Audio and Music Production News

Lightning Boy Audio introduces the Rectified Leveler

Ana Maria — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 23:25:30 +0000

Lightning Boy Audio (LBA) recently announced their return to building quality studio gear with the impending release of their new vacuum tube optical compressor named, the “Rectified Leveler”.

The Rectified Leveler is based on the electro-optical technology of the revered LA2A optical compressor. Through the use of paper in oil capacitors, low noise resistors, NOS tubes, and the addition of a selectable vacuum tube or solid state rectifier stage, this compressor takes this fabled technology to a whole new level of high fidelity and tonal flexibility.

The Rectified Leveler front panel features all of the familiar controls of an LA2A, and adds two new and very powerful features. The first is a Vintage/Modern toggle that allows the user to choose between the compression characteristics of a traditional LA2A, or the Modern setting that introduces a low cut side-chain. When the Modern setting is selected, the compressor ignores low frequency information when compressing the audio, resulting in a bigger low end and cleaner highs. The second switch, Tube/Silicon, allows the user to select either the smaller, more up front sound of LA2A-style silicon diodes or the bigger, more open sound of a 6X4 rectifier tube.

At the heart of this groundbreaking new compressor is the Kenetek T4B optical cell, which delivers extremely musical compression curves. Simply said, it offers transparent compression. You can hit the Rectified Leveler with tons of compression and it won’t cough up any opto-cell distortion at you.

As with all Lightning Boy gear, paper in oil caps are utilized for their ultra-transparent sound and smooth tone. Like all of our other builds, the Rectified Leveler is wired point to point with silver plated Teflon insulated wire. To prevent any unnecessary resistor noise, all Lightning Boy equipment is made with low noise Vishay/Dale metalized film resistors.

The Rectified Leveler has a release date of April 21^st and can be pre-ordered on our website at lightningboyaudio.com. The pre-order is a limited edition run of five that feature NOS UTC transformers. The production builds will use Sowter input and output transformers.

The announced price is $2900. You can preorder on the official site.

Source: Lighting Boy Audio Press Release

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Audio-Technica to hold presentations from Industry Veterans at NAB

Ana Maria — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 23:14:08 +0000

This year at NAB, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (April 8-10, 2013), Audio-Technica’s booth C1711 will host five 30-minute audio instructional sessions throughout the day.

Dr. Fred Ginsburg, renowned industry veteran and specialist in production sound recording for motion pictures and video, will conduct two sessions each day. The first session will focus on microphone techniques and applications used for episodic television with a focus on multi-track recording, and the second session will be about techniques for rigging and attaching lavalier microphones to actors for film and video production.

Robert Bigelow, audio engineer for HBO’s Tremé, will also present two sessions. First he will share his experiences of recording live music for broadcast on Tremé, and later provide a better understanding of Mid-Side stereo recording.

Steve Savanyu, Audio-Technica Director of Educational Services, will offer instructions on selecting and using microphones with DSLR cameras, including single- vs. dual-system recording.

These Audio-Technica instructional sessions will be held in NAB booth C1711 all three days (April 8-10, 2013) as follows:

10:00am-10:30am // Microphone Techniques for Episodic Television and Features

By Dr. Fred Ginsburg – Microphone techniques and applications used for television with a focus on multitrack recording.

11:00am-11:30am // Microphone Techniques for Digital SLR (single lens reflex) Cameras

By Steve Savanyu // Selecting and using microphones with DSLR cameras, including single vs. dual system recording.

1:30pm-2:00pm // Rigging Lavaliers and Wireless Microphones for Film and Video Production

By Dr. Fred Ginsburg – Techniques for rigging and attaching lavalier microphones to actors.

2:30pm-3:00pm // Recording Live Music for Broadcast

By Robert Bigelow – Robert Bigelow, audio engineer for HBO’s Tremé, shares his experience.

3:30pm-4:00pm // Mid-Side/Stereo Miking Demystified

By Robert Bigelow // Get a better understanding of Mid-Side stereo recording.

For more information, please visit www.audio-technica.com.

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Groove 3 releases “Predator Explained” Video Tutorial Collection

Ana Maria — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 01:06:32 +0000

Groove3.com has announced the release of “Predator Explained” tutorial collection. Laurence Holcombe tackles a beast of a program with this offering uncovering the features and functions of this powerful virtual synth plug-in. The tutorial starts with an overall view of the program and what it is capable of before moving on to different aspects such as interface, Oscillator section, Pitch Modulation area and more. Laurence also talks about presets and how to insert Predator into your favorite DAW before wrapping the whole thing up with sound design. You will know more about this plug-in that you ever thought you would!

Groove 3 “Predator Explained” Product Highlights:

16 Tutorials / 2 Hours Total Runtime
For all beginner to intermediate Predator users
Tutorials written by synth guru Laurence Holcombe
Simple to use video control interface for Mac & PC
Watch Online, Download, Stream to iPad, iPhone & iPod

View all the videos in the “Predator Explained” collection online by streaming with the incredible “All-Access Pass” or download the entire product and view offline at your leisure.

