SUMMER 2011 Issue Vol. 94 SweetNotes (800) 222–4700 | · PDF filewas guitar great Johnny Hiland, who has played on countless hit albums and is one of the nicest, most passionate

Mitch Gallagher

Editorial Director

[email protected]

You know what the coolest thing about the music industry is? It’s the people who work in it. I’ve been involved in the gear side of the industry as a journalist/writer/editor for many years, and the people I’ve met at the manufacturers, at the rep firms, at the magazines, and here at Sweetwater all share two things in common: a true love of music and a true love of the gear used to make music. And I’m not just talking about

here in the States. Recently I had the privilege of visiting our friends at Focal in France and our friends at Roland in Japan, and I can tell you that the passion for music and gear is truly international.

It’s what really brings us all together, whether we’re on the gear-making/retailing side or the music-making/music-recording side. It’s also what makes so many of today’s products so cool. The gear isn’t designed and built by faceless engineers in a lab; it’s carefully crafted by real musicians, who more than likely use the exact same toys to make music themselves, in the studio and onstage.

It’s fun and reassuring to know that guitar players made my amps and guitars, and that recording junkies made my mics and DAW. It’s part of what makes this music-making industry so special!

from the editorinside this issue

SweetNotes®

The distinctive click of an API 500A changing settings always let you know you were about to hear some awesome-sounding EQ. In fact, engineers used to route signals through API gear in bypass because of the sonic goodness it imparted. Good news! The 500 Series is more popular than ever — and the format is now being supported by a cadre of quality-conscious manufacturers.

The concept is simple. API’s original modules, designed to fit into a console channel strip, were suitably compact. A few years back, API introduced its self-powered Lunchboxes, designed to hold six or 10 modules, complete with 48-volt internal phantom power. The concept caught on, and today you can add processing punch to your studio by choosing from a potpourri of outstanding EQs, compressors, mic preamps, and 500 Series chassis. Typically less expensive than the equivalent full-size processors, 500 Series modules are an affordable way to juice up your sonic palette.

500 Series Gear

500 Series gear mounts into a chassis like this one from API. This lets you mix and match modules of various types in a compact space.

Neve 543: supremely musical classic compression.

500 Series Gear continues on page 4

(800) 222–4700 | www.sweetwater.com

SUMMER 2011 Issue | Vol. 94

From the Editor ........................................................1

500 Series Gear ........................................................1

GearFest ’11 .............................................................2

Hands On: Fender American Specials .....................4

Hands On: Sennheiser MK4 .....................................4

Hands On: Genelec 8260A .......................................5

Hands On: Wechter Solidbodies ..............................5

Hands On: Tech 21 Boost Chorus and Roto Choir ...5

Synth Tricks .............................................................6

Hands On: Bose L1 Model II with ToneMatch .........6

Hands On: IK Multimedia iRig Mic...........................6

Inside Sweetwater ...................................................7

Shure Beta 181 ........................................................7

Blackstar Now at Sweetwater.................................7

MISSION: ProGear ....................................................7

Sweetwater Welcomes Schecter ............................8

Hands On: Universal Audio UAD-2 Satellite ............8

Market Your Music Online! ......................................8

Hands On: Line 6 DT50 ............................................9

Sweetwater.com Web Innovations ..........................9

Customer Studio: Watson Wu ..................................9

Inside the Sweetwater Difference .........................10

Focal Factory Tour .................................................10

Samson Meteor Mic ...............................................10

Hands On: iConnectivity iConnectMIDI .................11

Rivera Rock Crusher and Silent Sister ..................11

Meet Richard Whittington .....................................11

Page 01.indd 1Page 01.indd 1 7/8/11 12:36 PM7/8/11 12:36 PM

s

Alan Parsons (right) speaks with Sweetwater Editorial Director Mitch Gallagher before an overfl owing crowd in Sweetwater’s Performance Theatre. Parsons described his work with The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and The Alan Parsons Project; his approach toward producing music; and his views on how technology has shaped modern music.

No one is too young to have fun at GearFest!

Every year at Sweetwater, we open the doors to our fans worldwide to showcase the latest and hottest music gear, and to have a lot of fun! GearFest ’11 turned out to be the biggest and most exciting event we’ve ever held. Thousands of excited customers visited us on Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25 to learn from the pros at workshops and seminars, to take advantage of our amazing GearFest deals, and, to get their hands on some sweet music gear!

First and foremost, we want to sincerely thank everyone who came to visit us at GearFest ’11, both customers and manufacturers! We could not continue to put on such an exciting event without the support of all of you. If you weren’t able to make it out this year, here’s a recap of just some of the amazing mo-ments that were experienced at GearFest ’11.

With so many manufacturers, products, and events to check out, GearFest was an action-packed weekend. There were two pro audio tents, an iPad playground, tents for both acoustic and electric guitars, a drum tent, a DJ tent, the popular Musician’s Flea Market tent, and a variety of displays from our manufacturer friends — it was hard to know where to begin! Luckily, there was always something interesting and informative going on wherever you found yourself.

GearFest ’11 was all about the hands-on experience out in the gear tents. With over 35 guitar manufacturers, 45 studio equipment vendors, 20 soft-ware publishers, and 20 microphone manufacturers, there was no shortage

N i t t h

Music, Sun, and Fun at

GearFest ’11 showcased more amazing per-formances than ever! Clockwise from bottom left: Greg Koch shows off his legendary guitar prowess, David Ellefson of Megadeth displays his mastery of the bass, and Frank Bello of Anthrax fame impresses a full audience with his energy and inventive playing style.

International phenomenon BT discusses his innovative Stutter Edit effects plug-in, developed by iZotope. After an in-depth presentation, GearFest guests were treated to a free performance by BT in Sweetwater’s outdoor amphitheater!

