THE MUSICIAN ’S RESO URCE
6 Smart Ways Your Band Can Invest in its Career How to Mix Killer Live Gigs From Your iPad The Role of Music in Trump’s America
JAN/FEB ‘17 FREE
THE REGRETTES On Making Your Recordings Feel ‘In-The-Moment’
interviews:
HONUS HONUS · BASH & POP · SHONEN KNIFE
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
VOLUME 27, ISSUE 1
The Regrettes cover story by Sarah Brooks
4. LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 5. VINYL OF THE MONTH: Steilacoom 6. RECORDS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE:
Shonen Knife by Taylor Northern
16
No Nets
8. How to Release an Album on a Beer Can 10. Guitar Makers Face New Rosewood
Trade Regulations
12. How DIY Bands Should Invest
in Their Careers
14. The Role of Music in Trump’s America 32. TOUR TEST: Mitchell Electric Guitars
Bash & Pop by Jaclyn Wing
20
34. TOUR TEST: Mackie ProDX8 Digital Mixer 36. How to Choose the Right Live
Mixer For Your Band
40. MEET YOUR MAKER: Prisma Guitars 42. GEAR REVIEWS: Audio-Technica, TC Electronic, BOSS, Electro-Voice and more…
47. MY FAVORITE AXE: Pamela Hute
Honus Honus by Jaclyn Wing
28
48. FLASHBACK: Vintage Boss CE-2 Chorus Cover
Claire Vogel
PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 3
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Howdy, y’all. By the time you read this, we’ll have a newlyinaugurated president -- one who has divided this nation (not to mention friends and families) like no other in history. It was, to say the least, a bitter, passionate, angry hotbox of emotions for the past eighteen months or so here in the States. For some, regardless of the outcome, they are just glad it’s over. For others, depending on which candidate they supported, it’s been either a time of great triumph or immense grief. No matter which side you fall on, you can’t deny that in many ways this election cycle has revealed a lot about who we are as a nation, who we thought we were as a nation, and who we should strive to be as a nation. Out of great emotion oftentimes comes great art, and I for one can’t wait to see how artists and musicians use the recent political events in America as a catalyst to fuel their creative processes. We touch upon this in one of our columns this month, and we hope you take it in the spirit it is intended.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have concerns about the direction this country is headed, and some of the decisions that will be made by those in power in the months and years ahead. But that can usually be said of almost any newlyinstituted regime. What I know is that no matter who is in office, and whether or not I happened to vote or not vote for them, none of that alters my fundamental beliefs or the core values I hold dear. Nor should it change who you are as a person. So long as you stay true to yourself, your art and your goals as a human being, you’ll retain an integrity that can’t be stripped from you. Ever. Remember that. Stay passionate. Stay creative. Stay vocal. Stay. -Benjamin Ricci, editor
Volume 27, Issue 1 PO BOX 348 Somerville, MA 02143 CONTACT
Phone: 617-627-9200 Fax: 617-627-9930 PUBLISHER
William House Phone: 617-627-9919 bill@performermag.com EDITOR
Benjamin Ricci ben@performermag.com DESIGN & ART DIRECTION
Cristian Iancu
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Bob Dobalina editorial@performermag.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Adam Ritchie, Andrew Boulliane, Benjamin Ricci, Bobbo Byrnes, Chris Devine, Ethan Varian, Jaclyn Wing, Jordan Tishler, Michael St. James, Nick Pourfard, Sal Mastrocola, Pamela Hute, Sarah Brooks, Taylor Northern CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Steven Cohen, Miek Gerry, Claire Vogel, Alexander Dantes, Richard Boutin
performermag.com
@performermagazine
@performermag
ABOUT US
CORRECTIONS
Performer Magazine, a nationally distributed musician’s trade publication, focuses on independent musicians, those unsigned and on small labels, and their success in a DIY environment. We’re dedicated to promoting lesser-known talent and being the first to introduce you to artists you should know about.
Did we make a heinous blunder, factual error or just spell your name wrong? Contact editorial@performermag.com and let us know, cuz we’re big enough to say, “Baby, I was wrong.”
MUSIC SUBMISSIONS We listen to everything that comes into the office. We prefer physical CDs, cassettes and vinyl over downloads. If you do not have a physical copy, send download links to editorial@performermag.com. No attachments, please. Send CDs to: Performer Magazine Attn: Reviews PO BOX 348 Somerville, MA 02143
4 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS In the words of our esteemed forefathers at CREEM: “NOBODY WHO WRITES FOR THIS RAG’S GOT ANYTHING YOU AIN’T GOT, at least in the way of credentials. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be sending us your stuff: reviews, features, photos, recording tips, DIY advice or whatever else you have in mind that might be interesting to our readers: independent and DIY musicians. Who else do ya know who’ll publish you? We really will... ask any of our dozens of satisfied customers. Just bop it along to us to editorial@performermag.com and see what comes back your way. If you have eyes to be in print, this just might be the place. Whaddya got to lose? Whaddya got?”
ADVERTISING SALES
William House Phone: 617-627-9919 bill@performermag.com © 2017 by Performer Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any method whatsoever without the written permission of the publisher. The magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited recordings, manuscripts, artwork or photographs and will not return such materials unless requested and accompanied by a SASE. Annual Subscription Rate is $30 in the U.S.; $45 outside the U.S.
REVIEWS Follow on Facebook: @Steilacoommusic
Steilacoom
Listen now at steilacoomsf.bandcamp.com
Sisters b/w White Dog (7-inch) San Francisco, CA (Vibraphone Records)
I
f you’ve been searching for the missing link between current-day post-punk/darkwave and the glory days of shoegaze and dreary, British “rainy-day” gloom music (we mean that in the most complimentary way possible, trust us), then the new 7-inch from San Francisco’s Steilacoom might just be up your alley. The single kicks off on the A-Side with “Sister” (or is it “Sisters”?), pulsing forward with the help of bassist Rob Hanson (formerly of Scission). The washed-out vocals, reverb-soaked guitar layers and hypnotic beat form the basis of one of the best shoegaze-meets-The Cure tracks in recent memory. Flip to the B-Side, and you’re greeted with “White Dog,” the better of the two tracks, if truth be told. It opens with a Bleach-era sounding distorted bass and drum into, then segues perfectly into another rhythmic, hypnotic blend of post-punkinfused hazy melodic lines. The one-two punch of these tracks would fit perfectly in any late-’80s high school bedroom. Get it on colored vinyl today through the band’s Bandcamp page (there’s 50 gray and 250 copies out there…well, 249 red if you take our copy out of the equation).
Benjamin Ricci PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 5
REVIEWS
RECORDS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE
My name’s Sal Mastrocola, songwriter for No Nets. We Against Me! just released our new album, Bright Light. Check it out Reinventing Axl Rose wherever you listen to music. This has been my favorite band since I was 15. My Music was my first love, born out of pre-teen boredom. friend gave me a mix CD that had “The Politics of My parents were strict with my media time - 30 Starving” and “Jamaican Me Crazy” on it, and it minutes of television per week. But I had a little Coby was unlike anything I had ever heard before. The stereo in my room, and that meant there were no time next day I rode my skateboard to Sam Goody and restrictions on music. I’d steal Disney cassette tapes spent $17.99 or some crazy amount on the CD and from my sister’s room, strap scotch tape over the write it’s been one of my go-to’s ever since. protection tab, and bootleg NOFX, Blink 182, and MxPx CDs I borrowed from friends. I became obsessed not just with the music, but with the packaging and experience of the album. Sometimes I’d even design my own, hand-drawing artwork and scribbling lyrics onto dot matrix printer paper.
Saves the Day Stay What You Are This was a big album in my personal musical taste development, one I discovered at the crux of my transition from almost exclusively listening to punk music to broadening my horizons to pop and beyond. It’s absolutely perfect. My dream is to record an album with Rob Schnapf.
The albums mentioned here don’t go all the way back to those early days, but many have been with me since my teen years.
For more, follow Sal on Twitter @salmastrocola and No Nets at facebook.com/nonets Which records inspired you to become a musician? Let us know and you can be featured in a future column. Email ben@performermag.com for more info. 6 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Elliott Smith From a Basement on the Hill
Death Cab for Cutie Transatlanticism
There is no album that sounds better. There is no album with more songwriting perfection so densely packed in. Every second holds innumerable treasures, every passage of every song has so much to dissect and appreciate. This album is dripping with the grit that was present in his earliest recordings, but realized in a loud, layered, and lush way. RIP Elliott.
Revisiting this album is a visceral experience. When the first chords of “The New Year” come crashing in, it’s as if I’m mainlining all the excitement, confusion, hope, and sadness I felt as a 17-year-old on the verge of leaving my home for college, just peeking out onto the cusp of early adulthood. It’s an album that layers a complex array of emotion into every nook and cranny of its 11 tracks.
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MUSIC BUSINESS
HOW TO RELE ALBUM ON A B
If your band is like mine, beer is your hazy golden muse. There’s a whole corner of your rehearsal space with empties piled so high, your old drummer might be living under them. When you see Iron Maiden Trooper, Motörhead Bastards Lager or Queen Bohemian Lager at the beer store, you might wish your band was famous enough to have its own brew. But fame no longer has anything to do with it. With more than 4,700 breweries in the U.S., the beer business is exploding as quickly as the music industry seems to be shrinking. And beer isn’t just for drinking anymore. It’s also for releasing albums. MAKE A BEER RUN There are probably a few independent 8 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
breweries in your city, each out to make a name for themselves, like your band. Maybe there’s one whose attitude and approach to their craft meshes with yours. When my band The Lights Out was finishing T.R.I.P., our album about traveling through the multiverse, we approached a nearby brewery called Aeronaut, which was founded by scientists from Yale and MIT. We chatted about brewing a beer inspired by our music, and releasing the new album on the can. They loved the idea, approached it like a science project and created a beer that could serve as liquid sustenance for a pandimensional traveler. T.R.I.P. became a unified concept: a beer to fuel a drinker’s trip through the multiverse, and an album as the soundtrack to that journey. GIVE IT TIME TO AGE It takes time for a brewery to prototype, brew, can and design artwork for a new beer. Try to work at least one season ahead of when you hope
to release the album. The Lights Out approached Aeronaut five months before the release, and even that was cutting it close. HANDS OFF THEIR CANS Shopping your album to a brewery instead of a record label means the brewery isn’t going to tell you what kind of music to write. Return the favor by not telling them what kind of beer to make. When we brought a rough cut of T.R.I.P. to Aeronaut, they asked what beer style we were considering. We suggested they brew whatever the album inspired them to create. Allow everyone to focus on what they do best, and trust each other to get it right. BE SOCIAL DRINKERS Your first instinct might be to include a download code or URL on the beer label. But you can do better than that, by making album retrieval on-theme and generate online exposure.