For more information visit www.groove3.com

Source: Groove 3

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Grammy Award winner featured in new EZmix Pack

Ana Maria — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:49:06 +0000

Toontrack Music released Peter Henderson EZmix Pack – a new expansion for the company’s widely popular multi-effe’ct mix tool EZmix 2. The pack comes with custom settings designed by Peter Henderson, who started his career training exclusively with engineer legend Geoff Emerick (The Beatles) at the AIR Studios in London, worked alongside producer Sir George Martin for numerous sessions, recorded multiple million-selling albums, won a Grammy for Supertramp’s “Breakfast in America” and managed to sustain a busy career ever since the early 1970s.

“I tried to create an EZmix Pack that reflects my experience having worked for many years in different studios throughout the world”, Peter says. And that pretty much sums up what this pack comes loaded with: 30 plus years of experience bottled in the shape of easy accessible presets that load Peter’s signature signal chains for a multitude of mix needs. Bass, guitar, lead vocals, strings, background vocals, drums – you name it.

What is EZmix 2?

EZmix 2 is a preset based multi-effect mixing tool that comes with guitar/bass amp/cab simulation presets as well as other ready-made audio processing signal chains for the most common mix needs and channels in a recording session. EZmix 2 is your new guitar amp, mix engineer and mastering suite, all rolled up in one convenient package!

Source: Toontrack Press Release

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Reloop has released RHP-20 Knight

Ana Maria — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:31:53 +0000

With the RHP-20, Reloop introduces premium DJ headphones with scene stealing, state-of-the-art aesthetics and elite sound design that is acoustically balanced for professional use. True to the motto ‘Looks Good – Sounds Pro’: The premium DJ headphone RHP-20 is available in a complete black ‘KNIGHT’ Edition with a quality rubber paint finish.

Engineered with exceptionally high audio output for a club setting and clear frequency separation with the ideal balance of mids, highs and bass, these innovative headphones are perfect for the DJ booth or the studio. Equipped with a rotating ear cup for on-shoulder/single-ear monitoring, the RHP-20 is rugged and ready for continuous operation in even the most challenging environment with a sturdy hinge and folding mechanism made of high-quality aluminum and a hard rubber head band that withstands wear and tear. The design is lightweight, and the ear cups are carefully crafted to surround the ears in comfort with memory foam padding covered in fine protein leather, so there is no pinching or fatigue … even on a long night. A trendsetter with pristine audio quality and robust construction, the RHP-20 sets a new standard for the professional DJ headphones

Reloop Rhp-20 Features

- Professional DJ headphones, closed rotary and retractable construction
- Rubber paint finish
- Convenient rotating ear cup for easy on-shoulder/single-ear monitoring
- Powerful sound and clear frequency separation, optimized for DJs
- Comfortable Memory-Foam ear cup padding with fine protein-leather surface
- Large ear cup cavity surrounds ear for comfortable wear
- Accented with rubber-paint finish
- Ultra durable head band crafted with high quality hard rubber
- Solid rotatable and foldable mechanism made of sturdy aluminum
- Flat comfort construction with compact and lightweight ear cup chassis
- One-sided cable duct with removable mini XLR plug for easy cord swap
- Extremely high output rating
- Extremely solid construction for DJs’ continuous operation
- Innovative and stylish deluxe headphones

Reloop Rhp-20 Technical details

- Frequency range: 30 Hz – 30 kHz
- Acoustic pressure: 110 dB
- Impedance: 25 ohms
- Max input power: 3000 mW
- Connections: 3.5/6.3 mm jack (gold-plated contacts)
- Cord: 3m (spiral cable)
- Weight: 270 g
- Incl. high-quality carrying bag with folding mechanism

Source: Reloop

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Solid State Logic introduces AWS 916

Ana Maria — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:46:11 +0000

Solid State Logic introduces a new addition to its hugely successful AWS series consoles. Originally launched in 2004, the AWS reinvented the professional production console by combining classic SSL’s SuperAnalogue console technology with comprehensive DAW control hardware in a single work surface. Hundreds of consoles later, SSL is proud to introduce the new AWS 916.

Solid State Logic AWS 916 has been designed to bring the features and benefits of the AWS range to a much wider audience and is perfect for private and commercial studios and educators. SSL AWS 916 brings identical functionality to the AWS 924 with the only difference being that the frame is loaded with 16 channels instead of 24. With an eye to the future, the AWS is expandable to full AWS 924 specifications by the addition of an eight-channel upgrade package available separately.

“At £35,000 ($52,500 US), the 16-fader variant of the AWS is ideally placed to accommodate both the operational and financial requirements of the music professional,” comments Piers Plaskitt, SSL’s Group Commercial Director. “Additionally, not everyone has the processing requirements of our larger format consoles and find that 16 channels of SSL SuperAnalogue are more than enough for their needs. When you add in the elegant DAW integration, it is hard to find anything else in the marketplace that comes close.”

Utilising the same well-established 24-fader footprint, the new AWS 916 delivers pristine SuperAnalogue™ summing, 16 ultra-clean SSL SuperAnalogue mic pre’s, classic SSL dual-curve EQ on every channel, two assignable SSL Dynamics processors, legendary Stereo Bus Compressor, TotalRecall™ and full 5.1 monitoring. In addition to on-board classic SSL automation, the AWS 916 also features the acclaimed A-FADA system, with motorised analogue faders that follow DAW automation data.

