CONTENTS DOG THE
MUSICPRESENTS
Credits EDITOR Roberta Pia 0131 229 8211 roberta@reddogmusic.co.uk DEPUTY EDITOR Alex Marten 0131 229 8211 alex@reddogmusic.co.uk CHIEF WRITER Roberta Pia STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Andy McKay (Purrrfect Photography) CONTRIBUTORS Kirsten Adamson, Will Baker, Garry Boyle, Tony Flatt, Dave Gardner, Laura Hamilton, Dave Hook, Martyn Hopkins, Phil Hopwood, Roger Jacobs, Nick Koumentakis, Michael Lambert, Chris Lyth, Alex Marten, Andy McKay, Guy Perchard, Dan Prasad, Michael Sanden, Jamie Turnbull, Dave Tynan, Graeme Urquhart, Rod Vaughan Shop Photographs DN Anderson www.dnanderson.co.uk ADVERTISING Roberta Pia 0131 229 8211 If you would like to advertise in The Dog, please email roberta@reddogmusic.co.uk Front cover ILLUSTRATION Budi Ibud b.graphix79@gmail.com DESIGN & ART DIRECTION The 16K Design Works 0131 661 3737 info@16kdesign.com www.16kdesign.com CONTACT Red Dog Music 1 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2HY 0131 229 8211 info@reddogmusic.co.uk www.reddogmusic.co.uk
WINTER 2010 THE DOG 3
DOG EdiTOriAL TOp dOGS THE
MUSICPRESENTS
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MUSIC’S
oll up; roll up... for the very first issue of Red Dog Music’s brand spanking new magazine.
Finally, our little puppy has arrived and boy oh boy, what a plethora of musical treats it has in store for you. The Dog would like to take this moment to solemnly declare, from this day forward, to deliver all things bright and musical to you through the art of the old school fanzine.
“So, The Dog haS been born anD breD.”
So, The Dog has been born and bred and you are one of the lucky ones who happen to be reading it right now. The articles in this first issue have come from a number of sources, including both local and established musicians as well as our own Red Dog staff and customers. If you keep up to date with our e-newsletters or Facebook, you’ll have noticed we gave a few shout outs for some customer input in the form of articles. We need your opinion! so please send us gig reviews, product reviews, musical Do’s & Don’ts, tips on how to play air guitar... whatever you want really. We’d love to tickle you behind the ears!
4 THE DOG WINTER 2010
LoUdoN WAINWRIghT III & JoE hENRy ‘You CaN’T Fail ME Now’
ETTA JAMEs
‘a SuNdaY KiNd oF lovE’
FIELd MUsIc
‘lET’S wRiTE a BooK’
hARRy NILssoN ‘ME aNd MY aRRow’
MAhALA RAI BANdA
‘MahalagEaSCa’ (Bucovina dub)
sLAsh FEATURINg MILEs KENNEdy
PACK PROFILE#01
The reason we started this thing up is... well, there are a couple of reasons why we did. First and foremost, we want to spread the Red Dog Music love far and wide that means we want everyone and their dog to know all about our super cool and super friendly music store. The other reason is simple - we wanted to create something tangible that you can hold in your hands, ogle with your eyes and keep for the rest of your life so you’ll treasure us forever and tell all your pals about us. Basically, we just wanted to make something cool and in our humble opinion, our fanzine’s where it’s at.
ThE Top TUneS oN ThE shop sTEREo ThIs IssUE
‘STaRlighT’
ThE ALTERNATIvE iaMX
JAcKsoN 5
wE’vE goT a good ThiNg goiNg
Name:
Roberta Pia About: Roberta loves music, the colour red and dogs. She writes for and fronts a band called The Banana Sessions who sing songs about tea and Buckfast and once upon a time she ate a huge spoonful of margarine thinking it was ice cream. Don’t judge her, she was only wee.
Check our blog at...
RedDogMusic.co.uk
AUTUMN 2010 THE DOG 5
Fai h
LESS When you think of musical legends, Faithless are right up there amongst the best of them. That’s why I couldn’t get no sleep when Sister Bliss agreed to do this interview for The Dog.. Interview by Roberta Pia
6 THE DOG AUTUMN 2010
AUTUMN 2010 THE DOG 7
Faithless
Faithless
“ultimately, its way more fun to discover a sound that is uniquely your own” do you want your music *toWhat achieve? We just want as many people as possible to hear it, (without having to make it cheesy or commercial) and if they get something positive and nourishing from it, then they can come back to enjoy it over and over again. That’s as much as anyone can ask. What tips would you give to anyone *wanting to emulate the sound of faithless?
hich bit of gear would you recommend to the musical masses? I think a Mac is pretty essential these days - especially if you’ve no particular skill on an instrument. You can still get an idea down or
“It’s a very organic process, even though it’s electronic music”
make a tune using only a computer.
Be true to yourself. Emulating another band’s sound may be useful to help you find your own sound in the short term (the musical equivalent of being in a covers band) but ultimately, its way more fun to discover a sound that is uniquely your own, even if it draws from many influences. Also, I think Faithless is pretty hard to emulate. Did you manage to get *some sleep yet? Not this weekend. god is a dj, who would *beIfplaying at the after party? I think a classic set from the late Larry Levan would be pretty damn groovy and celestial!
FAITHLESS
ON THE ROAD Four Synthesiser’s vital to the Faithless live experience
Roland JP 8000
What is your current musical set-up? *It changes depending on the context. For live shows I use 4 synths – the Roland JP8000, the Korg Ms 2000, the Yamaha Motif and the Roland V Synth GT. In the studio, the list is endless! is your * What favourite synth?
no-106 The Roland Ju d used
t loved an One of the mos nals and hobbyists alike! essio ld, of pr by s er siz rworld, Leftfie synthe an Cook, Unde ical Brothers rm No t, bi Ør Chem William ngelis, and The The Prodigy, Va ed this synth extensively! us ve ha ur studio! It belongs in yo
8 THE DOG WINTER 2010
Probably the Roland Juno -106 - classic analogue gear. We used it on all our early recordsbut it’s a little bit temperamental to take on the road with us.