Print a social media call-to-action, where the drinker needs to post a specific hashtag to access the music. We used an app called OOOTwitter, originally designed as a Twitter out-of-office auto-responder. When a drinker tweeted a special hashtag to @thelightsout, we automatically responded with a message telling them what an alternate reflection of themselves was doing right now in a parallel reality, and a link to the album. OPEN A DIFFERENT CASE When you release music on something edible, it opens the door to food editors, in addition to the usual music editors. Food and beer writers spend their days interviewing chefs and brewers. The opportunity to interview a band gives them something new to chew on. They’re also less guided by personal preferences for specific music genres. RAISE YOUR GLASSES TOGETHER New albums are released every day. So are
MUSIC BUSINESS
EASE YOUR A BEER CAN
new beers. Jointly launching an album and a beer at the same time throws two separate worlds into the mash and draws on both audiences. When we released T.R.I.P. at a climbing gym called Brooklyn Boulders, music fans, hopheads and rock climbers all came together to hear a new album performed, see our wearable light show, taste a new beer and scale darkened walls wearing headlamps. It was an immersive sensory experience with sound, light, flavor and touch. When a band/brewery partnership is done right, the band and brewery are exposed to each other’s fans, and the fans happily stumble home with their ears ringing. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adam Ritchie is the guitarist for The Lights Out and the owner of Aritchbrand. Hear his band at thelightsout.com and see his marketing work at aritchbrand.com. PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 9
MUSIC BUSINESS
GUITAR MAKERS FAC RESTRICTIONS ON IN
New laws are forcing many manufacturers to rethink how t
G
uitar makers and distributors are scrambling to comply with new international trade restrictions on rosewood that went into effect in January of this year. The new regulations cover all 300 species of the exotic lumber including Indian rosewood, one of the most popular tonewoods for high-end acoustic guitars, coveted by musicians for its defined low-end bass tones and deep red grain finish. At a summit in September, 181 countries participating in the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) agreed upon the regulations in response to a spike in illegal rosewood trafficking over the past few years. This increase is due to a booming demand for luxury furniture in China, which imported $2.6 billion dollars of rosewood in 2014, a 70 percent increase over the previous year, according to a report by conservation and research group Forest Trends. CITES upgraded rosewood to its second most restrictive classification, identifying it as a species that is in severe danger of becoming extinct
10 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
without strict trade oversight. American guitar makers have become attuned to CITES’s decisions in recent years, after an amendment to the Lacey Act passed in 2008 made all restrictions on plant life under the CITES treaty legally binding in the United States. Individual guitarists traveling with rosewood instruments are exempt from the regulations, but manufacturers and distributors must now provide additional administrative paperwork and buy new permits to ship rosewood across most international borders—while also confronting the feasibility of importing exotic tonewoods in the future.
does, however, anticipate tonewoods from forests in Africa, Southeast Asia and Central and South America to become increasingly difficult to source because of further restrictions. “At the [CITES] convention some of the NGO’s who organized this listing told us they’re working on ebony being the next one they list,” says Redden. Chris Herrod, sales manager at tonewood distributor Luthiers Mercantile International, Inc., which supplies both large manufacturers like Martin and Taylor as well custom builders, says the new restrictions may already force the company to cease shipping Indian rosewood internationally.
“With the new law, buying and selling rosewood is going to become much more difficult,” says Charlie Redden, the director of supply chain at Taylor Guitars.
“For small orders, which are the bulk of our business, it’s not really feasible right now,” says Herrod. “We’re looking at alternatives but that is sort of a work in progress.”
Redden says Taylor is rethinking whether to use rosewood in certain upcoming models, but expects the company to be able to absorb any additional costs without passing them on to consumers. He
Herrod is frustrated that Indian rosewood is listed in the new CITES classification because he says Indian rosewood is not an atrisk species and many of India’s forests are
ow they source high-end tonewoods from around the world
MUSIC BUSINESS
ACE NEW TRADE INDIAN ROSEWOOD Ethan Varian certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC is an independent organization that aims to ensure forests are responsibly managed by sending auditors to inspect logging sites. But even if a forest is FSC certified, Herrod admits there are still steps along the supply chain where things can go wrong if distributors aren’t diligent. Once trees are logged, for example, sellers often mislabel one restricted or banned species as a less regulated wood with similar characteristics. Customs agents often can’t tell the difference, which is likely why CITES decided to list all rosewood species without exemption. In addition to jeopardizing the rosewood population, this illicit trade has had devastating effects on forests and the people who live in them. In Thailand, National Geographic reported that the rampant poaching in one of the country’s national parks has led to violent clashes between government rangers and poachers. Cambodia, Madagascar
“If these [rosewood] species are important to the sound of the guitar and the tonewoods are irreplaceable, [guitar manufacturers] are going to have to find a way to cultivate them somewhere else and make a long-term investment,” says Treanor. “Or they’re going to have to switch to species that are more sustainable.” In the same way guitar makers turned to Indian rosewood after Brazil banned the export of its own coveted rosewood in the late 1960s, Redden at Taylor says it’s possible that domestic species could one day replace exotic tonewoods as the industry standard.
and Honduras have also been afflicted by illegal logging in recent years, which damages local ecosystems and “robs communities of resources they depend on for subsistence purposes,” says Forest Trends researcher Naomi Basik Treanor, who studies the effects of deforestation and the illicit timber trade around the world. As a result, environmentalists have been pushing governments even harder to protect and preserve these forests.
“If the trends continue with rosewood and mahogany, then manufacturers like us are going to start using woods like walnut and maple,” says Redden. Taylor already has a wide catalogue of models made from these woods. One of the manufacturer’s main domestic suppliers is Pacific Rim Tonewoods, a specialty mill that cuts spruce, maple and walnut in the Pacific Northwest as well as koa in the forests of Hawaii. The company is committed to responsible sourcing and handpicks each individual log it sends to be cut. “Because we’re a mill, we do best businesswise when we buy the right logs and follow them
through every step of the manufacturing process until we ship them to the guitar makers,” says Steve McMinn, the company’s founder. Still, domestic timber is not without its own complications. Systematic clearcutting and logging on Native American lands have long been problems for the lumber industry in the Northwest. To ensure its commitment to environmental stewardship, McMinn says the company has plans to work with private and public landowners to plant, grow and manage domestic species as well as mahogany and ebony on the Hawaiian Islands. “We will be deeply involved with forestry within the next couple of years,” says McMinn. Adding that, “We’re trying to develop strains that are better for instruments and figure out how to get those grown.” While some guitarists may scoff at the idea that walnut or maple could ever be an acceptable replacement for rosewood, Redden thinks they can be convinced. “We’re going to try to change the whole perception of this wood. It’s still beautiful sounding and it’s still beautiful aesthetically,” says Redden. “And for the first time ever we can also talk about it being sustainably harvested and responsible.” PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 11
MUSIC BUSINESS
If I Were a DIY Ar This is How I’d Sp
F irst, you’ve got to figure out some source(s) of money. Since this likely means your own pocket(s) to start, you need to work out a band agreement. It doesn’t have to be complex, but should cover basic stuff like: what’s the band name, who owns it, who owns the songs, how much money does everyone contribute, how will everyone be paid when there is revenue, how do decisions get made, and how to people leave and join the group. [Check fig. 1 ] Once you’ve got those details nailed down, you can start putting money in the kitty. Let’s start a list of things you’ll need to spend on, and then we’ll talk about how much, when, and how.
