warranty, which should ensure
your mic has a place in your studio for years to come.
Behringer B-1
Behringer’s versatile B-1 microphone has a 1-inch
large-diaphragm capsule plus a switchable low-cut filter, 10dB
pad and a maximum SPL handling of 148dB, making it useful
for a huge variety of sources, from drums and guitar cabinets
to vocals and acoustic instruments.
The B-1 has been tuned with a presence boost in the
upper range, which will help bring clarity to vocal recordings,
and on other instruments will help ‘brighten’ the sound of the
instrument, adding shine to otherwise dull recordings. The B-1
comes with a carry case, shockmount and windscreen.
Audio-Technica
AT2020
£58.99 Dolphin ID 5090
The Audio-Technica AT2020 microphone has a side-address cardioid
large-diaphragm capsule that is ideal for recording vocals and acoustic instruments,
capturing the full frequency ranges of these sources. What’s more, the AT2020 can
handle SPLs up to 144dB, enabling you to use it with loud sources without distortion
creeping into your signal chain.
The AT2020 comes with a pivoting, threaded standmount that enables you
to precisely position the microphone for the optimal recording position, while the
cardioid capsule ensures that you capture only what is in front of the microphone
while other sources are rejected.

››› Studio Microphones
Samson
C01
When it comes to recording vocals, the
smooth low end and extended frequency
range of a large-diaphragm condenser is an
essential studio tool. Samson’s C01 brings these
characteristic features of large-diaphragm
microphones to within any budget, ensuring that
your vocal tracks stand out from the crowd.
The C01 is also useful for mic’ing acoustic
instruments and as another option for drums,
either as an overhead or as a room mic. The
microphone comes with a gold-plated XLR
connector and an LED that indicates when 48V
phantom power is enabled.
SE Electronics
SE2200a
SE’s award-winning SE2200 microphone
quickly established itself as a project studio
favourite, with low noise and excellent sonic
characteristics setting it apart from the competition.
The improved SE2200a model shares the same
1-inch gold-plated diaphragm as the original, but
has improved electronics that offer an even better
signal-to-noise ratio. It also includes a low-cut filter
and 10dB pad, making the mic useful not only for
acoustic instruments and vocals, but also as an
option for close mic’ing loud sources, such as guitar
AKG C 1000 S
cabinets and brass instruments.
£94.99 Dolphin ID 1503

AKG’s C 1000 S is a workhorse microphone that
you’ll find in studios and PA setups across the globe.
The microphone comes with the PPC 1000 Polar Pattern
Converter and PB 1000 Presence Boost adaptors. The PPC
1000 enables you to switch the C 1000 S from cardioid
››› BUY NOW
to hypercardioid, which is useful in live applications for
helping to reject feedback from monitors or spill from
0844 248 8117
Or logon at
other instruments. The PB 1000 adds 3-5dB of high end
between 5kHz and 9kHz, which can improve the clarity of www.dolphinmusic.com
speech and add definition to some instruments.

“For Powered Speakers,
I’d Use a DriveRack PX.”
—Russell Fischer
FRONT OF HOUSE ENGINEER,
SOUND IMAGE
TOURS INCLUDE:
Eric Clapton, Marilyn Manson,
Toby Keith, Poison, Janes Addiction,
and many more...
Making a sports arena sound like a concert hall is just another day in the life of world-class FOH engineer Russell
Fischer. His ability to sonically tame the most unruly of venues is the stuff of legend. Russell knows that to get
the most out of your speakers, you need to optimize them to the room.
The DriveRack PX Powered Speaker Optimizer connects between your mixer and stereo powered speakers and makes
you sound like a pro. It even supports subwoofers. At the touch of a button it corrects for audible deficiencies
in any room, kills annoying feedback, enhances bass response, and protects your speakers from overload.
Louder, clearer, better sound from your powered speakers. www.dbxpro.com