Which faithless record are you most *proud of? I’m proud of all of them in different ways but single-wise, I think ‘Mass Destruction’ was a brave and exciting record. It broke the ‘tradition’ of Faithless releasing dance anthems as our first singles off each new album, and the lyrics were a politically charged anti- war protest. We thought it would get banned - especially in America, but it actually got loads of radio play and attention over there.
*
How do you go about writing a new tune? It’s different every time. Sometimes it starts with a chord sequence, sometimes the beats and a bass-line, sometimes song titles or themes, or a chorus... and so on... It’s a very organic process, even though it’s electronic music.
Korg MS 2000
Yamaha Motif
Roland V Synth GT
WINTER 2010 THE DOG 9
PRoduCT CT
PICKS! KS S
PACK PROFILE#02
WHARFEDALE I
A few of the Red Dog Music staff take time out to tell us what they think are the coolest bits of gear in-store at the moment. Let’s meet them and find out what they think rawks...
Tanglewood TSM1 Acoustic Guitar (Rrp: £1,226.04 / Red Dog Price: £1,199.00)
Name:
Phil
About: This Liverpudlian guitarist used to play for 60’s band ‘The Fourmost’, managed by The Beatles manager, Brian Epstein. He also is the proud owner of the flattest feet this side of Birkenhead.... he says they are central to ‘ the dancin’. Phil currently plays guitar with a duo called Hopwood & Black who will be performing at Hair of The Dog Sundays on 30/01/11. If you’d like to check out their la la lovely music, go to myspace. com/hopwoodandblack and treat your ears to something delicious.
I
f I could recommend an acoustic guitar it would be the Tanglewood TSM1 designed by Michael Sanden, the Swedish guitar Luthier. His instruments start around the £4000 mark and go upwards from there. He has teamed up with the Tanglewood team to produce these beautiful guitars. Michael admitted to me when he was in the shop that he wished that he could source the same quality of woods that Tanglewood have at this price point. I have been using this guitar for the past six months with Hopwood and Black both in the studio and at gigs and always have compliments about my overall guitar tone.
at: Buy online
sic.co.uk RedDogt Musuat the shop
Both unplugged with a nice condenser mic in front of it for recording or using the B-Band A1 pickup system for live use, the guitar always sings with rich overtones. It’s extremely comfortable and has
“THIS GUITAR ALWAYS SINGS WITH RICH OVERTONES” really great intonation which has a lot to do with the zero fret according to Michael, and of course it looks great too with its two piece ebony nick and Grover machine head with matching ebony buttons... a real steal at the price!
Alternative Recommendations Farida R52E Electro Acoustic Guitar (£549.99) Martin OMC1E Electro Acoustic Guitar (£1,099.00) Martin OMC160GTE Electro Acoustic Guitar (1,699.00)
or visi for a Demo!
10 THE DOG AUTUMN 2010
WINTER 2010 THE DOG 11
T PRoduCK S! PIC
Roland MicroCube Bass RX
PACK PROFILE#03
Top 10 reasons why you should get your hands on this bit of kit... Its battery powered so no longer will the acoustic bass be the only option for jammin’ in the park.
2.
It has an ‘Auto Wah’ mode for those essential Bootsy Collins moments.
3. 4.
A built in tuner for... tuning, funnily enough.
A Headphone out and line out so you can connect it to interfaces, desks etc.
5. 6.
Built in compression so you can smooth out your playing.
Line in so you can use a battery powered mixer to add extra inputs.
“IT HAS AN ‘AUTO WAH’ FOR THOSE BOOTSY COLLINS MOMENTS.” 7.
It’s completely portable so you can jump on a bus with it and have a jam.
8. 9.
It includes a drum machine – great for practising chops.
As well as a tap tempo for setting the speed of the drum machine.
10.
And last but not least, a footswitch for turning FX on and off with ease.
Name:
Willy B About: Willy B is a serial jammer of the finest degree, originally from God’s own country, he rips the bass like it ain’t nobody’s business, his musical interest lies mainly in folk & blues stylings and he is proud to have been named after not one, but TWO generals of the American Civil War. Will owns a Vespa. His favourite food is chicken kiev. His favourite colour is blue. And last but certainly by no means least; he is currently the owner of a plethora of pairs of socks.
Alternative Recommendations Orange Crush 35B Bass Combo (£119.00) Peavey Max 112 Bass Combo (£175.00) Line 6 LD150 1X12 Bass Combo (£379.00)
Name:
About: Dave G works in the Roland Planet in Red Dog Music. This basically means he’s the resident techie geek for all things Roland & Boss and after 4 years, he’s gotten to know nearly ALL of their products exceedingly well. He loves going to watch live music of any kind whenever he can. He also writes and plays keys in a band. In his spare time, he enjoys long walks that have a pub at the end of them. He also likes going to the cinema to see anything that has explosions, aliens, martial arts, lots of running around and car chases in it.
sic.co.uk RedDogt Musuat the shop Buy online at:
.uk RedDogMusic.co shop
(RRP: £1,299.00 / Red Dog Price: £949.00)
T
he Roland TD-4KX is one of the most dynamic, playable and responsive electronic drum kits on the market at the moment. It has been exceptionally popular because it provides exceptional value for money by taking technology straight out of Roland’s high end electronic kits like the TD-20KX and puts it into a very affordable and compact drumming package. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, the TD-4 KX is great for learning, recording, jamming and gigging, all for less than £1000! Here’s a rundown of some of the key features and how they can benefit you or the drummer in your life! • Mesh heads on all the drums to accurately recreate the feel of
acoustic drum skins; you can even use a drum key on them to set adjust the tension to suit your playing style. • 25 Amazing preset drum kits and 125 drum sounds that are fully customisable to suit any style of music.
“UNLEASH YOUR INNER BONHAM!” • Rhythm coach mode to help practice rudiments and timing.