Additionally, Solid State Logic AWS 916 features Ethernet connectivity for streamlined hardware control over your entire DAW environment. The AWS delivers elegant, ergonomic physical control over your entire studio environment, with dedicated heavy-duty DAW transport, V-Pot multifunction encoders with position indicating LEDs and digital scribble strips. It also boasts a DAW fader mode, global and channel routing controls and built-in TFT display for advanced plug-in control. Project session management is kept simple through SSL’s proprietary Logictivity interface.

The AWS is an SSL SuperAnalogue console, featuring the audio performance specifications that have established the benchmarks by which other manufacturers are measured. Exceptionally low THD, noise floor and crosstalk levels keep your audio absolutely pristine, while our legendary headroom carries every nuance of your audio and allows engineers to mix ‘hotter’ without distortion.

Solid State Logic AWS 916 Key Features

# Combination of SuperAnalogue console and advanced DAW controller
# SSL SuperAnalogue mix bus provides pristine audio foundations
# SSL SuperAnalogue mic pres provide transparent record path
# 16 inputs, expandable to 24
# A-FADA Mode where motorised analogue faders follow DAW automation
# AWSomation SSL motorised fader mix automation based on the heritage of G and K series Ultimation automation system
# SSL Stereo Bus Compressor
# Four-band EQ design with independent E/G curve switching of HF/LF
# 5.1 surround monitoring and monitor calibration, including bass management
# MIDI-over-Ethernet multi-layer DAW control
# Digital scribble strips for console and DAW data
# Elegant project setup via SSL Logictivity Remote Browser and SD card storage
# SSL’s unique trademarked TOTAL RECALL™ system with ‘TR Autoscan’
# Responsible ‘green’ manufacturing and reduced power consumption
# Compact 24 fader frame, ideal for small control rooms

The price for Solid State Logic AWS 916 is $52,500.00. More details you can find on the official site.

Source: Solid State Logic

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EARebound, the new multi-delay plug-in from eaReckon

Ana Maria — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:29:23 +0000

EARebound from eaReckon is a full featured multi-delay plug-in (VST/AU 32/64bit) featuring 15 delay lines (“taps” or “steps”) + an extra global delay. This plug-in provides an intuitive workflow. If you ever played with a vintage drum machine, you should master it in no time! Each line (including the incoming signal) can be processed by its own set of effects (7 types of saturation, high and low cut filters, a quad modulation unit per line!). By sculpting each taps, you will then have the possibility to create rythmic lines from any sound material or enhance existing one.

Click here to view the embedded video for this article on AudioProNews.Com.

EARebound Features

# 16 synchronisable delay lines (including a global one).
# 7 types of saturation, Quad chorus/tremolo, High & Low cut filters, 2D positioning tool, … per line! ?(each delay line and the source signal itself can be processed by its own set of effects)
# 3 pairs of stereo outputs (Main, Aux, LFE).
# “Split LF” module to manage low frequencies the easy way (can be used in both Multi-Channel and Stereo modes).
# Preset manager including a selection of ready-to-use factory presets.
# Powerful and configurable “Random” feature.
# Comprehensive and fast workflow (three different views).

EARebound is available to purchase for the introductory price of 69 EUR until April 17th, 2013 (regular 99 EUR).

Source: eaReckon

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EARS and SAE presents an interactive and educational screening of Sound City

Ana Maria — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 11:49:05 +0000

Engineering And Recording Society of Chicago in partnership with SAE Institute Chicago is pleased to present a screening of Dave Grohl’s Sound City, a documentary the little-known recording studio which housed a unique recording console with a reputation for getting some of the best drum sounds ever recorded. The event wil be held on Tuesday, march 26th, at SAE Chicago theatre located at 820 North Orleans Street, Chicago, IL 60610.

Click here to view the embedded video for this article on AudioProNews.Com.

Artists such as Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, Rick Springfield, Tom Petty, Kyuss, Slipknot and Nirvana recorded groundbreaking music at the studio. The film tells the story of the studio from its early days until its closing in 2011. It then follows Dave Grohl’s purchase of the studio’s custom Neve analog console, which he moved to his personal studio, Studio 606. Famous musicians who recorded at Sound City reunite at Studio 606 to make a new album using the console.

Dave Grohl played drums on the album “Nevermind” with Nirvana at Sound City Studios. Grohl was inspired to create the documentary after he purchased several items from the studio including the Neve 8028 analog mixing console, when the studio closed in 2011.

“First, EARS own EARDRUM co-editor Danny Leake is invited to speak about his personal experience working at Sound City. For those who don’t know, Danny runs Urban Guerrilla Engineers and is a multiple Grammy nominated master studio engineer of 30 years with 20 years experience as FOH live sound engineer. He is currently Stevie Wonder’s exclusive FOH mixer and recently worked the boards for Stevie at “Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee Concert” in London as well as Aretha Franklin at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC.

Then, the auditorium will meet Marc McClusky, an engineer and instructor at SAE Institute who worked at and had his own room at Sound City for 2 years. Marc has been professionally producing, mixing, engineering, and writing music for over 12 years in Chicago and Los Angeles. In that time he has garnered 3 gold records and has had the pleasure of working with a wide range of artists including Weezer, Bad Religion, Social Distortion, Everclear, Ludo and many others. He’s done records for everyone from Epitaph, Island Def Jam to Fueled By Ramen / Atlantic and even worked on mixes for Rick Rubin.