Planet Gear
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS
GUITAR RIG SESSION
Native Instruments’ amp and effects emulation is
now available at an entry-level price, complete with
interface. Miguel Mascolinas takes it on a session.
››
£159
Dolphin ID 37189
Guitar Rig Session combines the entry-level
version of Native Instruments’ Guitar Rig 3
software – Guitar Rig 3 XE – with a two-
channel USB audio interface. This provides
you with all the tools you need to connect
mics, guitars and even line-level equipment
to your computer, to be processed by the selection of
effects and amp/cabinet emulations in Guitar Rig 3 XE.
PLUG-IN BABY
Compared to the Rig Kontrol 3 controller, which comes with
the full version of Guitar Rig 3 the Session IO controller
is fairly basic, featuring none of the stompboard-style All the basic effects types are covered, including a
controller aspects of Rig Kontrol. However, Session IO does FEATURES selection of distortion and overdrives, and a high-quality
provide you with two 1/4-inch TRS inputs, which can be ➔ 5 amp models studio reverb. There are also two interesting effects which
switched between line-level and Hi-Z, enabling you to ➔ 12 cabinet models behave as modifiers on other effects – an LFO and an
connect two simultaneous Hi-Z sources, such as a guitar input level and envelope follower, which can be used to
and bass, or a stereo line-level source, such as a synth or ➔ 21 effect models create some entirely unique sounds.
drum machine. ➔ Tape Deck for recording and
In addition, the Session IO has an XLR mic input, which playing back audio ANYONE CAN PLAY GUITAR
can be used instead of the 1/4-inch input for channel 1. ➔ Built-in tuner and We’ve been using the full version of Guitar Rig 3 since it first
The mic input has switchable Phantom Power, enabling metronome appeared on the scene. The feature we missed most in
you to use any of the mics in your collection, whether this cut-down offering was the real-time control offered by
dynamics, ribbons or condensers. ➔ Bundled two-channel the original’s Rig Kontrol hardware. While you can program
While Native Instruments is best known as a software interface with mic, line and in effects automation in the studio, it isn’t quite so easy
company, Session IO is not a last-minute addition, but is Hi-Z inputs on stage. Without Rig Kontrol we had to switch effects rigs
a worthy interface for your project studio, easily matching between tracks using the mouse. That might make gigging
similar dedicated two-channel interfaces from competitor with Session a bit of a chore.
hardware companies. Having said that, although it’s often useful to have a
wide selection of sonic tools to choose from in the studio,
GUITAR HERO ACCESSORIES Session’s range is still so wide we barely noticed the
Guitar Rig 3 XE uses the same audio engine as its bigger reduced number of options in the XE version. MP
brother, but with a reduced number of amps and effects Essential add-ons
to choose from. However, while it may not have quite as
many amps and effects Guitar Rig 3 XE is hardly short of AKG K77
headphones
➔VERDICT
potential, and will no doubt provide you with considerably £25 ● Realistic-sounding amp models
more sonic options than you could hope to have access to Dolphin ID 36835
using hardware alone. ● Full range of effect types
Great for sitting around
The amp options available include several of our in the studio perfecting ● High-quality audio interface
your tones and blistering
favourites from the full version of Guitar Rig 3, including solos without the
the obvious Marshall JCM800, Fender Twin Reverb and Vox neighbours calling
Guitar Rig Session might not have all the clout of
the police. the full version, but it still provides a huge range of
AC30. As any good guitarist will tell you, you can get a lot of creative opportunities at a price within reach.
different tones from a good amp, so having five different
››› BUY NOW

ones, each with its own strong character should provide Dolphin 6m cable
1/4-inch jack-
you with a healthy dose of tonal options, especially when angled jack
you consider that you can pick and choose from up to 12 £8 To buy, or for expert advice call
different speaker cabinets to go with each amp.
And it doesn’t stop there; you also have access to 21
Dolphin ID 34983
Plug your favourite guitar 0844 248 8117
effects to help sculpt your tone. Unlike the amps, some directly into the Session Or logon at
of our favourite effects are actually missing, including the
IO interface with one
of these great-value www.dolphinmusic.com
Tape Echo and Rotator, but there are some pretty good Dolphin Music cables. And enter the Dolphin ID in the Search box at the top-left of the screen.
alternatives, including the Quad Delay and Phaser Nine.