• Quick record mode to instantly
capture a recording of your drumming genius! • Incredibly responsive and flexible drum module that responds to your style of playing no matter how fast, slow, quiet, loud, metal, good, bad, old, young etc. you are. • Solid frame that’s portable and tough enough for gigging! • Mix input that allows you to jam along with your favourite tunes via iPod or MP3 player. Unleash your inner Bonham! • 3 Year Manufacturers guarantee along with unlimited tech support from yours truly! Above all else this kit is an absolute joy to play and like all electronic kits, you can practice it or jam with friends without acquiring an ASBO. Quality!
at: Buy online
or visit us at the for a Demo!
12 THE DOG WINTER 2010
PICKS!
Roland TD4KX Electronic Drum Kit Dave G
(Rrp: £209.00 / Red Dog Price: £179.00)
1.
P R o d u CT
PACK PROFILE#04
or visi for a Demo!
AlternativesRecommendations Impact DD502J Electronic Drum Kit (£299.00) Alesis DM10 Studio Electronic Drum Kit (£699.99) Roland TD9KX Electronic V-Drum Kit (£1,569.00)
AUTUMN WINTER 2010 THE DOG 13
PIC
PACK PROFILE#05
Moog Minimoog Voyager Performer Edition (RRP: £2,859.84 / RED DOG PRICE: £2,429.00)
R
oberta – “Why?” Andy – “Because it’s freakin’ awesome dude.”
Into synths? Never heard of Moog? You must be dead or have spent your life in a bubble.
“THIS KEYBOARD IS THE REASON WHY THE WORD ‘SYNTHESIzER’ EXISTS.”
If you ARE into synths then this update on the original classic Minimoog should float your electronica boat. With a classic sound that will make your annoying neighbours knick knacks fall off the mantelpiece, sonically disrupt any student party at 100 paces and freak out cats and dogs with its orgasmic oscillators and frequency melting filters... this keyboard is THE reason why the word ‘synthesizer’ exists. (Buy one if you dare. He isn’t joking.)
Alternative Recommendations Korg Monotron Analogue Ribbon Synthesizer (£50.00), Roland GAIA SH-01 Synthesiser (£499.00), Moog Little Phatty Stage II Analog Synth (£865.00)
14 THE DOG WINTER 2010
P R o d u CT
StockingFillers
T PRoduCK S!
Name:
Andy
About: Andy likes weird sounds. That’s what he’s all about... and the stranger and even more obscure the sounds, the better. He likes experimental synthesis: which basically means taking something, anything, and making it do something it wasn’t designed for. His main hobbies include photography (Purrrfect Photography, all shapes and sizes but if anyone needs a band photographer give him a shout) quantum physics, cryptology, computing and mountain biking. He also enjoys long walks on the beach and dancing in the rain. Andy is most famous for his leopard print hair.
Buy online at:
.uk RedDogMusic.co shop or visit us at the for a Demo!
Korg Monotron This dinky wee beast of an analogue synth has been made famous by Internet sensations, Brett Domino & Steven Peavis (of the infamous Brett Domino Trio who appeared on Britain’s Got Talent). Careful though, don’t be fooled by its size because in reality it’s a little
Blue Mikey With this awesome bit of kit, you can turn your iPod or iPhone into a high quality stereo recording device perfect for sneaky, cheeky recordings of gigs, rehearsals, interviews, whatever you like. Blue Mikey has 3 sound sensitivity levels for you to choose from (careful not to knock him as he’s a sensitive little dude and doesn’t like massively loud banging noises) and all YOU have to do is pick one, plug straight into your iPhone, place the microphone in your desired position and record away through a simple application such as Voice Memo. Recording stuff has never been any easier than this... so get involved.
REDDOG PRICE: £59
monster that features the same classic analogue filter found in the legendary Korg MS-10 & MS-20, as well as having an inspiring, easy-to-play ribbon keyboard and intuitive funto-tweak controls. “This is truly a palm-sized synth, powered by a supplied pair of AAA batteries and with a miniscule built-in speaker. The ace up Monotron’s sleeve is its ability to process external sounds via auxiliary input.” MusicRadar.com.
REDDOG PRICE: £50
Peavey Ampkit Link
This is by far one of the coolest things we’ve seen in a while. What with the iPhone generation going strong, obviously the guitar industry wanted to jump on board so they’ve come up with this nifty little guitar audio interface that allows you to rock out with complete ease. Obviously this must be used in conjunction with your iPhone or iPod. It works with all electric guitars, basses etc and can be used with any recording, processing or tuning application and will allow you to be the most portable rock and roller in the world. Just plug your guitar into your iphone through the Peavey Ampkit Link, plug in your earphones/ amp and RAWK OUT. It’s a winner.
REDDOG PRICE: £29
PICKS! TC Electronic PolyTune
This is the world’s FIRST polytuner - amazingly enough. You can strum all six strings at once and it’ll tell you immediately which ones are sharp, flat or in tune by providing an instant overview of the pitch of all your strings in one single display. Pretty cool, eh? This is an excellent buy as it makes tuning your guitar much quicker and more efficient than normal. MusicRadar say: “A significant stomp forward, destined for pedalboards everywhere!”. We agree with them wholeheartedly.
REDDOG PRICE: £69
Marshall MS2 Micro Amp The beauty of this little amp, and I speak from experience, is this: although it’s only little, it’ll make you look super cool and it’s got a sweet wee sound to boot, for its size anyway. It looks just like your regular Marshall amp (maybe one that’s been shrunk in the washing machine though) but it’s totally portable - it’ll fit in your bag, maybe even your pocket if you wear really, really baggy jeans. All you have to provide is your guitar, your lead and some batteries and you can rock out wherever, whenever you like. Perfect for all you street buskers out there.