1 2
3
CLOTHES You should expect to spend some money on wardrobe. Unless you’re Bruce Springsteen you should not expect to walk on stage wearing street clothes (yawn). Figuring out what your band is all about and how to represent it visually is a large part of developing your act. You need to figure out the message and spend time and money to make that apparent on stage. PHOTOS You can’t take useful and meaningful photos until AFTER you define the band’s message and visual representation. However, after you do have those things in order, you’ll need killer photos. They’re really the first line of your marketing
12 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
efforts, so they’re crucial. Make sure you work with someone who really gets your image and message. They should be able to suggest locations and themes that support your message. If not, find someone else. Also, be sure you like the style of their previous work; obviously, their artistic style will influence your outcome. Please, please, please don’t be another un-smiling band leaning on a brick wall. [Editor’s note – or on abandoned train tracks. Sigh.] WEBSITE It’s all too easy to focus on social media (which you do need to do), but all social media should point potential fans back to your web site. This is where you have the best opportunity to present your image, message, and music to listeners and hook them into being fans. It’s the best opportunity to promote your gigs, and to sell your merch. Your web site should be engaging and fun, and not simply an information source. Give the audience a reason to stay and poke around. Give them reasons to come back often! Notice a logical progression of ideas and tasks here. Also notice that I haven’t, yet, mentioned recording. Ideally you’ll start to multi-task about now, once the message, image and photos are done. Hopefully, somewhere in this process, along with continuing to play and refine gigs, you meet someone like myself who can guide your growth both in marketing and musicality. It’s about now that you should be thinking about recording a short project. If you’ve been reading my previous Performer articles, you know that I’m big on small projects for bands in the early stages. This is the Fan Acquisition stage, and the name of the game is giving your material to anyone who’ll listen. As I’ve said before, you want a product that is killer and undeniable, but also doesn’t cost you so much that you hesitate to give it away. Since quality is paramount, and relatively expensive, you compromise by doing short projects (1-2 songs). Since you’re hoping to convert fans, whetting their appetite is all that’s needed. STAGE SHOW When you’re playing dive bars and hipster clubs, it’s terribly difficult to get decent sound,
and lights are a joke. But these are crucial details overlooked by most bands. Don’t be that band. Learn how to play and sing under adversity (assume there’ll be no monitor mix). Figure out some easy and quick lighting or props that help you command the stage and attract and hold an audience’s attention. It doesn’t have to be elaborate to work. In fact, cheap, light TVs make great effects [Check fig. 2 ] TRANSPORTATION While you’re doing local shows, everyone can get there on their own. If you’re doing your job well, however, you’ll soon want to, and need to, get out of town. Touring is the life-blood of fan acquisition. Remember your friends aren’t your fans, they’re friends. There’s only so many times they’ll come see you play. Fans are people who love your band, not you personally. Those are the people who will come out and who will buy your stuff. Plan ahead so that you can take the band, the gear, and the stage show on the road [Check fig. 3 ] COSTS So, what does all this cost? Well, the answer to that depends on your stage of development and how you’ll allocate your funds. For example, your first web site will likely cost less than your second. Many of the items I’ve mentioned above are not “one and done” but rather a cycle of doing it now and re-doing it later as things change and more revenue becomes available. Here’s a quick break down: I’d allocate $500 per band member toward wardrobe. Incidentally, you cannot write this off on your taxes unless you can prove that the items have no daily wear value. So, tuxedos, no, clown suit maybe. I’d expect about $750 for photos. Websites are easy to make, and hard to do well. Unless you or a friend is a whiz at coding, I’d expect $2000 for a basic but engaging site. Do your homework well when looking for a designer/coder. Try not to be too cookie-cutter, but expect some of that in this price range. This is a major area that’ll be revised as your act grows. [Editor’s note – if you’re on
MUSIC BUSINESS
Artist Today, Spend My Money a budget, try installing Wordpress with your hosting company and finding pre-made themes for less money to start.] Recording is going to cost, because you can’t afford to skimp on quality. For a top quality, studio-produced project including arranging, recording, editing, overdubs, mixing, and mastering, think $5,000. Sure, you can do it for much less in your basement, or with the guy down the block, but it’s your career on the line here. Your stage show is a huge variable. I’d aim to spend $1,000 out of the gate, knowing that you won’t have much time to do set up, etc., but also knowing that it really will give you a competitive advantage. Stage shows can, of course, get really fancy and cost up to millions of dollars, so the name of the game is finding venue-appropriate, flexible ideas early on, and developing them further as your progress. Transportation is probably someone’s car or SUV with a trailer attached. You can rent the trailer at first, but eventually if things go well, you’ll want to buy one. They’re about $2,500 used. So all told, perhaps over your first year of serious growth, you’re looking at just under $10k. I’m sure that number seems daunting and unachievable. Remember, you don’t have to have that money on day one. You grow into it, and keep going. But, it’s helpful to have a plan and to know what that plan is going to cost. Somewhere toward the end of that year (or maybe it’s two) you’ll want to start planning a second record (that should probably be similar in quality and scope to the first) and larger tours. Now, however, you have a fan base that you can count on. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Award winning mix engineer and producer Jordan Tishler runs Digital Bear Entertainment in Boston MA. The SSL console and racks upon racks of analogue outboard gear, tape machine, and gazillions of instruments helps Tishler meet the expectations of artists including B Spears, JLo, Iggy A, MOTi, Justin Prime, SIA, and London Grammar. Contact me about producing your next record, or mixing the one you’re working on now! For more info, visit www.digitalbear.com.
PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 13
MUSIC BUSINESS
THE ROLE O IN TRUMP’S
D
on’t worry, this article isn’t about left or right, and I’m certainly not going to get into political nuance - this is a music magazine. However, the 2016 U.S. election was not normal. No matter what your political leanings might be - this newly elected president is not normal. When there is talk of “registries,” round-ups, rumors of war, foreign government involvement, not to mention swastikas showing up on people’s cars and at MCA’s park for kids in Brooklyn; surely, you must agree, this is not normal.
your Muslim or Mexican friend, bandmate, or roommate, might be rounded up into a detention camp or deported).
Which means, our response as creatives should not, and cannot, be normal. The fans won’t allow it. The market won’t allow it. There is a change in American culture. You will see it reflected in TV shows and movies; which means, the kinds of songs used for syncs will change as well. You will see it reflected on social media, as some people become warriors for a cause, and others decide to check out completely because they’re sick of the rhetoric. It will be reflected in show protests, or how other artists might be attacked/supported for speaking out.
It’s personal now. But, protest music has been around for a long time, whether in the form of Woody Guthrie, or C.C.R. decades later, the British punk movement, reggae, or even N.W.A. and Body Count in the following decades.
There will be controversy. You, dear musician/songwriter/producer, have some choices to make. Will you use your art for more than money? Will you stay above the politics of the day on social media, even if your fans want you to take a stand on a position? Do you dare risk staking out a political position in your songs? Will you decide to be a dealer of distraction, providing entertainment that allows people forget about the world and just disappear in music? These next four years will not be quiet, politically. There are radical changes being proposed that will affect you and your fans. So, this isn’t just about protesting corporate greed, or a far-off w ar, or c limate change, o r violent policing, this will be about all of that (and oh yeah, 14 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Not normal. From a business perspective, trade wars and global instability are normally not good for touring or copyright access in the digital age. Don’t get me started on copyright reforms. (That’s another article) And censorship is a possibility. It always is.
However, we didn’t have such a thriving (and vocal) independent music community during any of those times. We didn’t have the possibility of writing, recording, and releasing a song to the world in the same day. We do now. I’m not talking about the majors here, there are discussions going on in A&R right now about this very topic. The labels and major publishers will decide best for their bottom line because it’s a corporate quarterly stock price industry. But you, as an independent, you actually have a chance to change the world with the right song, right now. But will you? Should you? Will you write and record the next great protest song? Will you write the next anthem burning up the charts about a “new day” in America? You face these choices right now, today. And either way is fine. Most likely, your fan base is aligned with you politically, depending on the music you do. But even if they are not, this is a moment to think about what your music will and can say in the next year. And what you, as an
artist, want to say, and stand for. Look, if you voted for this, then I want to hear that awesome “Make America Great Again” song. Really, I do. Because, I have no idea what the hell it means. I’m firmly on the side of “America’s Already Great (with flaws),” but more than that, the people are great in this country. So, definitely push that vision, write those lyrics, create that soaring chorus. Create music that your fans or people who agree with your POV can get behind. Champion that cause, and use your music to bring others into it. And if you didn’t vote for this, I need to hear that, too. Your fans need to hear it. Are you frightened and disgusted? So are your fans. It’s your job to create the song story that explains those emotions, and says it in a way they cannot. Are you snobby and filled with revolt? Cool, let’s hear that killer track. It’s your job to create a vision of the world fans want to live in. That’s what music does. And hey, no matter how you voted, if you just do not want to be political, I get it. Create sunny pop songs, or sick, ethereal EDM pieces, and just provide a distraction from the madness. That’s OK too. But, it has to be with purpose. Music is important in times like these. Music gets us through challenging times and provides a rallying point. It provides distraction and relief from feeling helpless. It gives a voice to those who feel like no one hears them, and to those who desperately wish they could make a change in this world, but may not have the power to do so. What music will you make? ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael St. James is the founder and creative director of St. James Media, specializing in music licensing, publishing, production and artist development.
MUSIC BUSINESS
OF MUSIC ’S AMERICA
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SPOTLIGHT
Venerable Japanese Punks Release Killer New LP and Discuss Cultural Differences in Global Music Communities
SHONEN
16 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT
N KNIFE
Taylor Northern
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SK We recently caught up with Naoko Yamano, founder and heart of the all-female Japanese punk group Shonen Knife as they toured the States in support of their latest LP, Adventure. A favorite of musicians like Kurt Cobain and Sonic Youth for over 30 years, the Knife continues to blaze a path and kick down doors for DIY bands and female musicians across the globe. At 55-years-old, Yamano shows no signs of slowing down or going soft. There’s a youthful quality to your music. It reminds me of bands like Deerhoof and the B-52’s. What is your general philosophy when it comes to writing music? The first purpose is to make people happy through our music. I like pop rock music which has beautiful melody lines, like Paul McCartney. I’m trying to write fun and beautiful melody lines. Writing lyrics is hard for me. I would like to write lyrics in English because English is language of rock music but I’m not an English speaker. Also, it’s hard to find unique topics. I’m doing my best. Do you get comparisons to bands like the Ramones or Sleater-Kinney? We’ve never get comparisons to those bands. May be a little bit of the Ramones. I like Yellow Machinegun from Osaka. There’s a song on your new album called “Rock N Roll T-Shirt.” The guitars on that track have a real heavy punk rock feel similar to the Ramones or the Runaways. What inspired this tune? I like to listen to ’70s American and British rock music. The new album is inspired by such music. I wrote songs very naturally. I wanted to write about Rock ’n’ Roll T-shirt because I love it. After I wrote the lyrics, I tried to put melody lines on it. Seeing the lyrics, the melody lines appeared to my brain automatically.
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Did being featured on that compilation allow you to network with bands like Sonic Youth? How was it opening for them in 1987? It was long time ago and I don’t remember all the details, but I got an offer to join the compilation through the mail; there was no Internet at that time. My memory is vague. We didn’t open for Sonic Youth in 1987, but rather in the ’90s at their show in Osaka. Our first show in overseas was 1989. The record label at that time was Gasatanka, in Los Angeles, and Shonen Knife played a show with Tater Totz. Anyway, our first overseas release was a cassette album from K Records in Olympia, WA. Since then other labels made contact [with us to release music in America]. You toured behind Nirvana in the winter of 1991. Apparently, Kurt Cobain heard your debut cassette tape and invited you on tour. How did he initially hear about your music? I think he listened to our cassette Burning Farm released on K Records. The label is in Olympia, WA and Kurt was from that city, too. Let’s go back to 1977. Around this time, bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin were popular. They were doing epic stadium shows and at the same time in small, crowded basements, punk bands were gaining popularity. What were you listening to back then? At that time, I was listening to the Ramones and many underground punk bands from the United States. I also loved British new wave punk bands like Buzzcocks, Jam, Rezillos, XTC, Stranglers [and others] like that. Now I love major ’70s music but at that time, I’m against them.
album before going into the studio? I spent four months writing the songs. “Jump Into The New World” and “Dog Fight” are amazing tracks. When did you write these songs? Thank you so much. For the lyrics in “Jump Into The New World,” I wanted to make people brave when they start something new. We have a new drummer Risa. She moved from her hometown to Osaka to joining to Shonen Knife. It’s her “jumping into the new world” -- my younger sister and original member Atsuko came back to the band for this album. It’s also her “jumping into the new world again,” too. For the melodic lines, I didn’t want to use too much of the same melody’s refrain. For “Dog Fight,” the lyrics are from my real experiences but [there’s] a little bit of fiction, too.