M-Audio: Total Pro Tools M-Powered Compatibility
M-Audio®,
the top provider
of creative audio interface
technology, brings you over two dozen
hardware peripherals that let you work with the industry-
standard Pro Tools M-Powered™ software. Customize your setup with diverse
options ranging from a pocket-sized mobile interface to a full-featured control surface—
including the brand-new ProFire™ 2626 and Fast Track® Ultra interfaces with on-board DSP and award-
winning Octane preamp technology. This combination of best-in-class hardware and software delivers unprecedented
functionality—and a new level of flexibility thanks to the real-time tempo manipulation features in Pro Tools M-Powered 7.4.
ProFi re 2626 Fast Track Ultra Pro Tools M-Powered 7.4

• 26 x 26 simultaneous I/O via FireWire • 8 x 8 simultaneous I/O via • session compatibility with all
(up to 24-bit/192kHz) USB 2.0 (up to 24-bit/96kHz) current Pro Tools systems
• 8 XLR mic preamps with • on-board MX Core DSP mixing • industry-standard audio/MIDI
award-winning Octane technology and effects production environment
• flexible on-board DSP mixer • 4 preamps with award-winning • Elastic Time real-time tempo
Octane technology manipulation
© 2008 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Avid, M-Audio, the “>” logo, Pro Tools, Pro Tools M-Powered, Fast Track, ProFire, Octane and MX Core are either trademarks or registered trademarks of
Avid Technology, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Product features, specifications, system requirements and availability
are subject to change without notice. Use of any enclosed software may be subject to related license agreements.
www.maudio.co.uk
In Brief
E-Mu Tracker Pre USB

£109.99
Dolphin ID 34901
E-Mu’s Tracker Pre is a two-channel This enables you to use the preamps
audio interface in a small portable on their own, for example to power
Auralex MoPads unit with a surprising amount of

high-quality features packed in. The
two combo XLR/TRS inputs enable
a small vocal rig, or as additional mic
preamps on a small-format mixer.
The preamps themselves are roughly
£34 connection of mic, line and Hi-Z equivalent to those in most modern
Dolphin ID 2331 inputs enabling you to record from just small-format mixers, however the
about any source. The addition of TRS addition of insert points could provide
Hi-fi magazines are always rammed MoPads, with a definable lift in the insert points on each channel enables you with extra flexibility for kick and
with tricky gadets to extract those tightness (especially in the bass-end) you to connect the Tracker Pre to snare, or as a special vocal channel.
precious few extra decibels of sonic and improvement to the imaging. additional outboard equipment such Also included is a software bundle
performance from a pair of speakers. The MoPads can be positioned as EQs and dynamics processors. to help you get started. The apps
While some of the techniques are to work on speaker stands, or in 48V phantom power is available, include SONAR LE, Cubase LE4,
dubious, to say the least, the concept situations where monitors are placed even when the Tracker Pre is Ableton Live Lite 6 and instruments
of decoupling (where a monitor directly on a work surface. In our powered over USB thanks to the from Waldorf and E-Mu themselves.
is acoustically isolated from the opinion, the MoPads seem to produce unique CurrentMorph preamps,
surface that it stands on) can have the best improvement to monitors which enable you to use condenser
a positive impact on the sound and placed directly on a desktop (often microphones. However, this is a ➔VERDICT
performance you can achieve. the case in a home studio) – where universal switch rather than being The Tracker Pre stands up as
Auralex’s MoPads are one such poor decoupling can produce serious independent to each channel. Of a solid entry-level audio interface,
decoupling solution, using a series deficiencies in performance, and, of particular interest is that the Tracker and the thoughtful addition of the
of polyurethane foam pads to lift the course, the angling of the monitors is Pre can act as a standalone preamp standalone capability could prove
monitor – and acoustically isolate it – rarely set correctly. without connection to a computer. incredibly useful.
from the surface it sits on. Intriguingly,
the MoPad system also comes with a ➔VERDICT
series of wedges, allowing you to tilt
your speakers by four or eight degrees Auralex’s MoPads are a
cheap and effective way
backwards or forwards. of improving your monitors’
Despite some initial reservations, performance, especially in
we were surprised by the improvement situations where they’re placed
in our monitors’ performance with the directly onto a desktop.
Røde NTG-3 keep the mic resistant to moisture,