REDDOG PRICE: £23 WINTER 2010 2010 THE AUTUMN THE DOG DOG 15 15
Y
ou came to Red Dog Music on your UK Masterdesign tour last year, what was your impression of the store? MS: Red Dog Music was our first stop to promote the new Tanglewood Masterdesign series. These guitars are my babies so naturally, I was nervous of how people would like them. On entering the store, there was a very professional feeling about it: the staff looked after us well and they were eager to learn about the guitars. We had a wonderfully attentive crowd so we were delighted with the response - I still have the Red Dog Music business card on my pin-board to remind me of what a good music store it is. You are Scandinavia’s #1 luthier and your handmade instruments command premium prices, what made you decide to work with Tanglewood on Masterdesign instruments? MS: I was exhibiting my own Sandén Guitars at a show and Tanglewood approached me about making their Masterdesign models because my unique bridge design caught their inter interest. I wanted to design a guitar that was different, used all solid wood and wasn’t just another beefed up version of a jumbo, covered in mother of pearl. If you look closely, you’ll see that there is not one single detail that is exactly the same as on my own guitars. Every element is a little different – the bridge design, the headstock design – they are only similar in my approach.
“
Why the zero fret ? MS: I’ve used a zero fret on all 400-ish guitars that I’ve built, bar maybe 5. When I started building guitars, the teacher I had was also very into this concept. At first, I thought the zero fret was only for cheap guitars because in the 50s, a lot of cheap guitars had zero frets. However, the zero fret is good for three reasons: String Height (you can play the same guitar for 25 years, change the zero fret and you have exactly the same string height as before), Balance (on the zero fret, you always have metal hitting the strings meaning you get a much better balance between open chords and bar chords) and Action & Intonation (because there is a rounded edge on the nut, the string needs to have a sharp edge exit to get the right intonation.) Red Dog Music proudly supplies Masterdesign guitars to some very discerning players on the local music scene and beyond. In your opinion, will the guitars age well, and improve over the years? instruMS: Like any top flight instrument, Tanglewood Masterdesign is designed with soundboards and materials of the very best quality, chosen for their ability to age gracefully and with increasing tonality. Building a residual and evolving character to all our guitars is a feature we are most proud of and it definitely sets us apart from other models. We pride ourselves on our classic, contemporary, understated cosmetic. If you like the look of the Masterdesign, we can assure you’ll love the sound and over the years, it will only improve. Michael San
I wa waNTED NTED TO DESIGN
“
a GuITaR G ITa Gu ITaR aR
THaT aT waS aT waS
DIffERENT ERENT
SPOT LIGHT ON...
MIChaeL M IChaeL
Sanden
Tony Flatt from Tanglewood talks to Michael Sanden about his beautifully hand-crafted Master Design series guitars, the inner workings of his guigui tar-building mind and what he thinks of Red Dog Music.
den & ‘Homesick Mac’ with one of Michael’s guit ars at the Frankfur t show.
WINTER 2010 THE DOG 17
This is possibly the most infuriatingly open-ended way to start an article in a magazine that predominantly concerns itself with the production of music but, hey, if The Dog’s articles aren’t written to infuriate musicians and producers, n what are they written for? By Alex Marte ector, (Managing Dir ) Red Dog Music
T
he general consensus, shared by musicians and philosophers of aesthetics alike, is that music is a form of expression. To paraphrase (by which I mean “misquote”) someone whose name I have either forgotten or (more likely) never knew, “talking about music is like dancing about architecture”. Its very essence is that it is a form of expression in itself; we strum, hit, scrape, blow and tickle (occasionally) things in order to make sounds, rhythms, melodies and harmonies that will express those things that are otherwise inexpressible, or at least hard to express. Exactly what we try to express through music varies wildly from adolescent angst to religious fervour to streetwise swagger and all manner of emotions in between, but what all forms of music have in common is that they strive to express something. Expressing yourself is about communicating your inner feelings to others, and this is what I am rather slowly driving at: without others to express our music to, the music very quickly loses its purpose and, ultimately, its value. This is why the creation of music is inherently a social interaction; it is about people coming together to express things to each other and to the rest of the world, it is about communication. And how is this relevant to you, O world-weary reader?
AUTUMN WINTER 2010 THE DOG 19
It is relevant to you because, slowly but surely, musicians and producers like you are being encouraged (no doubt for insidious, shadowy purposes) to make music alone. As a musically inclined person, it is now surprisingly easy to bypass all forms of direct human interaction when creating music. All the gear you need can be ordered online and delivered to your door.
“MUSIC IS A CONVERSATION, MAKING IT ALONE IS LIKE TALKING TO YOURSELF” The gear in question can include virtual session players who can replace your friends or, if this isn’t good enough, you can virtually “jam” live online, via services such as eJamming, with other musicians around the world. It’s only a matter of time before Native Instruments release a VST plugin called “Rekord Kontrakt” that not only composes a song, plays all the parts, mixes and masters it, but also both submits the resulting track to a record company and generates a meticulously-modelled virtual rejection letter from said company, thus completing the process known only too well to many of us real musicians. Ultimately we lowly humans won’t be required to engage in the process whatsoever. Hooray! Er... OK - this may be a little bit far-fetched - but it is true to say that every single part of the music production process can now be carried out “in the box”, alone in your room. But can it really? Yes, the so-called “Communications Revolution” the rise of the internet and (almost) instantaneous data sharing - has meant that we can share
20 THE DOG WINTER 2010
basic information that can be communicated digitally, but does this really apply to live music? I would argue that it doesn’t, that no super-high-bandwidth information uber-highway, no cutting-edge online collaboration service, can match the immediacy of the communication involved when performing in a room with other players. Anyone who plays in a band will know that, at a good gig or practice, each band member communicates with the others via incredibly subtle signals - the nodding of a head, tapping of a foot, winking of an eye. So subtle are these signals, in fact, that the band members themselves may not even know that they are doing anything. Can we really expect a computer to pick this up? There is an almost magical instantaneity to this process, an instant psychic connection no latency, not just “low latency” - and, for this reason, there is a great joy to it that cannot be replicated by computer based interactions, let alone by virtual accompanists, and the resulting music has depth, expression and soul. Many home producers will PACK PROFILE#02 know the feeling of emptiness that can accompany a day or evening of coming up with perfectly good musical ideas that just don’t seem to go anywhere. This is because music is a conversation - making it completely alone is like talking to yourself, and we all know where that leads... So what? So stop playing Name: with yourself (fnarr) and get out Alex Marten there and play with others (oo-er), About: meet like-minded (real, physical) Alex is the owner and musicians, hang out in your local founder of Red Dog music shop, go to jam sessions and engage with others, commu- Music, as well as being nicate with them and, as N.W.A. the keyboard player and would say (or at least sample), guitarist in afro spaceexpress yourself. You will learn funk band Asazi Space to communicate more effectively Funk Explosion. though your music and your His greatest non-musical music will thus undoubtedly achievement is having become richer, more expressive eaten 14 Weetabix in a and ultimately better. (Originally featured in ‘Sound on Sound’ magazine.)
single sitting.