You don’t need to be an EARS member to attend the screening and we encourage anyone curious about EARS, SAE, or Sound City to come check it out. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. but suggest that you get there slightly early for a bit of social networking.

Source: EARS

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Soundtrack Loops announces Stacey Blades Pro Rock Guitar Sessions Royalty Free Audio Stems

Ana Maria — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:15:42 +0000

Soundtrack Loops announces Stacey Blades Pro Rock Guitar Sessions Royalty Free Audio Stems. Stacey Blades Pro Rock Guitar Sessions is a well-rounded royalty free set of multi-purpose Rock guitar performances for your studio. It places the sounds of the pros right at your finger tips. Perfect – whether you’re looking for inspiration or want to drop a wicked solo into the mix. Stacked with mostly electric guitars, this library rips, but it also includes a few acoustic guitar sets for your more vulnerable productions. Drop any stem into your mix as a whole or slice it into bits and create something new.

There are 22 different sessions in 12 different styles/genres including ’70s Rock, Hard Rock, Blues, and Acoustic.

Inspired by the bands Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Ozzy Osbourne, Led Zeppelin, Stray Cats, Eric Johnson, George Lynch, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Tempos and keys are provided in the file names as well as in the folder structure. Use programs like Sony Acid Pro, Ableton Live, and Logic Pro to slow the guitar down or speed it right up. This extremely versatile library is a must-have for all professional music producers but could also double as a practice tool. 24 bit 44.1kHz Stereo. Performed by Stacey Blades in Hollywood California.

Pricing: Download Price $42.95

Stacey Blades Pro Rock Guitar Sessions is available here.

Stacey Blades is a Los Angeles based guitarist who has played with such bands as Fraidy Katt, Roxx Gang, and L.A. Guns. He has played on the L.A. Guns studio albums Rips the Covers Off, Tales from the Strip, Covered in Guns, Hollywood Forever, as well as the L.A. Guns live album, Loud and Dangerous: Live from Hollywood.

He joined L.A. Guns in 2003. For a decade, Stacey enmeshed himself in the band, becoming a greater addition with every album and every tour. From the influential Tales from the Strip to 2012’s critically-acclaimed Hollywood Forever, Stacey showcased his well-honed brand of guitar playing and songwriting. With L.A. Guns, Stacey has shared the bill with Alice Cooper, Whitesnake, The Scorpions, Dokken, Skid Row, Warrant, and more. He’s been around the world and on the bill of many prestigious music festivals including M3 (of which a live show DVD was released in January 2013). Stacey has also been in every music magazine including Rolling Stone, Spin, Metal Edge, and Premier Guitar to name a few.

In April 2009, Stacey wrote and published a very revealing and often-humorous autobiography, “Snake Eyes: Confessions of a Replacement Rock Star”. The book received high marks from fans all over the world. In 2010, Stacey also released his first ever solo instrumental album, Symphonic Slam. It is a remarkable collection of rocked-out classical numbers by Strauss, Bach, Handel, and even Beethoven. At the end of 2012, Stacey left L.A. Guns to pursue more personal opportunities for performing and songwriting. He is currently collaborating with SixString, the guitar community app, and creating guitar-based soundbites for TV, film, and audio mixes with Soundtrack Loops. He can also be seen playing live with The Hard Rock All-stars.

Source: Soundtrack Loops Press Release

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Waves Audio introduces Manny Marroquin Signature Series Collection

Ana Maria — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:14:04 +0000

Waves Audio announces the availability of the Manny Marroquin Signature Series Collection, custom plugins developed in collaboration with renowned mixing engineer Manny Marroquin (Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Maroon 5, Shakira). Five-time Grammy award-winner Marroquin takes the Waves Signature Series to a new level with six hybrid plugins that bring his unique workflow to users’ studios. Alongside his personalized versions of tried-and-true favorites like EQ, reverb, delay and distortion, Manny introduces the innovative new Tone Shaper and Triple D plugins, which are destined to become mixing essentials as well. Combining inspiration from his impressive collection of unique and boutique hardware, together with the fruits of his imagination, the Manny Marroquin Signature Series gives users direct access to the same tools Manny uses to mix hit after hit after hit.

“For my Signature Series, our goal was to create a set of high-quality professional plugins that were innovative, effective and easy to use,” said Manny Marroquin.

The only tools of their kind, the Waves Signature Series is an exclusive line of customized plugins, created in collaboration with the world’s top producers and mixing engineers. Each and every Signature Series plugin has been precision-crafted to capture the artist’s distinct sound and production style, using custom multi-effect processing chains designed by the artists themselves. For experienced and aspiring audio professionals alike, the Waves Signature Series streamlines the mixing process, delivering high-quality results, instantly. The Waves Signature Series currently includes plugin collections developed with Eddie Kramer and Grammy award-winners Chris Lord-Alge, Jack Joseph Puig, and Tony Maserati.

The Waves Manny Marroquin Signature Series Collection is now available with U.S. MSRP: $500. Introductory price: $299.

Click here to view the embedded video for this article on AudioProNews.Com.

More information you can find on the official site.