as well as being presented in a
weather-resistant aluminium storage
battery-driven power supply (instead,
you’ll need to make sure your mixer
or camera has a 48V phantom power
£369.99 cylinder. Sonically speaking, the supply), although its durability and
Dolphin ID 37590 NTG-3 is certainly no slouch, with an sonic excellence more than make up
impressively low amount of self-noise, for this.
As any location recordist will testify, yet without unduly compromising its and a tight polarity that focuses the
the demands of recording outside
the studio are radically different from
sonic performance.
At £370, the NTG-3 is positioned at
mic’s pickup on whatever it’s directed
at. The frequency response is also
➔VERDICT
those of working in the comforts of an the top of Røde’s shotgun microphone pleasingly flat, with just a small A great shotgun mic with a
air-conditioned recording facility. Røde’s range, but it’s plain to see there are particular eye on durability – even
presence peak around 10kHz to give in extremely wet conditions! A
NTG-3 is a microphone specifically a number of features that mark out its output a sense of air. tight polar response, and low-self
aimed at the demands of the location the microphone from its competition. The only potential downside of the noise also make the NTG-3 a good
market, including film and TV sound Biggest of these has to be its NTG-3 is the lack of a all-round performer.
recordists, or indeed, anybody who durability or roadworthiness, using
likes to get ‘out and about’ recording
a variety of sounds. Like their studio
microphones, the NTG series (which
a technology known as
RF bias to ››› BUY NOW
also includes the NTG-1 and NTG-2
microphones) has a keen 0844 248 8117
eye on price, Or logon at

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Untitled-1 2 18/8/08 10:24:09

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Untitled-1 3 18/8/08 10:24:21

Top Five Best Sellers
The last thing you want to do is turn up to band rehearsal and have
››› BUY NOW
everyone laugh at your latest acquisition. What better way to make 0844 248 8117
Or logon at
sure you’re not buying a duffer than to know what Dolphin Music
sells the most of. These are like the charts for gear…
1 2 3 4 5
Microphones
Rode NT1-A AKG C1000S Behringer C-1 SE Electronics SE1000a Audio Technica AT 2020
£109 £120.99 £33 £99 £58.99
Studio
Dolphin ID 2998 Dolphin ID 1503 Dolphin ID 5107 Dolphin ID 34589 Dolphin ID 5090
This multi-award winning Suited for recording and live sound Professional and super-affordable Entry-level condenser for studio Great for studio use on vocals,
microphone is one of the world’s applications. Can be powered by large-diaphragm condenser mic, vocals and instrument recording. It acoustic instruments and amps.
biggest-selling studio mics. Very a 9V battery if no phantom power for an irresistible price – but no performs well above its price point The price/performance standard in
sensitive and virtually noise-free. is available. compromises made on quality. and looks the business! side-address studio condensers.
Microphones
AKG D 5 Shure SM58 Behringer XM8500 Sennheiser E815S X Samson Q7

£65 £74.50 £17 £25.99 £29.99
Lead and backing vocals will This is the world standard for live Not only a favorite among General-purpose microphone for The ultimate all-around
Live
deliver a powerful sound even microphones. Most venues will entry-level vocalists, but also the live use, karaoke and club PA. You microphone. Take it on stage
on the noisiest stage. Show the only use the good old SM58… choice of several pros. Quality that can feel confident to use it in all or to the studio – you’ll never
guitarist who’s boss! Should you? matches more expensive models. sorts of applications. be disappointed.
JBL EON15 G2 Mackie SRM450 V2 Yamaha Stagepas 300 Tapco Thump 15A Behringer B1520DSP
£350 (each) £1,098 (pair) £299 (pair) £398 (pair) £666 (pair)
This system is firmly entrenched Live sound is whipped completely Flexibility, portability and simplicity This powered speaker provides Rock band, church or a one-man
as the industry leader in powered into submission, giving you more come together in this new, all-in- amazingly accurate EQ response, show? This PA delivers at all
PA
portable PA systems, with many control over your shows than ever. one PA system, that fits in a car giving it just the right amount levels – from quiet to loud, always
thousands of users worldwide. Has a powerful sound. boot. Includes integral mixer. of punch. sounds great.
Edirol UA-25 Digidesign Mbox 2 M-Audio Fast Track Ultra E-mu Tracker Pre USB Apogee Duet
Interface
£127.99 £289.99 £218.43 £109.99 £325

Audio
Powerful USB audio/MIDI interface Next-generation USB-powered M-Audio’s mobile recording line hits Bundled with powerful Mac and With control functions built directly
designed for premium sound audio/MIDI production system that new levels: high-speed USB 2.0 PC audio and MIDI applications, it into Logic Pro, Soundtrack Pro and
quality, durability and portability for improves on the original Mbox – connectivity, DSP mixer and award- has everything needed to create, GarageBand, Duet helps create
computer-based audio engineers. Digi’s most popular ever. winning Octane preamps. record, edit, and master CDs. professional recordings effortlessly.