AUTUMN 2010 THE DOG 21
The Dos & Don’TS of...
A
t some point in your career, you will need to record your music. Regardless of whether you’re a do-it-yourself engineer or you’ve booked into a pro studio, this guide should help you avoid the common pitfalls that bands fall into pretty regularly when recording for the first time.
By Garry Boyle of CP Productions
Is ThAT gUITAR IN TUNE? M
aking sure your guitars and basses are healthy
before getting into the studio is the first step to getting a fantastic sound. Fresh strings and a good tuner get you a substantial amount of the way there; however, if the intonation on the instrument is out it will never be in tune. A simple and inexpensive guitar set up will get your guitar back into shape, in tune and playing as well as the day you got it.
WINTER 2010 THE DOG 23
The DOs & DON’Ts of. ..
The DOs & DON’Ts of ... s with the guitars, a little love and care will get your kit into shape before the studio.
A
Some fresh skins on the snare, toms and kick and proper tuning will go a long way to getting a great drum sound. Listen to the engineer and his advice as to where the drums should go in the live room and take their advice regarding any little tuning tweaks or dampening they may suggest.
T
VOCALS
G
he human voice is the most complex of instruments
and can be affected by a number of factors including tiredness, nerves and general abuse (alcohol and smoking are common causes here). As a singer you need to be comfortable and ready to deliver not only the vocal but a performance that will draw the listener in. Be sure to warm up before getting into the vocal booth by going over some simple vocal exercises (which you can find online) or by singing along to the track acoustically. Have your lyrics learned and a paper copy with you for that ‘mind blank on verse 2’ syndrome. Be prepared to try out a few mics so the engineer can find the one in their collection that compliments YOUR voice.
etting a sound you like at the very start is the quickest
way to a good sounding recording. There is only so much an engineer can do after the recording to manipulate the sound to how you want it, so communicate what you want BEFORE you start so everyone understands what you expect. Do remember that your favourite band sound the way they do because of how the musicians interact with their instruments in whatever studio they were in at the time and recreating the exact sound will be very hard, if not impossible. Finding your own sound or style will do much more for your career long term than to copy whatever is currently in trend.
24 THE DOG WINTER 2010
DRUMS
What to expect from your session
our studio session will run on a balance between quality and quantity.
Y
As with anything, the more time and effort you put into it, the better the result will be. Booking two days of studio time and expecting to record an album to a high standard is very unlikely. Take the time to record a few of your best tracks and get the best performance and sound you can. One well recorded track with a brilliant performance will stand out far more than a whole bunch of average tracks with weak performances.
L
PREPARATION
ast but by no means least, bring spares.
Spare strings, spare batteries for pedals, spare drum sticks and spare guitar leads. These little inexpensive spares will keep the session running and prevent you holding the session up whilst the drummer nips out to get you a battery when yours dies. Make sure you are well rehearsed and all know the material the way you will be recording it (discuss this with the engineer). If you plan to record to a click, practice with a metronome, if you plan on recording the vocal after the band, practice without the singer. Playing to a click or without the guidance of a vocal for the first can really throw your performance and make a piece of music you know well seem alien, so get this under control in the rehearsal room.
GETTING THE SOUND AT SOURCE
Remember that recording is a fun process but expect to put in some hard graft and concentration to get the best out of yourself. Preparation, communication and organization are the key to the success of any project. Good luck and happy tracking.
Meet Garry Boyle... Garry is a well-known and very talented Edinburgh producer who has worked with an array of local bands including Bombskare, The Banana Sessions, Rossco Galloway & The Chans and The Discordian Trio, to name only a few. As well as studio recording, he’s also done a lot of live recording at venues in and around Edinburgh, his upcoming one being ‘Live at The Jazz Bar’ which features the finest selection of bands recorded live from the infamous Jazz Bar on Chambers Street. If you want to check out his work or get in touch about getting some studio/live recording done for your band, visit www.c-p-productions.com
AUTUMN WINTER 2010 THE DOG 25
RoundUp
A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BEST PRODUCTS IN THEIR CATEGORY, THIS ISSUE IT’S...
MONITORS
“ThEIR pREcIsE ANd cLEAR soUNd Is vERy EAsy oN ThE EAR”
A
dam Monitors have a great reputation and really do give you more for your money. With their Rohacell/carbon fibre woofer and Accelerating Ribbon Technology tweeter (ART), they allow
AdAM
you to see right into the mix, picking up on the smallest of details. Their precise and clear sound is also very easy on the ear and not at all fatiguing, even on marathon mixing sessions. Whether you are mixing jazz, thrash metal or drum and bass, your music will be re-produced with stunning precision and accuracy.
gENELEc
G
enelec Speakers have been used in so many studios worldwide it would take about 3 hours to read through their user list. The reason for this is the exceptional level of detail they reveal in the music. Mixing music on Genelecs is a real joy and it’s easy to see why they are held in such high esteem with professional engineers. Deep, powerful bass, clear, transparent mid range and a wonderfully detailed top end are attributes that define the Genelec range.
“MIxINg MUsIc oN gENELEcs Is A REAL Joy ANd IT’s EAsy To sEE Why ThEy ARE hELd IN sUch hIgh EsTEEM”
AUTUMN WINTER 2010 THE DOG 27
Round Up yAMAhA A LOOK
UCTS IN THEIR CATEG AT SOME OF THE BEST PROD
ORY, THIS ISSUE IT’S...