Source: Waves Audio // Clyne Media Communications

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360 Media expands horizons with SSL AWS 948 hybrid console/controller

Ana Maria — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:48:16 +0000

360 Media, a full-service, multi-room facility covering music, mastering and film projects in Beirut, Lebanon, has installed a Solid State Logic AWS 948 Hybrid Console/Controller in Studio A to attract high-level clients to the facility. Solid State Logic AWS 948 gives 360 Media up to 48 channels of mix capability, SSL’s signature SuperAnalogue™ mic pres, eq and mix bus, combined with a sophisticated, integrated DAW controller. With the AWS in place, 360 Media has expanded its business horizons to include audio for film and video.

“We wanted to launch a studio where the client can come in and have access to equipment at the same level as studios in Europe and the United States,” says Jad Abouzeid, co-owner/producer for 360 Media. “With the growing film industry in the Middle East, it was essential to have equipment that could deliver the quality necessary for the international market. In choosing a console, the AWS 948 was the only option as it gives us the sound quality, flexibility and name recognition necessary to help increase our business options. As a lot of the local film projects are being shown in places like the Cannes International Film Festival, we wanted to be the first with the most in our region and the AWS has really put us on the map with our new setup.”

The 360 Media facility spans the 11th and 12th floors of a media centre in central Beirut. The 11th floor holds Studio A, with a recording room overlooking Beirut and Mount of Lebanon, Studio C, a mastering studio, song writing space and a film editing room. The top floor holds Studio B, which offers a recording space large enough for a 40-piece orchestra. Alpha-Link I/O. The pathway from the AWS to the Pro Tools™, Pyramix, Cubase and Nuendo DAW systems is through XLogic Alpha-Link units, while outboard gear is routed through X-Patch units. Both Studio B and C offer XLogic Alpha Channel mic pres and Alpha VHD four-channel mic pre units. Everything at 360 Media is designed for speed and consistency.

“Our production cycle for music goes very fast,” explains Abouzeid and his business partner / Mastering Engineer Tony Haddad. “We do the recording and need to produce the final mix immediately and then send it to mastering. We are typically under a lot of pressure from the artist to release songs straight away, so there is little time to play with a mix. With the AWS, we start each session with great sounding audio, so creating a viable track is straightforward. In the past, local musical acts would go to Europe or the United States to record and mix, with the AWS they can now stay at home.”

360 Media is currently being certified by Dolby for 7.1 surround production in Studio A, with 5.1 capabilities for now in Studio B. “As we are following market demand, the AWS 948 is the perfect console to meet our current production needs for 5.1 surround mixing. The AWS 948 definitely helps us to expand the horizons of our business.”

Source: Solid State Logic

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Guitar Center Names Mike Pratt New CEO

Ana Maria — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:43:52 +0000

Guitar Center today announced that Mike Pratt has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Company’s Board of Directors effective April 1, 2013. Pratt succeeds Marty Hanaka, the Company’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, who will remain on the Board and assist in the transition.

Since 2008, Pratt has served as President and Chief Operating Officer of leading Canadian consumer electronics retailers Best Buy Canada and Future Shop. He began his career more than 20 years ago with Future Shop, which was acquired by Best Buy Canada in 2001. During Pratt’s tenure, Best Buy Canada grew from 165 to 275 stores and greatly expanded its e-commerce activities and web presence.

“There’s no question that Guitar Center is North America’s leader in musical instruments and related products, and there’s a long legacy of success that I greatly admire,” said Pratt. “Over the last few months, I’ve had the chance to look at the company even more closely, and I came away very impressed with its dynamic, multi-format business model with strong in-store and web-based brands. I’m excited about this opportunity and looking forward to working with Guitar Center’s management team and dedicated associates to build the business at retail and online.”

Pratt will be working closely with other members of Guitar Center’s management team, including: John Bagan, Executive Vice President & General Merchandising Manager; Michael Doyle, Senior Vice President, Guitar Merchandise; Dennis Haffeman, Executive Vice President of Human Resources; Frank Hamlin, Executive Vice President/General Manager of E-Commerce & Marketing; Gene Joly, Executive Vice President of Stores; Tim Martin, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Michael Walter, Senior Vice President, Drums, B&O and Accessories; and Bill Wrightson, Senior Vice President, Technology Merchandise & Proprietary Product Management.

“2012 was a strong year for Guitar Center, and we continue to remain on track with the goals outlined in our strategic business plan,” stated Gene Joly. “We have big goals for 2013 – continuing to open new stores and carry out our already-successful business plan. With the appointment of Mike Pratt as CEO, who has a proven track record in retail, Guitar Center will continue to grow and expand over the coming years. He is a vital addition to our team and we look forward to working with him.”

Source: Guitar Center // Clyne Media Communications

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Bose RoomMatch Loudspeakers Control the Sound for Austin’s Cedar Street Courtyard

Ana Maria — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:15:29 +0000

In the weeks leading up to the opening of the Cedar Street Courtyard music venue in Austin, Texas, America’s live music capital, the venue was already drawing noise concerns. Due to its close proximity to residences and other establishments, Cedar Street Courtyard was looking to minimize its contribution to the noise pollution problem, and RoomMatch loudspeakers and PowerMatch amplifiers from Bose Professional Systems Division were able to solve these issues by controlling the sound with extraordinary precision. Nashville-based consultant Steve Durr was called in to recommend a sound system whose sonic quality would keep it competitive with the city’s many other music venues, while at the same time keeping the sound highly controlled and away from reflective surfaces, and keeping the energy channeled within the venue and away from neighboring residences.