Keyboards
Controller 1 2 3 4 5
M-Audio Oxygen 8 V2 AKAI MPK49 E-mu Xboard 25 Novation ReMOTE SL61 CME UF80
£50.99 £279 £79.99 £365 £299
Updated version of the MIDI A new era for USB/MIDI controllers, Great controller with advanced A versatile controller that feels like Arguably the most convenient and
controller that started the mobile featuring high-quality 49-key, semi- studio/live features. For a limited a real instrument, and includes cost-effective full-function master
studio revolution. Perfect for making weighted keyboard with aftertouch time, Dolphin offers an additional Automap mapping functionality. keyboard in the world. Includes
music on the move or playing live. and genuine MPC drum pads. 1.5GB E-mu Sample Library. Used live by bands such as Muse. free wireless USB/MIDI adaptor.
Software
Steinberg Cubase 4 Ableton Live 7 M-Audio Pro Tools Apple Logic Studio Propellerhead Reason 4
£334.95 £279.99 M-Powered 7.4 £299 £249
Dolphin ID 15129 Dolphin ID 33899 £163.99 Dolphin ID 33408 Dolphin ID 33634
Dolphin ID 35349
DAW
Cutting-edge DAW merging great This sequencer marks the arrival Logic Studio delivers everything Complete easy-to-use soft studio
sound quality, intuitiveness and a of the new Drum Rack, which Pro Tools gets revolutionary, with a musician needs to write, record, system featuring all the tools and
vast range of tools for composition, streamlines beat production via an all-new music creation tools and edit, mix, and perform. Users instruments you need to turn your
recording, editing and mixing. easy drag-and-drop interface. support for more creative options. include DJ Danger Mouse. ideas into music.
Hardware
M-Audio Project Mix IO Euphonix MC Control Digidesign 003 Factory Mackie MCU Pro Jazz Mutant Dexter
£749 £999 £1,495 £899 £1,899
DAW
The universal solution that Combines the functionality of Has everything to compose, Adds to your software’s functionality Ground-breaking unit bringing the
combines the best of the worlds of motorised faders, programmable perform, record, edit, mix, and to deliver the ultimate hands-on power of Digital Audio Workstations
hardware and software for a new knobs and buttons, and incredible master audio for post production control. The most comprehensive to your fingertips. Users include
standard in streamlined production. customizable touchscreen interface. projects with professional results. feature set on the market. Daft Punk, M.I.A and Bjork.
Yamaha P-85 (black) Nord Stage 88 Casio PX-320 Korg SP-250 M-Audio ProKeys 88SX
£399.99 £2,194 £469.95 £449 £214.59
Pianos
Stage
The new Yamaha 88-key digital With the best of Clavia’s award- A new AIF Sound Source delivers This digital piano features a Designed for performance and
piano is perfect for stage and winning technology, it hosts Organ, all the sound quality and new weighted hammer action, recording, it delivers excellent sound
home use. Elegant, simple and Piano and Synth instruments, plus playability of a fine grand piano, for which delivers the same playing in a portable package – you can
great sounding. an extensive effects section. unmatched realism. experience as a grand piano. carry it under one arm!
Jose Ferrer Classical Ibanez AEG10NENT Tanglewood TCO-CE Yamaha C80 Admira Almeria
Classical
Guitar 4/4 Size Natural Concert Classical

Student
£119 £136
£36.99 £189 £206 Dolphin ID 10147 Dolphin ID 35215
Dolphin ID 14652 Dolphin ID 15753 Dolphin ID 29604 For its modest price, the C80 offers Award-winning model that
Designed by guitar teachers for Features include electronic pickup, Perfect electro-classical for the a level of quality, performance, continues to be the recommended
students, this is a step-up student Shape Shifter EQ, onboard tuner classical player wanting a first-class tone and playability unheard of in choice of classic guitar by teachers
instrument and a great first guitar. and a comfortable cutaway body. instrument with on-stage capability. its price range. the world over.
Ibanez RG350EX Black Fender Yngwie Dean Dave Mustaine Ampeg Dan Armstrong Jackson Pro Series RR3
£279 Malmsteen Stratocaster VMNT Angel of Deth Plexiglas Rhoads – Cobalt Blue
Guitars
Electric
Dolphin ID 15329 £1,099 £799 £1,069 £399