SPOTLIGHT
Wasn’t your band featured on an old Sub Pop compilation in late 86/87? Yes, we were featured on Sub Pop 100 in 1986.
What type of gear did you use when recording the new record? Mainly we use: Marshall amps, Taurus, Fender Twin amps, Flying V’s, Charvel, Rickenbacker, [various] acoustic guitars, Fender Precision basses, and Fender Jazz basses. Any last words? Please enjoy listening to our album Adventure and we will see you sometime soon at our show!
Follow on Twitter: @ShonenKnife
What’s the difference between booking a venue in Japan vs. in America? For example, in Japan, do all of the bands take a cut of the door or is there another pay structure for bands? Japanese audiences don’t buy alcohol so much at the venue. Usually one person, one drink. The audience’s main purpose to come to the venue is to watch the bands. Thus, the price of entrance tickets are higher than in the U.S. Where did you record your new album Adventure and who produced it? It was recorded at Yotsubashi LM studio in Osaka, Japan. I produced it by myself. The theme of it is ’70s British Hard Rock and American Rock and a little bit of ’60s taste. It was inspired by bands like KISS, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, and the Beatles.
SHONEN KNIFE ADVENTURE STANDOUT TRACK: “JUMP INTO THE NEW WORLD”
How long did you compile material for the PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 19
SPOTLIGHT Steven Cohen
Jaclyn Wing
Tommy Stinson Brings Back Post-Replacements Project for New LP
THE REVIVAL OF BASH & POP 20 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 21
SPOTLIGHT
A
nything Could Happen is probably the most straightforward yet metaphorical album title yet. It’s appropriate for where Bash & Pop’s leader Tommy Stinson is musically in his life right now. He flies by the seat of his pants with everything that he does, he’s full of surprises and is always looking for new musical adventures. After solo projects and time with the Replacements, Soul Asylum and Guns N’ Roses, Stinson has found himself back with his ’90s alternative group Bash & Pop. The new album has a very relatable vibe. While there was no specific emotion or sense that he was trying to convey, Stinson knew that he wanted to show people that making music was a rockin’ good time. He went into this project
Anything Could Happen has all of the elements of a solid rock album. The instrumentals carry the story where the lyrics leave off. The melodies are infectious and all the tracks sound like they are played with ease. It has all the components that make for a good performance, except it’s packaged up in album: enthusiasm, ability to provoke emotion, band cohesion and most importantly, a solid rock vibe. Perhaps the best song on the album is “Unfuck You.” The story behind the song is that there isn’t one. “I’m surprised no one has written this yet. It’s very tongue in cheek. It’s a fun little romp,” says Stinson. The song is about wishing you could go back and ‘unfuck’ or ‘undo’ something, or someone, that you did. It is a rockin’ good time and is definitely a number that you would blast in
On bringing back Bash & Pop: “I had the ability to play with people that I know and like and had the right material to do it.” knowing that he wanted to make a rock record and things just worked themselves out. “I had the ability to play with people that I know and like and had the right material to do it. As it came into focus, we kept it on the upswing,” he says. Stinson wanted to record mostly as a band, so it made more sense for it to be a Bash & Pop record and not a ‘Tommy Stinson’ solo LP. With a general undertone of rocking out, the album definitely has more of a traditional rock and roll backbone and has many commonalities with some of the bands he’s been a part of over the years. Stinson had been writing sporadically over the years and things finally fell into place. The way things come to him aren’t really thought out in the traditional sense. He tends to put things together on the spot, but he swears that’s the fun of it. Knowing that there are different ways to combine sounds and patterns allows him to create music that has endless possibilities. Traditionally know as a bassist, Stinson plays many different instruments, which makes his writing and creative process easier. He is able to write on one instrument for a different instrument, which makes many of his compositional choices far more interesting than his contemporaties. “I don’t write in any particular way or on any particular instrument,” says Stinson. 22 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
your car with the windows down. “Anybody Else” is a close second, as the lyrics are unsuspectingly deep: “you can’t be anybody else for anyone.” When you first listen to the track you pick up on the vibe but when you really give in to the lyrics, you’ll find that it’s pretty deep stuff. The album is a double-whammy- strong, focused lyrics (some of the best of Stinson’s career) and even stronger musical accompaniment. We loved his last solo LP, 2011’s One Man Mutiny – and the new B&P builds upon that foundation in an incredible way. The creative process for this album was collaborative; Stinson wanted the album to be created in a particular way so he sought out friends and colleagues that could bring the sound he had in his head to the table. The goal was to create a strong, rock vibe so that people could hear that they were having fun. Stinson wrote all of the songs and most of the key melodies. In terms of the band aspect, he presented his demos to his friends and let them take what was there and add their own spin to the tracks. While the songs were written previously, this creative freedom, where anything could happen, allowed songs to reach their full potential during rehearsals and the recording phase. A song could start off sounding one way and then morph into something greater. When Stinson moved to New York, he created a home studio. The idea was to set up shop so
he could record his own music in addition to producing other bands. The idea of working with other bands appeals to Stinson because he likes to get the best out of musicians. Exploring the potential of the music, and the musician himself, is the part of the process that Stinson is drawn to. For this Bash & Pop album, Stinson booked his friends to come to his home studio to record, generally Friday through Sunday. Working at home allowed them to have threeday sessions in a creative space, unencumbered by commercial studio distractions and hassles. While some things were re-recorded, the goal was to record live to generate an authentic feeling. If they didn’t get the sound or feel that they were looking for in a couple of takes, they moved onto a different song. With Anything Could Happen, Stinson takes pride in the fact that he didn’t have to over think anything or beat songs into the ground. He also wore fewer hats for this album, which allowed him to take a step back and be more in the moment as a performer. Anything Could Happen is an early frontrunner for our favorite rock album of 2017, and we can’t wait to catch the band on tour this month.
Follow on Twitter: @tommy_stinson
BASH & POP ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN STANDOUT TRACK: “ON THE ROCKS”
SPOTLIGHT
On Teenage Power and Knowing When to Stop Over-Finessing Your Recordings
THE REG
24 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT
GRETTES Alexander Dantes
Sarah Brooks
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“I am a powerful woman and I want people to know it.”
D
uring this tenuous time, female empowerment is necessary now more than ever. We’ve been introduced to the riot grrl spirit of Sleater-Kinney, the magical prowess of Stevie Nicks, the fervor of Siouxie and the Banshies, the punk sensibilities of Hole, the unabashed lyricism of Courtney Barnett, to name just a few greats. There’s a newcomer on the scene by the name of Lydia Night, a self-assured leader for The Regrettes, the “perfectly imperfect” new pop/punk band from Los Angeles. Here’s the deal; she’s only 16 years old. With such wisdom at such a young age, she and The Regrettes are setting the tone for this generation’s voice in the music industry. Drawing from a range of time periods, their sound is reminiscent of the past, but always looking towards the future with a hint of neomodernism and post-punk thrown in for good measure. Forming this four-member band with guitarist Genessa Gariano, bassist Sage Chavis, and drummer Maxx Marando, Night and The Regrettes have since taken their music to new heights, touring with Performer faves Sleigh
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Bells and receiving critical acclaim from media outlets like NYLON and NPR. Song lyrics offer a perfect candor, with total honesty brimming through. We’re not introduced to archetypes or allegories, but rather, the real truth of what it’s like to be a young person in today’s America, wading through the world while you’re still learning its ways, and extracting strength from your experiences and dusting yourself off again. It’s not easy to be young in 2017, and The Regrettes tackle this time period, yet also show up with the knowledge of teens who are wiser beyond their years. Simply put, the band’s tracks are relevant at any age. With just four singles out right now, The Regrettes are priming us for their first full-length album, out this month on Warner Brothers. “A Living Human Girl” truly captures the essence of the band, with true-to-form images that conjure up how it felt to be a teen, from those awkward moments to even the physical manifestations of growing up. In it, there’s such truth, yet Night sings with an unabashed frankness, almost as if to say, “This is me right now, but so what? This is who I am and I’m sharing my truth with you.”
In these tumultuous times, these young voices
Are you trying to speak to your own generation, another generation, or are The Regrettes using different voices for each? I think different voices for each. I want our music to be timeless. How have your family and friends fostered your dream? My family has always supported me heavily and so have my friends. We wouldn’t be here without them.
someone who’s never heard you? Raw and fun. Who do you all listen to on tour? Your music is not of this era, so it’s interesting you’re pulling from genres so far back in time, mainly from the ’60s and ’70s. This is so random, but on tour I usually listen to a lot of rap music [laughs]. Lots of Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino.
SPOTLIGHT
Night also knows when a song is done, and when to stop overworking it to the point where its meaning gets lost in production values. She’s been quoted as saying, “The way that we write, it’s all based on honesty. If I finish a song, I’ll just leave it - I won’t really go back to it. I like things to feel in the moment and I don’t want it to be perfect. If I work on something too much I lose it and get bored and I want to do the next one.”