The Bose technology was exactly what was needed. Big House Sound was selected to install the system, which consisted of four RoomMatch loudspeakers: one RoomMatch RM7020 and RM7040 array module per side, each chosen specifically for the Cedar Street Courtyard’s dimensions, along with four Bose MB24 WR (weather-resistant) Modular Bass loudspeakers, all powered by three PowerMatch PM8500 amplifiers, all delivering 500 watts to each of their eight channels.

“The results were amazing,” observes Zach Richards, Director of Installation at Big House Sound, who says that the sound inside the outdoor music space is perfectly aimed at the audience and away from reflective surfaces that would let it spill out into the surrounding area. “The situation that this venue, this neighborhood, and this city found itself in is what made the Bose system a good solution. There are lots of new areas popping up where you now find clubs and homes in what was once a warehouse district, so there have to be ways to let them coexist. That’s what the Bose technology does – it lets us build a system that can help contain the sound without compromising its quality. The low-frequency control approach that Bose uses, along with the choice of 20 very specific coverage patterns in the RoomMatch line, lets us tailor the sound system to the venue very precisely. That means we can control the sound very effectively, and not just in the upper frequencies but well down into the mid-low frequency ranges. The Bose RoomMatch systems are incredible tools for the sound control and noise mitigation issues that are becoming increasingly common in cities, and especially in areas where you can have music outdoors 365 days a year, like Austin. Cedar Street Courtyard is now a flagship example of how this can be made to work in a way that helps make everyone happy.”

Source: Clyne Media Communications

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iLive used for international conference

Ana Maria — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:12:17 +0000

Allen & Heath’s iLive digital mixing system was used for the recent Regions of Climate Action (R20) conference in Vienna. R20 is a non-profit environmental organisation founded by former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, with the support of the United Nations. A coalition of sub-national governments, private companies, international organisations, NGOs and academic and financial institutions, R20 supports governments building a green economy.

The two day conference gathered nearly 600 participants, and was hosted by Schwarzenegger. Local broadcast company, RadioMax, led by production manager, Martin Jeschke, was appointed to manage all technical aspects, and freelancer, Andreas Putz, was appointed chief audio engineer.

Based in Austria, Putz specialises in live sound engineering for music and corporate events and also specialises in multimedia AV design for fixed installations. For the R20 conference, Putz chose to use his own Allen & Heath iLive-112 modular surface with iDR-48 MixRack loaded with a Waves network card. There was a laptop running iLive Editor at FOH connected through a separate CAT5e cable to the iDR on stage (redundancy A), and another laptop running Editor behind the stage directly connected to the iDR rack (redundancy B) to ensure full control and backup for any eventuality. There was also a split feed to provide audio for approximately 20 camera teams capturing the event.

“I chose iLive for this event because I’ve been using it for around 2 ½ years and it is so reliable,” comments Andreas Putz. “The system is really easy-to-use and offers a high number of redundancy options, which is very important for conference work. Not only that, iLive’s audio quality is pristine – it simply sounds amazing!”

Source: Allen & Heath // Vicky Clark

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iZotope release new Nectar Elements – for those who want to treat their vocals for less

Ana Maria — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:53:31 +0000

iZotope‘s Nectar Elements delivers virtually all the processing power of their Nectar plugin but for a greatly reduced price giving you the affordable tools you need to produce professional-sounding vocals.

iZotope’s Nectar Elements Key Features

• Rapidly audition different vocal sounds with professionally-designed Style presets in genres like Rock, Pop, Folk, Soul, and Voice Over & Dialogue.
• Personalise your sound with easy-to-use controls like Presence, Drive, and Grit that drive sophisticated vocal processing.

Nobody’s perfect. Let Nectar Elements fix it.

Even the biggest superstars might need a little help here and there. Need to fix pitch problems, remove pesky “ess” sounds, or reduce room noise in your recording? Nectar Elements has you covered. With 10 powerful vocal processors working hard behind the scenes, Nectar Elements offers simple, intelligent controls that let you focus on your sound, not your set-up.

• EQ: Enhance and sculpt the tone of your voice, or adapt any Style to suit your sound´s needs.
• De-Esser: Easily remove unwanted “ess” sounds and sibilance using just one intelligent slider.
• Gate: Remove room tone and other unwanted noise quickly to get vocals crisp and broadcast-ready.
• Automatic Pitch Correction: Fix out-of-tune notes so you can keep those “almost perfect” takes.

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Nectar Elements is available to download now – why not try it first with the FREE 10 day demo?

RRP: £99.00 / €115.00. An upgrade path from Nectar Elements to Nectar is also available, priced £129.00/ €149.00.

More details you can find on the official site.

Source: Time & Space

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Guitar Center opens new store in Katy, Texas

Ana Maria — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:44:53 +0000

On the evening of Thursday, March 14, 2013, Guitar Center held the grand opening of its new location in Katy, Texas, located at 24429 Katy Freeway, Katy, TX 77494. The Katy store is Guitar Center’s 244th retail location and is part of a new wave of Guitar Center retail stores that feature lesson spaces, which allows the brand to offer additional music lessons, special programs and expanded opportunities for local musicians.