MONITORS
Y
“WIThoUT doUBT ThE MosT REcogNIsABLE spEAKERs IN ThE WoRLd”
our Excellency, with these distinctive white cones you are really spoiling us. Yamaha Monitors are without doubt the most recognisable speakers in the world. The legendary NS10s have been a staple in professional studios for 25 years, and the love affair seems set to continue with Yamaha’s updated models, the HS
“hIgh qUALITy pRoFEssIoNAL MoNIToRs ThAT ARE WELL WoRTh ThE FEW ExTRA pENNIEs”
D
series. It’s clear that they have been tweaked slightly for the modern era and, to our ears, they sound much better for it. The mid range is still incredibly detailed, but the bass is now much more evident. If you do find that you need yet more bass then simply hook up the sub, which will give you a full range set up.
Round Up
A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BEST
“ThEsE MoNIToRs ARE vERy EAsy To MIx oN ANd oFFER A REvEALINg soUNd”
A
gain and again, Alesis have managed to turn out very affordable sets of monitors that are capable of giving great results. These monitors are very easy to mix on and offer a revealing sound that will soon alert
dyNAUdIo
28 THE DOG WINTER 2010
ALEsIs
you to any problems. I know a producer who could pretty much have his pick of any monitors, but he has stuck with his Alesis as he knows their sound and continually turns out amazing sounding professional mixes.
I
f price and performance are close to your heart and your wallet, you could do a lot worse than check out what KRK have to offer. These monitors, like the established Genelecs, are starting to find their way into many pro studios and that is not surprising as there is a lot to like about them. Great detail, dynamics, and image width and depth are all to be found here. With their 8 inch driver, they deliver deep accurate bass that is tight and never overbearing, so you’ll have no trouble hearing what’s happening in those bottom octaves.
MAcKIE “ThE LoW-ENd Is WhERE ThEy hAvE WoN MANy AdMIRERs”
5
TOP
M
ORY, THIS ISSUE IT’S...
KRK
ynaudio make high quality professional monitors that are well worth the few extra pennies. Superbly balanced and with a non-fatiguing sound that delivers punchy, controlled bass and a mid range that is perfect for analytically examining recordings. The separation is also excellent with everything coming through clean and clear without a trace of muddiness.
ackie Monitors have been incredibly popular for many years and it’s not hard to see why. A big full sound is what you get with Mackie and if you are mixing music that delivers a visceral punch like Rock, Dance or Reggae, Mackie really steps up to the mark. The low-end is where they have won many admirers and the mid and high detail on offer is not too shabby either. With a great price versus performance ratio and a build quality that would withstand a Martian invasion, they are well worth a look.
PRODUCTS IN THEIR CATEG
MONITORS
MONITOR
TipS
1
If you want your mixes to work on a variety of different speakers, you need to invest in quality monitors. Don’t skimp! However good the rest of your gear is, you won’t be able to tell without a good pair of monitors.
2
3
“ThEsE MoNIToRs, ARE sTARTINg To FINd ThEIR WAy INTo MANy pRo sTUdIos” IN CONC
LUSION. .
.
At the end o noth f down ing compa the day, re in fron in a w t of a s to sitting p e and li ll-treated air (or mo sten re) env throu ing to fam ironment gh ilia quick them. You r music ly ’l feature work out l very what s matt e to you r most .
If you go to a shop to check out different monitoring options, make sure to bring some music that you are triangle between them. familiar with. Invest in a pair of monitor Place your monitors a fixed stands to ensure the distance apart, and sit at tweeters are fixed in position at the point of an equilateral ear height.
4
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AUTUMN WINTER 2010 THE DOG 29
“People always seem to feel the need to heckle at a hip hop gig”
Red Dog Music would like to introduce the crème de la crème of Edinburgh’s live hip hop acts…
S
Questions by Roberta Pia
tanley Odd have been giving it big licks in the Scottish music scene throughout the last year, appearing first with a WHAM BAM performance at Edinburgh’s legendary Hogmanay Street Party and then going on to be one of only THREE Scottish acts that were handselected to perform on the T Break stage at T in the Park 2010. In our eyes, what makes Stanley Odd cool is their unique blend of geek rap, hip hop, funk, electronica and anything else that takes their fancy, but what makes them tick? The band’s enigmatic, charismatic front man, Solareye (aka Dave Hook), took some valuable time out of his day to allow us to delve into the inner workings of Stanley Odd’s mind…
How did you come up with your name? Stanley Odd was an alternative AKA I used to use sometimes and Veronika Electronika suggested we take it as the band’s name. It’s quite fitting, I reckon everyone has a bit of the Stanley Odd about them – that awkward, discomfort of feeling totally out yir depth in social situations. Pure antihero material. 30 THE DOG AUTUMN 2010
“I reckon everyone has a bit of the Stanley Odd about them” Describe your musical style in three words. Hip Hop, ken?
Your best and worst gigs?
Best, so far, would have to be Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2010 - just for the sheer number of people and what an amazing crowd it was. 20,000 maddies jumping around like lunatics. Also, this summer’s T in the Park was superb, as were some of the more alternative festivals like Kelburn Garden Party and as a slight detour for us, we loved doing Acoustic Edinburgh for it’s intimacy and the fact that people seriously listened to you quite intimidating actually! WINTER 2010 THE DOG 31
Stanley Odd Worst, by a country mile - was a local festival that will remain nameless. 45 minutes of squealing feedback while shouting yirsel hoarse without actually hearing a word you’ve said is pretty soul destroying.
tell us a funny stanley oDD story.
People always seem to feel the need to heckle at a hip hop gig, so there tends to be a fair bit of banter. One personal favourite is on hearing a rather portly gentlemen screaming at me ‘Your Round’ in between songs getting to reply ‘Naw mate you’re round.’ Get it? Haha.
“I reckon everYone hAs A bIt of the stAnleY oDD About theM”
who are your favourite local banDs?
Worst: A Scottish Fresh Prince of Bel Air (haha) Best: Cerebral Geek-Rap
StanleY
The Being Emcees North Atlantic Oscillation Kitty the Lion The Banana Sessions Black Lantern Music
what are your favourite bits of gear?