“I like things to feel in the moment and I don’t want it to be perfect.” are vital to the cultural landscape, using music not only to inform listeners of their experiences, but also to continue immensely important dialogues. I caught up with Lydia Night about the band’s first single, their influences, and what it’s like to make music that resonates throughout time at such a young age. First off, I love “A Living Human Girl” and the anthem it creates. The string of lyrics “I can dress how I want/ Not looking for a show of hands” is amazing, to select only one snippet. What was your inspiration for this? Thank you! This song was inspired by a huge wave of emotions I was going through after starting high school. I wasn’t used to the extreme insecurity shown in young women and I was honestly overwhelmed. The video for “A Living Human Girl” is amazing, too, and addresses the objectification of women. Was this your original vision? It was! The director captured my ideas so perfectly. You are only 16 years old, which is amazing for someone who pens lyrics with such wisdom. What are your favorite subjects to discuss with your songs and how do you go about writing them? I really can’t pinpoint subjects in my songs because they are all so all over the place, honestly.
When I was a teen, I was listening to punk, writing in a diary, and riding my bike to my friend’s houses. I definitely wasn’t spearheading my own punk band. How did the band form and how did you decide this is what you wanted to do? Honestly that’s not that different than what I do [laughs]. We all met a long time ago at School of Rock and reconnected about a year ago. And here we are!
Follow on Twitter: @regrettesband
You’ve toured with some of the best feminist groups of recent time, and now you’re about to tour with Sleigh Bells. Talk to me more about how your live performances harness female power and energy. I think I harness that power because that’s who I am. I am a powerful woman and I want people to know it. This election and the result are obviously a point of contention for many people, including women. Is your music going to be used for social change in the coming years or to spread a message? Totally. There’s no way for it not to be. Your youth is your power to get messages across, too. What messages are you looking to share? Self-love and self-respect.
THE REGRETTES FEEL YOUR FEELINGS, FOOL! STANDOUT TRACK: “I DON’T LIKE YOU”
How would you describe your sound to PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 27
SPOTLIGHT
HONUS HONUS
Man Man Frontman Explains The Ins and Outs of Music Supervision for TV Mike Gerry
Jaclyn Wing
28 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
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SPOTLIGHT
“If you’re writing from the right place, you’re writing from the heart.” 30 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
For Kattner, being a musician appealed to the right person at the right time. Getting hired as the musical supervisor on The Exorcist was a deliberate decision. “My sensibilities fit. I play music, I tour, I have relationships with bands. They know I can reach out to friends of mine,” says Kattner. Some of the writers for the show are fans of Man Man and for the same price, they can get more bang-for-their-buck with Kattner and have great music that doesn’t use only library cues. As the music supervisor, Kattner selects the music and runs it by the show runner. A lot of the cues in the show are northern soul music, non-Motown but deep cuts of music. There have been instances when they needed songs that fit a certain vibe and he happened to have something that worked. He is usually given the script in advance but the process of adding the music varies. Sometimes he puts in temp music and then works on creating something new and other times, it’s straightup detective work. The detective quality of it is one thing about the job that he really enjoys. One unique aspect of playing the role of detective is that he tracks down songs and learns their history -- when it was written and more importantly, who wrote it. Sometimes he falls down the rabbit hole because TV is so fast paced, you have to get the rights to the songs quickly and make sure that the correct people get paid. If he can’t find the rights to a song, even if it is the perfect fit for the scene, he has to abandon it completely and go back to the drawing board; that may mean pulling from his own repertoire, reaching out to musician friends or going back to the library. Like most things, the job isn’t all roses. Kattner notes, “the concept of public domain is skewed and very vague. It’s a real whirlwind.” Working within the constraints of a budget and a time frame proves itself difficult but he finds ways to make it work, and work well. The turn-around for an episode is about a few weeks. “Even if a character hums or singsongs something, we
have to see if it has been cleared or if it’s an original work,” says Kattner. As a musical supervisor, Kattner also helps to add music to an existing storyline. As a musician, this is what he does: creating stories using music. His own work is influenced by where he is in his life, and for his new solo LP, Use Your Delusion, it was Los Angeles. People often think of LA as being a place where dreams come to life and with this album he broke the mold and spoke about its underbelly. “It’s the underbelly but it’s also that LA is viewed to make your dreams come true or conversely, where your dreams go to die. It’s about pushing beyond and keeping a sense of positivity even if it’s delusional,” says Kattner. He notes that the world moves so quickly and that LA is a weird, beautiful and ugly city. He uses not just words but different types of sounds, not notes but sounds, to convey an ‘apocalyptic’ vibe. When writing, he is generally not concerned with genre hopping. “I wrote a song and okay, it does sound like the other song but there is something that links [them] together,” noted Kattner. Writing music is about telling everyone’s story. There are a lot of parts to a song and they represent the different parts of people’s personalities. Genre hopping is okay in his book because he would rather hit it all and let people sort it out for themselves. His type of storytelling goes against the grain and harnesses an unbalanced energy. Kattner says that incorporates his life into the songs: “It’s scattered throughout; it’s buried in there with storytelling.” To make the songs have such a powerful effect, he uses moments of pure confession combined with surreal imagery. Kattner made this album to explore and express “being in and out of love, learning how to love and live and push past things, and above all, maintain a sense of levity.” It’s evident that he has a lot of fun creating and playing his songs and using his delusion.
“I can make something as a coping mechanism and spin it in an objective way that people can relate to.”
SPOTLIGHT
“T
he world owes you nothing and you always have to hustle.” A profound reminder from Ryan Kattner that you must work for what you want and really throw yourself into it. Kattner, also known as Honus Honus, leader of the band Man Man, has had his hands in many projects. His newest adventures include being the music supervisor on Fox’s new series, The Exorcist and crafting his first solo LP, Use Your Delusion. Kattner believes that you have to want to make it to actually make it, and he’s certainly proving that to be true.
Follow on Twitter: @honushonus
“In many ways, I feel like the music I make is bluegrass. Not the sound. I feel like it shares the same spirit. If you want to be sad listen to the lyrics and if you want to be happy, listen to the music. It’s important to juxtapose parts.” Kattner feels lucky that over the years he’s been able to make music his way and that people have been able to relate to it. “I can make something as a coping mechanism and spin it in an objective way that people can relate to,” say Kattner. The music he creates is truly the soundtrack to his life. Kattner insists on using your delusion; “If you don’t have the training or things that don’t sound like anything else, it’s okay. If you’re writing from the right place, you’re writing from the heart.”
HONUS HONUS USE YOUR DELUSION STANDOUT TRACK: “HEAVY JESUS”
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TOUR TEST
TOUR TEST: MITCHELL Alex Brisbey
Kurt Collins
Kyle Reed
T
Mat Graham Maurice Pringle
his fall, we put out a call for guitarists to win and test out the entire new range of electric guitars and basses from Mitchell Guitars. After the entries were sifted through, we selected six kick-ass guitarists from around the country to demo these awesome new axes through a series of video unboxings, updates, playing demos and tutorials. The results were awesome. Each musician put their respective guitar or bass through its paces, and everybody was impressed with the high level of quality and great tones found in these affordable instruments. Let’s hear from each artist individually about their experiences. KURT COLLINS – MS400 Guitar For lack of a better term, “headstock snobs” might not take a second look at a Mitchell, because if it isn’t Fender or Gibson they don’t care. That annoys me and I’m here to break
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you off a piece first-hand experience with a Mitchell…it flat out rocks. I love this guitar. Right out of the box it was set up and played smooth. I didn’t need to re-string it and for the purpose of this test run, I didn’t. Everything I recorded was as-is, out of the box. I was blown away by the sound and feel the guitar has. I use a Paul Reed Smith for 90% of my guitar playing and this Mitchell MS400 with a price tag $1600 less than my stands right up there with it. Sound, feel, playability. I would feel confident taking this on the road being pleased night after night. Plus, it isn’t a bowling ball with a strap, so it’s nice on your back. Get the Mitchell. It will make you and your wallet extremely happy. ALEX BRISBEY – TB-500 Bass Right out of the box the Mitchell TB-500 was ready to play. It was well setup and very
pickups and these cool pickups got the job done. I like the configuration of the pickups, too; it allows for extreme versatility, which helps when you are performing different styles of music. I played mainly through my modified Marshall, a preamp/poweramp rig, and a few combos. In all cases, the HD400 was versatile and a very good sounding instrument. Fast licks are really easy to rip, and the coil/tap is a great feature that adds to the guitar’s range of capabilities. The Floyd Rose is setup with a recessed body route that enables you to pull up for greater vibrato range. The neck is a “C” shape, very smooth, and fast. I found myself playing for hours. This guitar is easily comparable to an Ibanez or a Schecter, but even more affordable. This is a lot of guitar for the price point! JON McCARTAN – FB705 Bass (main photo) With the FB705, Mitchell Guitar’s is offering a versatile instrument with the boutique styling that many of today’s bassists demand at an affordable price. The bass has many features including a carved mahogany body, quilt maple top veneer, 5-piece neck, and a rosewood fingerboard. The high mass bridge is fully adjustable and the high-ratio tuners operate smoothly and with precision. The bass comes standard with dual humbucking pickups. When combined with the active preamp, the bass has many achievable tones that will be suitable for a wide variety of musical styles. comfortable. It features an alder body, maple neck and rosewood fretboard. The bass has a good weight to it but is very evenly distributed, making for a very comfortable playing experience. The hardware is another solid aspect to this instrument - I play in D standard and have yet to fall out of tune nearly a month later. You know you’re in good hands with Mitchell. Overall the bass was very much beyond my expectations for a mid-range instrument and I’d highly recommend it to anyone in need of a reliable instrument for either recording or live purposes. MAURICE PRINGLE – HD400 Guitar After taking this guitar for a test drive, playing it through five different amps and numerous pedals, I was pleasantly surprised and genuinely happy. The neck is very smooth and playable. I run moderate to high output
While demoing the instrument, I found the neck to be very easy to play for long periods of time. The 12” radius and D shape felt very fast and the string spacing, while closer than I am used to, was comfortable when chording or tapping and wasn’t too close as to be a hindrance when slapping. Overall the instrument is well constructed, highly playable, and suitable for a wide variety of playing styles. I believe the FB705 5-string bass is best suited for intermediate to advanced players looking for a bass that will help them expand the breadth of their abilities. KYLE REED – TD400 Guitar The staggered-height locking tuners along with the Graph Tech TUSQ XL reduced-friction nut kept the TD400 in perfect tune from manufacturing all the way to my front door. The tone is well rounded thanks to the Wilkinson VS50- II bridge with locking saddles and heavy
block, along with paraffin-dipped Alnico V pickups -- two single coils and one humbucker with a coil-tap, with a five-way selection switch to find the exact tone you want.