The weapon of choice for visiting Dolphin ID 21553 Dolphin ID 37362 Dolphin ID 15670 Dolphin ID 34737
sonic mayhem on the metal This guitar unleashes fury with Loaded with Dave Mustaine Live Iconic rock’n’roll guitar made A tribute to mourned Ozzy Osbourne
masses, the RG has rocked its way features like a scalloped neck and Wire USA active humbuckers and famous by Keith Richards. It has a guitarist Randy Rhoads, this is metal
to classic status. aged parts – this is pure Yngwie! Dave’s favourite neck. unique sound with great sustain. guitar at its best – fast and loud.

iii
players
UNSUNG HEROES
Snake Davis
Session sax man Snake Davis is proof you can make up for lost time with raw
talent and a great attitude. Robert Collins charts his unstoppable career
T
he name might not be familiar, but you’ll probably home studio. That was incredibly exciting. Seeing how
recognise the face. Because when people need a sax he worked at close quarters was kind of spine-tingling –
CREDITCHECK player, they tend to give Snake Davis a call. Who are these
people? People like Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, Kylie
although he took the piss out of me, calling me Lizard.”
A gig with The Godfather was another highlight: “I
Minogue, George Michael, Amy Winehouse, Tina Turner was playing in the house band for the Jonathan Ross
and Motörhead. He was the in-house saxophonist for show and we knew that James Brown was coming on.
Jonathan Ross for a while, too. It’s certainly a remarkable His manager reminded us that we had to call him Mr
CV, particularly for a man who only started playing the Brown. And then when I met him I went, ‘Aw, James, it’s
instrument aged 19. a pleasure to meet you’. Luckily, he was in a good mood.
“It took time to find the right instrument for me,” Snake I was just trying to suppress my cheesy grin enough to
explains. “I was a boy soprano in south Wales before my play the saxophone.”
voice broke. That was my first thrill from music. I played
M People Elegant Slumming
guitar through my teens and picked up a flute at 18. There FITTING IN
1993 (Deconstruction) were a lot of punk bands around at that time and the flute Snake’s success is rooted in the years of practice he put
This Mercury Music Prize-winning
combination of house flavours with pop wasn’t really loud enough. Someone said I should try the in during his 20s, but it’s his ability to understand different
sensibilities features Snake throughout. sax. I was passionate about Motown then and the sax roles that makes him the perfect model for aspiring session
Pet Shop Boys Very
1993 (Parlophone)
gave me that melodic, soulful sound. Once I’d been playing musicians to follow.
Snake played on the track Go West, sax for a few months I realised that this was it.” “I’m good at slotting into a new situation fast and
but is in no way responsible for it
getting into someone else’s musical mind. I can enhance
HARD GRAFT
reverberating around football terraces
across the UK ever since. something without stamping all over it. That’s not to say
George Michael Older
1996 (Virgin)
Snake’s willingness to put in the hard work soon became I don’t love it when the spotlight hits me and I get my 30
Snake played on what is arguably the legendary. He was in multiple bands during his 20s and seconds of glory. I worked flipping hard and I sound pretty
key George Michael album – the one was famous among his peers for practising in the back of good.”
that gave all the clues that someone
was about to emerge from the closet. the van when the rest of the band were in the pub. When You can hear Snake’s work and learn more about his
Tom Jones Reload the offer of a full-time job onboard cruise ships in the remarkable career at www.snakedavis.com MP
1999 (Gut)
Snake added the sax to the sizzle Caribbean came up, it didn’t change Snake’s outlook.
between TJ and Cerys Matthews on
Baby It’s Cold Outside.
“We had to work hard – in musicians’ terms,” he
The Guillemots Red laughs. “We’d play two two-hour sets every night without
2008 (Polydor) a night off for six months. It was a standing joke that
Snake entered the world of indie rock
earlier this year with his contributions every morning I could be found in a broom cupboard
to the second LP by the Brit-nominated,
critically acclaimed Guillemots.
practising.”
Having absorbed many new experiences playing
professionally, Snake soon found himself in demand on
returning to the UK.
“A guy we had standing in on keyboards one night
SNAKE HORNS turned out to write music for Granada TV and produced
the odd pop record,” he recalls. “People suddenly wanted
He’s recently started to
try out newer models me to play on their records – and they were giving me
Until recently, Snake quite a lot of money as well. Through that I met Lisa
favoured the old Selmer Stansfield and ended up on her records, touring the world
Mk6, circa late 50s/early with her. It was extraordinarily exciting and inspiring.”
60s. But after a successful
tryout with the Yanagisawa Snake Davis had somehow become one of Britain’s
SC902 soprano, he leading session musicians. And the calls kept coming…
decided to take on the
bronze Yanagisawa A992 “I did some work on Flowers In The Dirt for Paul
tenor (Dolphin ID 38250, McCartney, with a big horn section,” he explains. “But for
£1999.99) and alto with Flaming Pie, Paul phoned an orchestral contractor direct
equally pleasing results.
and there were just three of us working together in his
››› “PEOPLE WANTED ME TO PLAY ON