Roland SPD-S Korg microKORG Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9 (1970s version) Pro Tools – Transfuser is insane A beat-up old SM58
what tiPs woulD you give to anyone wanting to emulate the ‘stanley oDD’ sounD? Stay Odd.
best anD worst DescriPtion of your banD so far?
WhAT OThErS hAvE TO SAy AbOuT
what’s next for stanley oDD? Our new single ‘Sun Dance’ is out 25th October 2010, with a UK tour to follow.
Odd
“2010 could well be the year to catapult Stanley Odd to the forefront of Scotland’s music scene” The Scotsman
“...they were brilliant, great band, totally engaged with the audience, never seen Waverley as up for it” Stuart Nisbet, Edinburgh Hogmannay festival programmer “huge fan of this outfit and their wordly approach to hip hop – managing to be jazzy and leftfield whilst also pinching your pop earlobe” Gill Mills, Best of Myspace “Scottish MCing par excellence... witty lyricism and tight delivery ...a sweet female vocal hook that sticks to the musical pallet like peanut butter... expect to see more of them in the coming months” The glasswerk.co.uk “one of the most thoughtful and entertaining acts of the Scottish hip hop scene” The List “confident and cheeky rhymes... Veronika Electronika’s lovely singing and it’s top stuff. With the chance of mass appeal Stanley Odd should keep the good work up.” certifiedbanger.blogspot.com
For Stanley Odd’s music t... and more info, check ou
stanleyodd.com
32 THE DOG WINTER 2010
“social observations with gentle grooves and excellent live musicianship, creating a mix which should be on everyone’s iPod” Olaf Furniss, The Scotsman
kay, so you’ve had your frets levelled and re-profiled a couple of times and now they’re worn again. It’s time for a re-fret.
O
If you’re primarily a rhythm player or oldschool jazzer, you possibly don’t indulge in string-bending and can probably get away with quite low frets - Andy Summers had an entirely fretless guitar made for him by Hamer, back in the 80’s. However, most players prefer sufficient height to enable their digits to get alongside the strings, in order to push them up a couple of semi-tones.
“Andy Summers had an entirely fretless guitar made for him by Hamer, back in the 80’s” The first job is to get the old frets out cleanly and then prepare the fingerboard for the new frets. Most necks will need ‘truing-up’. Creating a level playing field, prior to installing new frets, is absolutely essential, otherwise any inconsistency in height levels will have to be ironed out, post re-fret, at the expense of the frets themselves. Likewise, long fingernails will have caused gouge marks in the fingerboard’s surface so, whenever possible, this also should be sorted and an umblemished fingerboard surface restored.
34 THE DOG WINTER 2010
These days there’s a wide choice of different fret profiles available, to suit many different tastes. Apart from vintage restorations, I usually select a ‘working wire’ - one that is tall enough to allow several level/re-profile jobs in its lifetime. It’s a bit like fitting tyres to a car; their wear is dependent on the amount of use they receive. The installation of special frets is sometimes used as a means of correcting problem necks. The technique of compression fretting makes use of extra wide fret tangs, which act as a sort of wedge to straighten and stabilise a bowed neck. Some Fender instruments, with non-fingerboard maple necks, must have their lacquer removed, prior to new frets being fitted. Failure to do this results in frets that aren’t properly seated but merely resting on top of the original layer of lacquer. The frets must be part of the neck and not one step removed from it.
“It’s like fitting tyres to a car; their wear is dependent on the amount of use they receive” Whatever the re-fret you choose, the job should also include a thorough set-up because, with the change of frets, the relevant playing parameters will all have changed.
Dr. Fretlove returns next time... WINTER 2010 THE DOG 35
}
do YoU Want £100 to SpEnd in rEd doG MUSiC?
}
We’re looking for a Red Dog Music Jingle to use for our very first Spotify ad. All you have to do is send in a WAV or MP3 file (standard CD quality 16 bit 44.1kHz, at least 192Kpbs) that is no longer than 30 seconds. We’ll have a listen through them and whichever one we like best will be aired all over Spotify and you’ll win £100 of Red Dog Music vouchers.
Up for it?
WIN!
SoUnd aS a poUnd
All recordings go to the Red Dog Music Soundcloud DropBox www.soundcloud.com/red-dog-unleashed
WINTER 2010 THE DOG 37
Drumming:
Gettingstarted If you’ve always fancied drumming but have never been able to wangle an acoustic kit due to the noise, Roland V-Drums are the ones to go for. We look at the two entry-level models in the range: the HD-1 V-Drums Lite and the TD-4KX.
HD-1 V-Drums Lite Probably the most compact e-kit available, the HD-1 is small (taking up around a metre square) and combines a distinctive design with no-nonsense operation. You have ten great sounding kits and a metronome for keeping time, while the toms are very quiet in use, being made of cushioned rubber. A dual-ply mesh-snare feels more realistic to play thanks to its authentic bounce and recoil. However, what makes the HD-1 perfect for beginners is the optional DT-HD1 drum tutor software, which allows you to connect a computer to the kit. You can play along with the drum notation or better ad style. Basically, the HD-1 and software is a complete system for learning drums: it’s small, quiet, sounds great and will help improve your game. www.roland.co.uk/hd1
TD-4X V-Drums The TD-4KX is the first ‘standard’ kit in the V-Drums range, with the mesh pads and brain mounting directly onto the stand. This gives more placement options than the HD-1 but it does mean the kit is bigger and more stable, which is good news if you hit like Keith Moon. The TD-4KX is an ideal practise kit, with tools to help you become a better drummer. You can work on your timing, speed or endurance and after each exercise you’re given a rating to motivate you. The kits themselves sound great and with 25 presets covering most genres you’ll find it easy to get inspired: you can even edit the way the kits sound if they’re not initially to your taste. The sounds, as you’d expect from the edrum daddies, are amazing: playable, authentic and expressive especially when playing the mesh pads. Overall, the TD-4KX is a great all-rounder with the inclusion of practise tools and great sound quality giving it the edge over the competition. www.roland.co.uk WINTER 2010 THE DOG 39
10 reasons why your next
practise amp should be a Roland Cube Buying a new practise amp? Do your homework, make sure it’s up to the job and you won’t be left with a dud. Here are ten must-haves, courtesy of the new Cube XL range from Roland: Boss Effects inside Cubes amps are powered by guitar effects technology from Boss, so they contain some of the most popular and essential guitar effects from the past three decades.