TOUR TEST
LL ELECTRIC GUITARS The alder body compliments the maple neck and Indian rosewood fretboard. This guitar not only sounds amazing but is a gorgeous addition to my collection. I am in love with the comfortable feel of the slim-tapered neck combined with the high-tensile strength fretwire. The traditional offset double cutaway design and the ultra-carve heel joint allows for complete access to every single fret with ease. Mitchell Guitars make pro level products at ultra-affordable prices. I am connected at the hip with my TD400, and can’t wait to take it on the road with my band, The Reed Brothers. MAT GRAHAM (ARTIFICIAL FEAR) – MD400 Guitar The MD400 is Mitchell’s best-in-class guitar geared for a more “modern rock” sound, although one can achieve a multitude of tones spanning from pretty much any genre of music that the player desires. The guitar I received came with the translucent green finish, and at first glance, the guitar was absolutely stunning. The MD400 comes loaded with features that would satisfy players of any level. When I first held the MD400 in my hands, the guitar just felt right; it is much lighter than I was expecting. The carved mahogany double cutaway and mahogany set neck are aesthetically pleasing but also allow for reaching those high frets for blazing fast leads without trouble. The rosewood fretboard feels smooth, and the action of the guitar was perfect out of the box. The MD400 comes loaded with a rail-style Alnico V humbucker in the bridge position and a mini-rail humbucker in the neck position. I am a big fan of the design and placement of the pickups, which allows for more space for your picking hand and pick. The string-through body design allows for better intonation and longer sustain. The tuning stability is enhanced thanks to the locking tuners on the headstock. I also really like the option to switch to the single coil sound from either pickup with the pull coil-tap knob. Overall, I am extremely pleased with the MD400. It is a high quality guitar at an affordable price and my favorite guitar in my collection. For more info, check out the entire range of Mitchell electrics at mitchellelectricguitars.com
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TOUR TEST
TOUR TEST: MACKIE PRODX8 WIRELESS DIGITAL MIXER The Fallen Stars Explore How to Mix Any Live Show From an iPad
Editor’s note – we recently worked with the good folks at Mackie to give away one of their new ProDX8 wireless digital mixers to one lucky band, in order to send them on the road to test out the unit’s capabilities in real-world settings (i.e. on stage and in rehearsals). We wanted honest feedback, so we selected The Fallen Stars to demo the ProDX8 live, and through video walk-through on their social media channels. The band was thoroughly impressed with the ProDX’s functionality, especially the ability to control their mix form the stage using an iPad. We’ll let bandleader Bobbo Byrnes explain in his own words…
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TOUR TEST
I
was on tour in Europe when a friend of mine emailed me to say “Mackie and Performer Magazine are giving away a new ProDX8 - you need to enter this contest, you REALLY need this thing.” Truth be told, I had never heard of it. I like my gadgets and what-not, but my PA was working just fine and it had knobs. I like knobs. Imagine my surprise when I actually won it! I had looked it up and saw that it hooked in with my iPhone/iPad and I could mix from wherever I was standing on stage; needless to say I was pretty excited to try it out, but I wasn’t prepared for how much it would improve my life (and our sound). I immediately bought the little bag that goes with the ProDX because traveling around - I’m clearly going to drop it at some point. With the little travel bag, I can put it in my luggage or in with the mic cables. It’s tiny and fits almost anywhere. To set it up is beyond easy - mic cables go
in 1 thru 8, there are 2 main speaker outs and monitor 1 and monitor 2 outs so you can have two (!) separate monitor mixes. The App Store provided the ProDX Mackie Mixer Connect app, a quick hop over to Settings> Bluetooth> Connect and I was in business. Did I mention it was easy? One of my favorite features of the ProDX8 is the sweepable mid controls. Some PA’s only have high, mid and low controls but with the ProDX, dialing in acoustic guitars and vocals took just seconds. I crank the mids and sweep until I find the “ugly frequency” (you know the one) and then scoop it out. Couple this with a loop pedal on my acoustic guitar and I can easily go out front and soundcheck myself. The control freak in me loves this! Imagine setting up your PA, unmuting it and having it instantly ready to go. When we tour we often have 3 vocals, 3 acoustic inputs and a Porchboard bass kick pedal, so being able to save your settings and recall them whenever you want is brilliant. Different venues may need a little touch of different EQ or reverb but your starting point is already there.
I’m typically not a fan of proprietary power supplies but when I wrote to Mackie to ask about 110 vs 220 volts they informed me that they make a European power supply for it and it’s only about $15 - so I was pretty stoked. If I was to complain about one thing it would be the lack of phantom power on the unit, but really that’s only a minor concern as most of the time you’d be using dynamic mics on stage, anyway. Hands down - coolest new piece of gear I have worked with in a long time. The interface is easy to use and its small size makes traveling a breeze. With the ProDX8 I can plug into any powered speaker combo I encounter, giving me full control over my live sound and making it sound great in any situation, whether I’m performing as a solo troubadour guy or with a full band. Thanks, Mackie and Performer Magazine! Fo l l o w T h e Fa l l e n S t a r s o n T w i t t e r @ T h e Fa l l e n S t a r s a n d l e a r n m o r e about the entire range of Mackie pro audio gear at Mackie.com . PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 35
LIVE SOUND
HOW TO FIND T LIVE MIXER FO
W
elcome to the first in a four-part series on getting better live sound, copresented by Performer Magazine and Yamaha. In this installment, we’ll take a closer look at what to look for when shopping for a compact mixer, including what they are, who they’re for, some of their basic functionality, and how they can serve as the central hub for your live sound. Yamaha has been kind enough to loan us one of the compact mixers from their wonderfully affordable XU series of analog mixers, so that we can highlight how it works, and define some commonalities it shares
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with other compact units. WHAT IS A COMPACT MIXER? Put simply, a mixer accepts a combination of sound sources that are input into it, and can then output those sources after the audio sources have been adjusted. In plain English, it allows you to route all of your vocals, instruments, effects and auxiliary sound sources into one unit, control their levels and tonal characteristics, and then spit out that sound in a variety of ways (through PA speakers, headphones, into a computer for recording, etc.) Most compact mixers feature many of the same elements, which we’ll explore below,
and once you learn how one mixer works, you’ve essentially got the foundation of knowledge you’ll need to adapt to any brand or style of mixer you may encounter in the future. SO, WHO NEEDS A COMPACT MIXER? For our purposes, we’ll be focusing on performing artists, as opposed to venues with installed sound systems or complex front-of-house setups. There are quite a few scenarios when it makes sense for a band to invest in their own compact mixer. For example, your rehearsal space (be it a garage, basement, commercial rehearsal facility or otherwise) is the perfect place to install
Benjamin Ricci
a compact mixer. It’ll allow your vocalist(s) to be heard over loud drums and guitar/bass amps, and it’ll afford you the ability to tweak your live sound mix during the rehearsal process, so you can get a general sense of where your parts will sit in the mix when you hit the stage. Obviously, space can be at a premium when in a cramped rehearsal room, so compact mixers offer a small footprint that will still allow you to access all of the functionality you need, without taking up too much space. The other main advantage of having a compact mixer on hand is that it allows bands to perform in non-traditional venues where there may not already be a PA system and sound engineer on hand. If you find yourself booked at rented venues, house concerts, churches, outdoor gigs, coffee houses, parties, etc., it may be to your advantage to put together a PA system for your band that can travel with you whenever the need arises. THE INS AND OUTS One challenge to figure out before you purchase a compact mixer is deciding how many inputs and outputs you’ll need for your particular setup. Oftentimes bands over- and under-estimate the number of inputs they’ll need. On the one hand, if you are solely using the mixer in a rehearsal situation and aren’t miking drums, then including drum mics in your input list may cause you to purchase a more expensive mixer than you actually require. Likewise, neglecting to factor in live gigs may lead you to purchase a mixer with fewer inputs than you need. Most mixers will have a combination of input types, so compare wisely when it comes time to buy. You’ll often find a healthy number of XLR inputs for microphones, but may not find the optimal number of stereo or line inputs that your particular group may require. So, pay attention to the specs. Also, note that some mixers may claim a certain number of channels, but that does not always equate to the same number of mic inputs (or preamps). Again, always check the specs. Just because it says 8-channels, don’t assume you’ll be able to plug in 8 microphones. Some of those channels may be reserved for line inputs, stereo ins for synthesizers, or additional inputs
LIVE SOUND
THE RIGHT OR YOUR BAND for CD players, iOS devices and additional sound sources. As far as outputs are concerned, make sure that whatever the compact mixer offers in outputs, you can match with the speaker system and/or powered amplifier you’ll be using to complete your PA system. Balanced XLR outputs are commonplace, as are quarter inch outs for monitoring. You’ll likely also want a dedicated headphone out to monitor the mix, as well, as it may be difficult to accurately place instruments in the mix when performing at full volume in tight spaces. CHANNEL STRIPS SIMPLIFIED OK, so you’ve got the right number of inputs, and now you’re left starting at a seemingly endless sea of knobs, switches and faders. Relax, when you actually start to use a compact mixer, the one thing to keep in mind is that even though it may look intimidating, each channel of audio is set up in a repeating fashion, meaning that each vertical “strip” of knobs, buttons and faders does the exact same thing for each channel. Learn what each individual strip does, along with the “master” section for overall output, and you’ve now mastered the entire board (well, mostly). You see, a channel strip basically does a few simple things: it allows you to set the input gain for each channel so your incoming signal doesn’t clip (distort), it typically allows basic EQ settings, panning for stereo, the ability to turn on or mute/ solo the channel, the ability to control fx levels (if the mixer has them built-in) and auxiliary sources, and finally the ability to control the overall volume (or level) of the sound source via a sliding fader. Really, the channel strip is there so you can adjust the individual channels one at a time before they get sent to your outputs. And although it may look complicated, we recommend you start with the gain down, plug in a sound source (say, a microphone), slowly adjust the gain for a good level, and then begin experimenting with each knob to learn what it does by sound, rather than what it does by theory. We know it’s probably counter-intuitive to what every manufacturer wants you to do, but reading the manual last, after you’ve had time to get hands-on with the unit, sometimes is a good way to go.