Trevor McGrew, Katy’s new store Manager, stated, “I love being a part of people becoming musicians, from helping them find their first instrument, then watching them learn to play at GC Studios lessons, to when they come back to expand their collection – it’s exciting to have that connection with customers and feel like you’ve been a part of their achieving their musical ambitions.” McGrew has been with Guitar Center since 2006 and is certified in multiple departments including Guitars, DJ Gear, Lighting & Effects, Amplifiers & Effects, Effects Pedals, and Bass.

Guitar Center Katy: What Musicians Will Find In-Store

• Guitar Center Studios – Deeply vested in expanding and enhancing the Katy music scene, Guitar Center Katy also brings Guitar Center Studios to the new location. The fully-equipped, in-house lesson space is giving Katy residents of all ages and skill levels access to affordable music lessons. Sourcing locally trained store employees as certified instructors, courses will be offered on guitar, bass, keys and drums, as well as vocals and recording techniques using Pro Tools and Logic Pro and GarageBand.

• Vast Product Selection and Low Prices – Guitar Center Katy brings an unprecedented selection of products to Katy, all backed by Guitar Center’s guarantee and available at attractive prices. The store features the latest in guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments and keyboards, as well as live sound, DJ, lighting and recording equipment.

• Guitar Center Garage – Guitar Center Katy includes GC Garage, the store’s on-site guitar repair service, offering a host of services, including electronics repair, hardware customization, fretwork, structural repairs, cosmetic enhancements, setup and maintenances.

Guitar Center Katy: Additional In-Store Programs and Opportunities include:

• Guitar Center’s “Endless Aisle” – Katy customers can now shop from Guitar Center’s new multi-channel “endless aisle,” which extends the in-store inventory to over $400 million in new and used products from across the nation. Shoppers will be able to purchase in-store, online and via phone, with the option to have products shipped to their home or to the store for convenient pick up.

• At: Guitar Center Programs – Throughout the calendar year, Guitar Center Katy will host an array of free events, such as artist workshops, lessons, product launches and performances, as a part of the company’s ongoing commitment to educating and assisting unsigned artists. These programs aim to provide musicians with the opportunities and exposure essential to achieving their music goals.

• Recording Made Easy – Available at all Guitar Center locations, the Recording Made Easy program is a four-week, user-friendly series of weekly classes occurring Saturdays from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

In addition to special programs at the new Katy store, Guitar Center offers year-round programs designed to spearhead creativity and highlight promising undiscovered talent. Katy residents will now be able to participate in these ongoing events from their hometown. Programs have included Your Next Record, Guitar Center On-Stage, Guitar Center Singer-Songwriter, Guitar Center’s Battle of the Blues and Guitar Center’s Drum-Off.

Source: Clyne Media Communications

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Audio-Technica Products shine at WKSU’s Main Street Studio

Ana Maria — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:20:40 +0000

Audio-Technica is proud to be the microphone manufacturer of choice for the WKSU Akron News Bureau’s newly completed Main Street Studio. WKSU news bureaus located in Cleveland, Canton, and Akron, Ohio, along with the station’s main news operations housed at the WKSU Broadcast Center on the main campus of Kent State University, provide in-depth regional news coverage to complement NPR-delivered news reports. With the Main Street Studio positioned in the shadow of the Federal Building in downtown Akron and around the corner from the county courthouse and government offices, the opportunity for creating news reports of local, national, and international interest is significant.

The extensive Main Street Studio project involved retrofitting and soundproofing a first floor office in the United Building, including the supplementation of a standard street-front window with a custom designed acoustic window created to eliminate street noise from one of Akron’s busiest nearbyintersections. Inspired in part by WGN’s sidewalk studio in Chicago, the project creates an interactive environment bringing WKSU news literally to the public.

A total of five Audio-Technica AT4050/LE Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphones were chosen for the studio’s announcer position and four guest positions. High SPL capacity, along with the ability to reproduce accurately transparent sound from dual large diaphragms with rock solid element stability, made the microphone a perfect choice for this application. Its omni, cardioid and figure-of-eight patterns add even greater flexibility to the studio’s capacity when the need to record vocals and musical instrumentation arises.

Five Audio-Technica model ATH-M50s/LE Limited Edition Professional Studio Monitor Headphones complement the microphone selection, providing both the production staff and on-air talent with the highest level of sonic accuracy, superior isolation and maximum listening comfort. The Audio-Technica ATH-M50s/LE headphone design, which includes proprietary large-aperture drivers with neodymium magnet systems, delivers highly efficient signal transfer to produce a significant advancement in sound level and quality.

The special 50th anniversary edition silver-colored metallic finish of the microphones and headphones provides a unique artistic complementary appearance to the other equipment in the studio, including the Axia Element digital control surface.

Along with general reporting, the Akron Bureau is enabled to facilitate larger events. On Election Day, WKSU teamed with nearby WCPN to broadcast up-to-the-minute election results. Hosts were joined in the studio by special guests, offering analysis on state and national races. WKSU Director of Broadcast Engineering Ron Bartlebaugh states that announcers from both stations fell in love with WKSU’s new Main Street Studio and proclaimed it as one of the best they have ever worked in.