THEIR RECORDS – AND THEY WERE
GIVING ME QUITE A LOT OF MONEY”

keep it in the family.
kiwi
cactus
mouse
omnimouse
bottle
blueberry
woodpecker
dragonfly
bluebird baby bottle
8-ball robbie the mic pre snowball

snowflake
In an era of cookie-cutter mics with indistinguishable sound, features and looks, Blue professional recording tools stand out from the
crowd. From our top-of-the-line Bottle mic to our innovative Snowball & Snowflake USB mics, Blue’s genetic makeup can be heard
(custom hand-tuned and tested capsules & Class A discrete circuitry), as well as seen (beautiful cutting-edge design and an obsessive at-
tention to detail). We like to think of it as a family of individuals who sound as unique as you do. In the UK, visit your local
Dolphin Music retailer for a firsthand look at our superior stock. Like our propensity for terrible puns, you’ll discover our
Blue genes fit a wide variety of sound.
www.bluemic.com
©2008 Blue Microphones. All rights reserved. Mouse, Kiwi, Bottle, Cactus, OmniMouse, Bluebird, Blueberry, Dragonfly, Woodpecker, Baby Bottle, 8-Ball, Robbie the Mic Pre, Snowflake, Snowball and Blue Logo Oval are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Blue Microphones. Options and specifications are subject to change without notice.
BlueMic_FamilyAd_MusicPlanet_09_08.indd 1 8/7/08 3:06:33 PM

The legendary Fender Princeton Reverb Amp of the 1960s was
small, light, and moderately powered. Though originally intended for
practice situations, the Princeton was capable of big tube tone, and
countless guitarists chose it as their go-to studio amp. With a simple
mic’d-up Princeton and a stomp box or two, signature sounds flowed
onto recording after recording. Our world-class Reverb and built-in
Vibrato effects were the icing on the cake.
Rebirth of a Legend
New! Vintage Reissue ’65 Princeton Reverb Amp ®
Today, original Princeton Reverb amps are prized collectibles, and

becoming harder to find. The new ’65 Princeton Reverb Amp offers
today’s players all of the great tone and dynamics of the originals in
an affordable, roadworthy reissue. The robust 15-Watt platform is a
wise choice for creating tube tone in a small space, and even provides
enough output for small gigs and rehearsals.
For more info, go to www.fender.com/princetonreverb
Output: 15 watts into 8 ohms

Speaker: 1 10” Jensen® Special Design
C-10R speaker
Controls: Volume, Treble, Bass, Reverb,
Speed and Intensity
Effects: Reverb, Vibrato
© 2008 FMIC. Fender®, Stratocaster®, Strat®, and the distinctive headstock and body Tubes: 3 12AX7, 1 12AT7, 2 6V6,
designs of this guitar are trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.
All rights reserved. 1 5AR4 Rectifier tube

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›LISTENING ›PLAYING ›PERFORMING dolphinmusic.

GIG REVIEWS VENUE GUIDE PRACTICAL ADVICE Q&A

Designing Schools For The Future

   

Editor: Neil Worley

Director of Marketing, Dolphin Music

All contents copyright Dolphin Music Ltd, 2008

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are the differences between the two

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loop. All of the various elements

BEYOND THE LOOP

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