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LIVE SOUND
PHANTOM POWER Believe it or not, we’ve seen compact mixers with no phantom power options. So, when you’re out there shopping, keep an eye out for this. If you plan on using condenser mics, look for a phantom power button, or something labeled +48 switch somewhere on the unit. Not every channel may have it, but it’s usually pretty apparent, it may even have a corresponding LED to let you known when phantom power is engaged. Don’t overlook this. BUILT-IN EFFECTS Oft-maligned, built-in effects in compact mixers have come a surprisingly long way in just the past four or five years. Today’s digital effects, even in some of the most affordable compact mixers we’ve encountered, can be incredibly useful. We especially like the built-in reverb, compression, and chorus that are easy to dial in easily with the Yamaha MG12XU we were provided. And nowadays, adding these effects per channel is usually as easy as engaging the fx section and 38 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
LIVE SOUND turning a knob to the desired effect. The MG12XU even has a handy screen to see what you’re doing. Don’t let preconceived notions from years past cloud your opinion of today’s digital fx; it may actually save you money by eliminating the need for outboard effects units. BUILD QUALITY One word of advice, and this carries over from the world of hi-fi: we generally (and take this with a grain of salt) advise bands to avoid anything that simply feels cheap. Now we know that there are low-cost units that may not have all the bells and whistles of their big brother and big sister counterparts. That’s not what we’re getting at; we’re talking build quality here. We like rugged metal chassis. We like knobs that aren’t wobbly and won’t break off after a few subtle turns. We want real, decent sized faders that don’t feel like Tic Tacs under our fingers. In general, even with the most affordable units, we want to know that our compact mixer can withstand the abuse of the studio, stage and rehearsal room. Anything less is to be avoided.
RECORDING ABILITY AND TABLET/ SMARTPHONE SUPPORT Lastly, many of today’s mixers can also double a studio devices, enabling you to record rehearsal and jam sessions straight into your DAW. We were stoked to find out that our MG12XU has a USB output and came with a workable version of Cubase. So, we can now take our 2-channel stereo mix, pop open a new session, and listen back to what we’ve been rehearsing. It’s also a cool way to offer instant live recordings to your fans, if you’re interested in that capability. There are even some mixers that offer direct support for tablets and smartphones, enabling you to directly mix onthe-fly using an app that syncs to the mixer itself. Many of these features can increase the cost of the unit, but if you want the flexibility to mix from an iPad on stage or record your songwriting sessions and gigs, these are features to be on the lookout for.
READ THE DANG MANUAL As mentioned previously, we put this last for a reason. Just like with synthesizers, it’s often a good idea to just get your hands dirty, so to speak. Twist knobs, slide the faders; learn by doing. It’s truly the best way for your brain to comprehend how the adjustments you make on the board affect the sound in your mix. It’s one of the best benefits of tactile units like these. Then, if there are still elements of the mixer you don’t understand, whip out the manual and it’ll all click into place much easier, since you’ll likely have a good handle on everything surrounding that one button you can’t quite figure out. We hope this installment gets you on your way to purchasing the right compact mixer for your needs. Head to performermag.com for additional parts of the series that will further explore PA speakers, more advanced mixer settings, and tips for getting better live stage sound. Until then, be sure to check out the entire range of Yamaha live sound products at www.yamahaproaudio.com PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 39
MEET YOUR MAKER
MEET YOUR MAKER with Nick Pourfard of Prisma Guitars BACKGROUND As an avid skateboarder, I was always naturally curious about using skateboards as a material for anything. I had no idea what to expect, but I did know that I had to try. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the guitars I built out of skateboards played and sounded. To top it off, there was a huge sentimental attachment I felt to the repurposed boards. I had to take it to the next level. MOST POPULAR MODELS The Prisma Accardo and Toledo guitars. WHAT SETS YOUR GEAR APART? Using skateboards as a material with no sacrifice to quality. Every guitar has a one-ofa-kind pattern that CANNOT be replicated. LESSONS LEARNED I’ve learned a lot about business and product development in the last 3-4 years, but the biggest lesson I have learned is the way to make connections and network with people and other companies. Through these business interactions I have been exposed to opportunities that I wouldn’t have been otherwise. WHAT DO YOU WANT GUITARISTS TO THINK OF WHEN THEY HEAR OF YOUR BRAND? Our brand builds beautiful handmade guitars in function and in form. We try to do everything differently from product to marketing. I want musicians and people in general, regardless of their interest in skating or music, to recognize us -- to realize that the industry hasn’t changed much in the last 50 years, but we are changing it now. AVERAGE PRICE PER GUITAR $2800 For more, visit www.prismaguitars.com and follow on Twitter @prismaguitars
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MEET YOUR MAKER PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 41
GEAR REVIEWS
D
ouble tracking parts isn’t a new concept, but modern metal bands perfected it in the 1990s, and it’s been a standard practice in the studio for decades. Bringing that huge sound to a live situation, though, was tough. The new Mimiq Doubler pedal from TC Electronic can now easily bring that wall of guitar sound to any amp, without all the fuss.
TC ELECTRONIC Mimiq Doubler Pedal
Its overall concept is an algorithm that incorporates a varying delay and modulation that gives the effect of more than one guitar. It’s a standard pedal size, with a selector to choose between 1, 2 or 3 “overdubs,” while the tightness control sets the accuracy of the algorithm. In the low settings, it’s hyper tight, and when cranked up, really spreads out. The dry and effect controls balance out the effected signal to the direct guitar sound. With stereo ins and outs it can work in effects loops, as well as in front of an amp easily. Using it in mono mode, it adds a little bit of depth, and there’s a feeling of a quick, tight delay. It doesn’t feel like much, but when turning it off, it’s easy to realize it does add a bit more, but we’d say the effect is a bit too subtle to be worth the effort.
PROS
Plenty of tonal options when used in stereo, priced right, easy to use. CONS
In mono applications, feels a little lacking. PRICE
$129
In stereo mode, however, it is amazing. Testing it through a pair of Fender Hot Rod Deluxes and an Ampeg GVT52-112, it really came to life, with a stereo image that was instantly massive. Using it with a couple of “mismatched” amps like a ZT Lunchbox, and a Boss Katana, can make the differences in the various amps really add to the feel of a multi-tracked rig. Even better is adding a couple of overdrive pedals after the Mimiq, before the amps, which can truly open up a lot of tonal options. Using it in a recording setting, plugging it into a DAW running some amp simulator plug-ins in stereo is fantastic. It can thicken up tracking, without using a lot of processor power, or overloading the session with multiple guitar tracks. Even as a splitter, send one output to an amp that’s mic’d up, and the other output to a DAW, either for re-amping or into an amp sim; it’s a great tool for the studio and a no-brainer to beef up guitar parts on-the-fly with very little time, effort or expense. Now it’s not just for getting a heavy guitar sound either, using it on clean tones can add snap and sparkle to almost any sound. A lot of traveling bands may not have the space for a stereo guitar rig in their van, but this could make them re-think that. In the studio, the Mimiq is flat-out excellent (and dare we say, essential). If guitarists don’t flock to it, anyone looking to get massive multi-layered sounds in the studio on the cheap should get one of these before their next session. Chris Devine
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GEAR REVIEWS PROS
Great sound, unobtrusive size, solid mounting hardware included. CONS
Some specific mounts sold separately. PRICE
$299-$349 (depending on configuration)
G
etting a small mic to give a big sound is very difficult; there are usually comprises, either in construction or tone. Even worse are some companies’ definition of “small.” Audio-Technica delivers in every regard with their ATM350a cardioid condenser microphones and mounting systems. This mic is so small, it could almost be mistaken for a lapel microphone, but it’s meant for capturing instruments at close range (and potentially) high volumes, such as horns, pianos and drums, but it’s articulate enough to be the new go-to for almost any acoustic instruments. With a cardioid capsule that’s meant to reduce the side and rear response in order to make the “focus” of the mic very strong, the ATM350a is great at eliminating residual noise. The 80Hz Hi-pass filter keeps the frequencies in the musical area, while washing out those spiky ones. We were provided a kit from Audio-Technica that had EVERY mount and two goosenecks. These systems, depending on which instrument
AUDIO-TECHNICA ATM350a Microphone Kit you’ll be miking, feature various methods of attachment, such as clips, Velcro, and magnetic (for the metal soundboard of a piano) as well as a great clip for drums that still allows adjustment of the drum head. The one constant, of course, is the mic itself. Since it’s so tiny, it doesn’t get in the way of any performance or feel like it weighs anything down (which is great if you’re affixing it to the bell of your horn, for example). Sound wise, it’s a dream. It’s rich, and full, without a lot of placement adjustments physically, or need for EQ at the board. It’s nice to have a mic that can fill so many roles, without all sorts of tweaks from the FOH. It can handle high volumes easily without flubbing out, and external noise is very minimal. In a live situation, it can
really de-clutter appearances as well. Using it on rack toms in the studio, it’s small enough to be out of the line of fire of drum sticks, but close enough to grab tight percussive sounds, while rejecting everything else. A studio or live act would greatly benefit from having at least one of these in their arsenal (bands with a horn section will want to stock up). Being able to capture nuanced sound while ignoring outside noise can make the mix easier later on, or in the moment if you’re on stage. The street price ranges depending on which mounting system you require, but each package is affordable, and it’s worth it considering the applications this little mic excels at. Highly recommended. Chris Devine PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 43
GEAR REVIEWS
PROS
Great amp tones, easy to edit, hyper flexible, lightweight. CONS
EQ is slightly dark, footswitch not included. PRICE
$329
BOSS Katana 100w 1x12 Combo Amplifier
T
with plenty of low end thump, especially for an open backed cabinet. But for players looking for a lot of high end sparkle, there might be a bit of EQ knob-fiddling to do.
everything is easy to use, so you’re not bogged down with endless complicated menus, sub menus and other nonsense to get in the way of actually playing.