Other versions of the AT4050/LE limited edition (silver) MSRP $995.00 and ATH-M50s/LE limited edition (silver) MSRP $209.00 include: AT4050 (black) MSRP $895.00; ATH-M50s (black, straight cable) MSRP $199.00; ATH-M50 (black, coiled cable) MSRP $199.00; ATH-M50WH limited edition (white, coiled cable) MSRP $209.00; and new ATH-M50RD limited edition (red, coiled cable) MSRP $209.00.

Source: Clyne Media Communications

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March Madness at Unit Audio

Ana Maria — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 20:24:56 +0000

Unit Audio is offering free shipping to the lower 48 US states on all of their analog summing mixers now through March 31st. Enjoy the extra sparkle and punch analog summing can add to your in the box mixes and we will pay the shipping.

Unit Audio mixers are made from sturdy cast aluminum and are completely hand wired point to point in Nashville, TN using only the highest quality components. These mixers add back some of the sparkle and punch of analog recording that is so often missing in a purely “in the box” mix. With prices starting at $149.00 plus shipping, Unit Audio analog summing mixers put this technology within the reach of most home or project studio owners. Easy setup makes these mixers the perfect companion to a Digital Audio Workstation.

“Is analog summing going to make your recordings sound like a Nashville studio with a billion dollars worth of equipment? Says Unit Audios Design Engineer Terry, “Probably not, but you will notice a difference in your mixes using a Unit Audio summing mixer.”

On the subject of summing, Terry has this to say “Loosely quoting Shakespeare one might say ‘To analog sum or not to analog sum?’ This has been a point of controversy with digital recording for quite some time. With modern DAW software, mixing within the computer has resulted in some great sounding recordings, but I have long been intrigued by the concept of analog summing. I was not prepared to pay $800.00 or more to test that theory, so I engineered and built my own. Then to test the theory, I set out to see if there was any difference in the mixed sound. Much to my amazement and pleasure, I did notice a subtle but very pleasing difference in the stereo separation and placement of the instruments compared to my In the Box mixes. ” Check out the hands on reviews by Recording Magazine and Mix Online as well sound samples on our website at www.unitaudio.com.

Source: Unit Audio Press Release

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Sound Engineer Ken Scott on the Waves and Abbey Road REDD Plugin

Ana Maria — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 14:51:31 +0000

Renowned engineer and producer Ken Scott (The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Elton John) talks about his work on the REDD desks in the Abbey Road studios in the 1960′s and 1970′s with engineer Jack Joseph Puig (Black Eyed Peas, John Mayer, Lady Gaga).

He recounts how he worked with the REDD consoles on songs such as The Beatles’ “I am the Walrus” with famous engineer Jeff Emerick and Pink Floyd’s “Paint Box” and “Apples and Oranges”.

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Source: Waves

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Phantom Focus System and Auralex’s Carl Tatz Signature Series Transform MTSU Control Rooms

Ana Maria — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 18:59:25 +0000

The Department of Recording Industry at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is one of the largest programs of its kind in the world. Recently, MTSU control rooms D and E have been refurbished and acoustically redesigned by Carl Tatz Design. Garnering a Mix Magazine Class of 2012 Educational Facility Award, both rooms, which are mirror images of each other, feature the Carl Tatz Design (CTD) PhantomFocus™ System 4 monitor tuning protocols utilizing the school’s existing Genelec 1037C monitors. Along with a custom application of the Carl Tatz Signature Series™ family of control room acoustic modules by Auralex, the facilities were transformed from the least popular studios on campus into the most sought-after ones by the university’s students and teachers alike.

“It’s amazing to have a monitoring system that allows our students to experience music the way it should truly sound. We want them to develop a sense of the ideal, and the Phantom Focus System presents that to them every day,” states MTSU Department of Recording Industry assistant professor and Grammy-nominated engineer/producer John Merchant. “Studios D and E are where our students begin their audio careers. Learning to record and mix with this quality of monitoring is like learning to drive on a Maserati!”

Department chair Bill Crabtree comments, “MTSU’s Recording Industry Department is very happy with our new studios D and E. The work that was done by Carl Tatz Design is outstanding. Along with his proprietary PhantomFocus System monitor tuning protocol, these two control rooms are now the two best mix spaces that we have on campus. We hope to do more work with Carl Tatz Design in the future to bring our remaining studios up to the standards that Carl and his staff have established in Studios D and E.”

Recording Studio Techniques instructor Mauricio Gargel who had been teaching in both control rooms D and E prior to the Carl Tatz Design implementation, has the unique opportunity to compare the before and after experiences for both him and his students. “The low frequencies are now impressively defined helping the students understand each and every note in the spectrum without guessing. Even the pan-pots can be heard much more accurately, and the depth is also incredible. You can smell the soundstage … it is soooo real. Concepts like soundstage, depth and presence are much easier to teach… They are actually happening now, and the student can feel it. It makes my job much easier! Thanks Carl Tatz!”

“We’re honored to work with Carl Tatz, one of the top studio designers in the industry, on this exciting new Auralex offering. This new series makes Carl’s signature style easy and affordable enough for any serious studio owner. Now virtually any room can benefit from the same aesthetic and sound control enjoyed by top hitmakers like Rascal Flatts and others,” says Eric Smith, founder and president of Auralex Acoustics.

Source: Clyne Media Communication

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