Metal vs cloth grille protection An aerated metal grille protects the speaker against misplaced size nines, reduces vibration, and helps project the sound.
COSM Cubes contain Roland’s powerful COSM technology, which recreates an array of world-class amps and effects to bring you versatile, playable, authentic tones.
Superior Knob design The knobs are on the top of the amp so you don’t have to bend down to adjust them or read them. Also metal shafts and housings are used for the knobs, so your knob won’t snap during rehearsals!
1
2
Quick
Re fe re nce
******************
Cube 15XL
15W, 3 Boss distortions, 3-band eq, tuner
Cube 20XL
20W, 9 effects, JC-120 mode, solo mode, 3-band eq, tuner
Cube 40XL
40W, 10 COSM amp models, 8 effects, 80-second Phrase Looper, JC-120 mode, solo function, 3-band eq, tuner
Cube 80XL
as Cube 40XL but with 80W speaker and 11 COSM amp models
JC-120 legacy Guitarists love the sound of the classic JC-120 Jazz Chorus for its smooth, warm tone. So a JC-120 mode is included from the Cube-20XL up.
3
Safer and better sounding: back board vs open back Cube amps are sealed, keeping the inside safe from harm. Having a solid back board also enhances the low frequency.
4
5
No Slipping: Rubber feet vs plastic corners Four rubber feet lift the amp slightly off the floor, reducing vibration and slippage as well as protecting wooden floors.
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Armour plated Cube amps have edge protectors that go along the entire depth of the case, protecting these vulnerable areas just as effectively as the corners.
8
Tough love for a tough world Amps need to be tough, so Cubes are subjected to all manner of abusive practises including tests for extreme temperatures, excessive vibration, dropping, strength of carrying handle and even the amount of button presses.
9
0.5% return rate The result of all this is a return rate of just 0.5%. Or put another way, they hardly ever break down.
10
*****
www.roland.co.uk 40 THE DOG WINTER 2010
AUTUMN 2010 THE DOG 41
DOG LLivE THE
MUSICPRESENTS
• • • • • • •
SUN 7TH NOV
• • • • • • •
BOSS preSentS
rOBert
hair of the Dog
Castellani S AT 1 3 T H N O V • • • • • • •
SunDayS
Because we love music THAT much, we thought we’d do something a little bit different from all the other music shops and start up our own ‘night’... or afternoon in this case.
R
ed Dog Music proudly presents Hair of the Dog Sundays. This means that on selected Sunday afternoons at 3pm, we’ll feature some fuggin’ awesome live music of some sort: whether that’s a handpicked selection of our own or an Open Couch Session (kind of like an open stage, but with a couch instead). The next act we have instore will be Edinburgh’s hip
hop and happenin’ Stanley Odd (see page 31 for an exclusive interview with their cheeky front chappy, Solareye) and our very first Open Couch Session will take place on the 5th December. Come on down to the shop and have a listen to some sweet, sweet Sunday music for FREE and if the couch is available, we’d love you to get involved. Live music, we salute you!
Tune of
The Week Did you know that we send out a weekly e-newsletter to everybody on our Dog mailing list? And in this newsletter, we feature a Tune of the Week? We’d like you to send in your music to our Red Dog
Music DropBox at www. soundcloud.com/red-dogunleashed. If it tickles us, we’ll feature it and folk all over the UK could be listening to your music. Sign up to our mailing list at www.reddogmusic.co.uk
• • • • • • •
Boss FX MADNEss WoRKsHoP • • • • • • •
SUN 14TH NOV
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stANlEy oDD @ HAiR oF tHE Dog suNDAys • • • • •
FRI 9TH & SAT 20TH NOV
• • • • •
Roland Piano CliniC • • • • • • •
SUN 21ST NOV
• • • • • • •
Small Feet little toeS @ HAiR oF tHE Dog suNDAys • • • • • • •
T H U 2 5 T H N OV
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SUN 5TH DEC
• • • • • • •
ableton live CliniC
OpEn COuCH SESSIOn
@ HAiR oF tHE Dog suNDAys • • • • • • •
TUE 7TH DEC
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THU 9TH DEC
• • • • • • •
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S AT 1 1 T H D E C
• • • • • • •
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Roland dRum CliniC
boSS GuitaR CliniC
RED DOG MuSIC
CHRistMAs sHoPPiNg
BOnanza! • • • • • • • SUN 19TH DEC • • • • • • •
THE Banana
SeSSiOnS XMaS Special
@ HAiR oF tHE Dog suNDAys • • • • • • •
SUN 2ND JAN
• • • • • • •
Hogmanay HanGOvER SHOw @ HAiR oF tHE Dog suNDAys • • • • • •
SUN 16TH JAN
• • • • • •
OpEn COuCH SESSIOn
@ HAiR oF tHE Dog suNDAys • •
S U N 3 0 TH J A N
• •
HOPwOOD
& BlaCK @ HAiR oF tHE Dog suNDAys • •
S U N 1 3 TH F E B •
•
OpEn COuCH
SESSIOn @ HAiR oF tHE Dog suNDAys • •
S U N 2 7 TH F E B •
•
gILLyFLoWErS @ HAiR oF tHE Dog suNDAys
WINTER 2010 THE DOG 43
RedDogMusic The Friendliest Music Store In The Universe
Officially The Best Independent Music Retailer In The UK
5,000 Square Feet Of Musical Equipment
As chosen by the Music Industries Association 2009
Guitars, amplification, keyboards, recording gear and more...
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The Best Prices We’ll match or beat our competitors
Top notch service and advice
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Red Dog Music 1 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2HY 0131 229 8211 | info@reddogmusic.co.uk www.reddogmusic.co.uk
For those about to rock, Red Dog Music salutes you.