First off, its functionality of gain and master volume controls work like a traditional tube amp. Cranking up the gain on the clean setting is a great way to easily get those in-between crunch tones. Regardless of the gain settings, the amp modes deliver on their names, and work really well with single coil and humbucker equipped guitars. Note, though, that we found the EQ a little dark for humbuckers. It certainly fills out the sound
The effect selection out of the box is substantial -- 3 knobs, each with 2 effects to choose from, 1 at a time on each knob, but there are 3 modes to each knob. Doing the math means that’s 15 choices, but only 3 at a time can be used. However, the effect selection is increased greatly by connecting the Katana to a computer via its USB jack, and tapping into Boss’s Tone Studio software. Pretty much every Boss effect EVER is in there, and can be downloaded and assigned to those respective knobs, giving the user access to more unusual effects like the Boss Slow Gear or Slicer. What’s cool is you can create your own signature tone or cop a pre-defined setup that you dig. Plus
With all those sounds, thankfully there are 4 recallable channels that can be set by the user; it’s a fun amp to play with, with great cleans, and overdriven tones that don’t feel harsh or unnatural. With the variable wattage controls, it can be set up for bedroom use, rehearsal spaces, or even club situations. Tube snobs take note – solid state gear has come a long way, and you’d be a fool to ignore the Katana simply because it doesn’t rely on antiquated technology.
he new Katana amp from BOSS packs 100 watts into 1x12 solid state combo with selectable amp modes from Clean, Crunch, Lead, and Brown. There is also an Acoustic mode, that’s meant to be used with a Piezo equipped acoustic guitar. A 3-band EQ controls their respective frequencies, and there is a power output selection from .05, 50, and 100 watts. The Booster/Modulation, Delay/FX, and Reverb are the standard onboard effects.
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For the price, it’s no wonder we recently named the Katana one of the best solid state amps you can buy under $500. Chris Devine
ND46 Microphones that work equally well live and in the studio can be tall order to fill. Even tougher are ones that work across different instrument applications. EV’s ND46 has a unique, rugged design that works well, regardless of the sound source, both live and in the studio.
PROS
Excellent sound, great beefy design, plenty of applications, priced right. CONS
None. PRICE
$159 (ND46) & $129 (ND76)
With a large 2” diameter Mylar diaphragm, this super cardioid mic has an additional “humbucking” coil in the suspended internal capsule to shrug off hum and EM interference, making it hyper quiet. The mic’s head swivels on a strong beefy ratcheting design, for accurate placement, and locks into place with no tools or fuss. In fact we re-positioned the mic one-handed on a dark stage with no issues. It’s crazy how easy it is to lock it into position with just your thumb handy. Bonus: the metal casing and grille feels like it can take any amount of road abuse. Getting this mic on a sound source is no problem here, even on a drum kit where mics and stands can be tough to find proper placement. Even better is that capsule’s placement picks up the sound source, and not other sounds around it. For snare drums, it proved amazing, not only in getting a great sound on its own, but without bleed from hi-hats and toms. There is plenty of clarity and response with no brittle high end or wooofy-ness on the low-end of the spectrum. For guitar amps it does the same trick as well, capturing the sound of the amp, and not grabbing odd tone-robbing overtones from the room or latent soundwaves. Street price comes in at $159, and for anyone looking for a mic that can do live and studio, for varying instrument applications, this is a onestop-shop kind of deal. A couple of these in a mic locker would get plenty of use. Trust us.
GEAR REVIEWS
ELECTRO-VOICE ND Series Microphones
ND76 Coming in at just $129, the ND76 dynamic vocal mic still delivers a lot of high end features, such as a Neodymium Magnet in the capsule and a large diaphragm, which uses an additional humbucking coil to reduce EM noise. Internally, the capsule is shock mounted, meaning external physical noise, from stage vibrations, for example, are minimized. The Memraflex grille is also well designed, with a no flex, tight weave that provides plenty of protection. Overall it’s built like a tank, while not being unwieldy in the hand. Bottom line, the ND76 will survive your next string of dates, regardless of how many times you toss it around on stage or in the tour van. It can handle up to 140dB, so even any extreme vocalist will have a tough time getting this to fail. The EQ is set to be optimized for vocals, and meant to not require a lot of EQ at the board. Getting right on it, the bass response is full, while pulling it away, there’s still plenty of lower end response that doesn’t get wafty. Hip-hop acts who love to hit that low bass with a percussive manner should like the fact the bass stays punchy, while singers should be more than happy with the dynamic response that can be manipulated easily the varying distances from their voice to shape the overall tone. With the beefy feel and musical response, the ND76 was meant to be a live mic for pretty much any application. It’s nice to see a unit that has professional features, and sound, at a very reasonable price. Kudos to Electro-Voice for delivering on their promises with the new ND series. Chris Devine
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GEAR REVIEWS
D&A GUITAR GEAR Headlock & Grip Guitar Wall Mounts
I
n August 2016 we reviewed D&A’s HYDRA Triple Guitar stand, which has a unique clamping system to secure an instrument at the headstock. Now they offer that same feature in a wall hanger format. It can mount to a wall with standard drywall screws and hardware, however securing to a wall stud is ALWAYS the best situation, especially when a beloved instrument will sit there. The metal attachment is big enough to offer proper anchoring, but not take up a ton of space. The screws have a nice sleek cover that neaten up the appearance (something we haven’t seen on other wall mount systems). Once securely mounted on the wall, slide the headstock in the rubber padded “C” shaped rest, and the instrument’s weight engages a thick transparent plastic spring-loaded gate on the front, completely securing your prized axe from falling forward. Lift the instrument up, and the gate opens up for easy access. There is a simpler version that D&A offers as well, the Grip. It mounts to any wall in a similar fashion as the Headlock, but this is more akin to a standard guitar mount -- no mechanisms, just a rubber padded “C” shaped rest that can grip a headstock securely. Both the Headlock and Grip’s rubber surfaces are safe for all instrument finishes (including nitro), and come in two color schemes: all black, or a white rubber, with chrome. It’s nice to get the high-end features of the HYDRA stand in a simple, affordable wall unit. If you’re looking for a way to clear up floor (or closet) space in the studio or in your rehearsal space, give these a look. We recommend them. Chris Devine
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PROS
Secure mounting, great design, low price. CONS
None. PRICE
$9.95-$24.95
Music always being a part of her life, Pamela Hute formed The Mashed Potatoes before creating her own solo project in 2006. Hute draws influences from artists like Sleeper, Elastica and Breeders. Releases include Turtle Tales From Overseas (2010), Bandit (2013) and the recently-released EP Today. Hute has an interest in the business side of the industry as well as the DIY scene; she created her own record label, My Dear Recordings. She is also an avid vintage guitar collector and vinyl aficionado.
MY FAVORITE AXE
BACKGROUND
MAKE & MODEL
1972 Fender Mustang WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU
“I already had an old Mustang from 1965, which is absolutely stunning, but I was looking for a spare guitar for the stage and came across this one. It’s very different to play. More density in the sound, too. The neck is pretty short, which is ideal for my little hands! It’s the one and only guitar I play live now and it never lets me down. Also, it’s a very simple guitar; you don’t have too many options as far as mic positions are concerned which is something I love. You can focus on how you play rather than focusing on ‘how you could sound if you pushed that button.’” WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE
Got a favorite instrument you’d like to share? Email us at editorial@performermag.com
“It’s warm, yet pretty biting. For rhythmic parts, which is all I do, it crunches really well and finds its place in the mix of the band flawlessly. Playing live, I almost only play with the bridge pickup on, like a Fender Bronco.” LISTEN NOW at pamelahute.com and follow on Twitter @pamelahute
with
Richard Boutin
Pamela
HUTE PERFORMER MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 47
FLASHBACK
YEARS MANUFACTURED
The original Boss CE-2 chorus pedal was produced from 1979-1992 BACKGROUND
VINTAGE BOSS CE-2 CHORUS PEDAL
Boss is a Japanese company that was founded by Roland in the 1970s. They released their first pedal in 1976 and it was known as the CE-1. It was the first chorus effect pedal in the industry. In 1979, Boss released the CE-2. With just two knobs (rate and depth) it was more compact than the CE-1 and very simple to operate. HOW IT’S USED
The CE-2 has many applications. It is very commonly used by guitarists, but can also be put through synths and other instruments. It is used to add life to an instrument. A dull, dark signal can be brought to life when this pedal is a put to use. It has beautiful bright and clear tone that cannot be replicated. Use it to add shimmer and depth to your instrument. My favorite characteristic of the pedal is the fact that it is incredibly easy to use. There is no secret to it. You will always get the tone that you want out of the CE-2. The modern engineer can learn how to add depth and shimmer to their tone with the CE-2. Chorus effects are incredibly useful in all applications. CAN BE HEARD ON…
What wasn’t this pedal used on? The Police, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus, and The Cure relied heavily on this pedal to shape their sound. And those are just a few. MODERN EQUIVALENT
Boss is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, so they are re-creating the pedal. It is known as the CE-2w or Waza Craft model. It is made in Japan and features all of the same characteristics as its predecessor and more. It is now offered in stereo and has a toggle switch that replicates the sound of the CE-1. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Boullianne is a studio manager and a full-time engineer. He loves long walks on the beach and creating music. Check out Andrew’s Instagram @drewboull10 and thelalamansion.com to see the studio that he works in.
48 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
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ATM350a Instrument Microphone Systems Whatever your instrument, Audio-Technica has an ATM350a microphone system to ensure it sounds great. Not only does this cardioid condenser come with an array of mounts – many with a re-engineered, robust gooseneck built to stay where you set it – but it also provides clear, well-balanced response (even at high SPLs). So no matter what, where or how you play, the ATM350a has you covered. audio-technica.com
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