Grammy-winning producer and engineer David Isaac discusses his successes in the world of R&B and pop music, and what it takes to be successful in music today.

SWEETNOTES | SUMMER 2011 | PAGE 2

Exclusive videos, features, and hands-on reviews at www.sweetwater.com/expert-center

Page 02-03.indd 2Page 02-03.indd 2 7/8/11 12:38 PM7/8/11 12:38 PM


Discover the Sweetwater Difference — call (800) 222–4700 or visit www.sweetwater.com

of knobs to turn and sounds to listen to. And not only were our guests able to test-drive the latest technology, but manufacturers were on hand to answer questions and give in-depth demos!

Guitarists and bassists had to be convinced they weren’t dreaming when they saw two giant tents packed with instruments from Fender, PRS, Martin, Wechter, and so many more. Chords were strummed and riffs were unleashed all weekend long, as guests got their hands on a wide array of instruments. On top of the great action in the tents, Gibson impressed everyone with their tour bus fi lled with amazing Gibson guitars.

But the activity and cool events weren’t all outside, there were plenty of workshops and seminars in our state-of-the-art Performance Theatre and conference hall. Visitors had the rare and exciting opportunity to listen and learn from industry legends such as Alan Parsons (The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Project), electronica master BT, producer/engineer/programmer David Isaac (Whitney Houston, Marcus Miller, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin), live sound and recording engineer Robert Scovill (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Prince, Rush), music technology expert Craig Anderton, and many others. With enlightened perspectives from these experienced engineers and musicians, we all learned a lot!

With so many great guest speakers on hand to share their insights, GearFest ’11 featured something for everyone. Engineer Kent Morris provided valuable tips on choosing the right equipment for worship sound. Songwriter Mark Cawley (Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, The Spice Girls) shared his inspir-ing perspectives on writing lyrics. And producer/engineer Fab Dupont (Queen Latifah, Jennifer Lopez) hit a home run with his two-part seminar on tracking and mixing a full band (fl own in specially from New York just for this session!). With such a diverse showing of customers from all areas of the industry, we are thankful that our lineup of guest speakers was able to cater to everyone’s interests.

When it came time to give the feet a rest, our guests had no shortage of inspiring musical performances to check out. Recording artist and producer BT impressed all with his electronic prowess, while also giving an in-depth look at the awesome Stutter Edit software he created with iZotope. Guitar virtuoso Paul Pigat put on a stellar performance and showed us that he really can play it all. And returning for another amazing GearFest performance was guitar great Johnny Hiland, who has played on countless hit albums and is one of the nicest, most passionate musicians you could meet. Thanks again to all of our guest speakers and musicians for helping to make GearFest ’11 the best yet!

Every year that we present GearFest, we’re humbled by the fantastic turnout and response from our customers — new and old. Thanks to our manufacturer partners and guest speakers, thousands of visitors took home lasting memories of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. We hope that you

enjoyed GearFest ’11 as much as we did, and that you have found new inspiration for your music. If you weren’t able to attend this year, enjoy the pictures and check out our coverage on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. We hope to see you next year at GearFest ’12!

Gibson’s Tour Bus gave GearFest guests a rare opportunity to get their hands on legendary vintage Les Pauls, SGs, ES-335s, and more.

There was more to see and do at GearFest ’11 than ever before! Guests took advantage of huge deals at the GearFest DealZone, Gibson’s Art Guitar exhibit presented a rare glimpse of some of the most creative and artistic guitars on the planet, and Sweetwater’s in-house guitar experts restrung hundreds of guitars for GearFest guests for free.

Meeting the Masters of MusicOne of the most exciting aspects of GearFest is the opportunity to learn from top musicians and engineers. We’d like to thank our guest presenters once again for not only sharing their knowledge with all of us, but also for taking the time to meet and interact with GearFest guests. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance for many of our visitors to rub elbows with legendary artists and engineers such as Alan Parsons, BT, Frank Bello, David Weiner, Robert Scovill, Fab Dupont, Craig Anderton, and David Ellefson. Thanks to the graciousness and generosity of our presenters, GearFest guests walked away with invaluable insights and memories that will last a lifetime.

BT provided an unforgettable close to GearFest ’11, generously spending time with fans after putting on an amazing live performance in Sweetwater’s outdoor amphitheater as well as a workshop in the Sweetwater Performance Theatre.

Producer/engineer Fab Dupont was at Sweetwater all weekend long, somehow fi nding time to present workshops on recording and mixing a full band in between meeting with GearFest guests.

Alan Parsons took the time to sign autographs and speak with his fans after his amazing seminar on Saturday morning.

Want more GearFest ‘11 coverage?Check out our videos on YouTube, “Like” us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter for news and coverage of exciting Sweetwater events!

g hunhundredredsds offof guiguiguitartars fs foror GeaGearFerFestst gueguestssts

ollow nts!

Page 02-03.indd 3Page 02-03.indd 3 7/8/11 12:39 PM7/8/11 12:39 PM

By Mitch Gallagher

Sennheiser is best known for their dynamic microphones, but that doesn’t mean they don’t make great condensers! And with the MK4, they’re bringing their condenser to the project studio.

The MK4 is a large-diaphragm side-address condenser microphone, and it comes in at a great price for a studio mic. But that price belies the quality of the microphone. We’re talking detailed top end, tight bottom end, natural dynamic response, wide frequency response, and the capability to withstand sound-pressure levels up to 140dB.

The MK4 is an excellent vocal microphone with a warm tone and a rich sound. It provides good detail without being too sibilant, and it has fi ne clarity. It also sounds great on electric guitar amps and even acoustic guitars, where it has a nice full tone and a tight bass response.

If you’re looking for one condenser mic to step up the quality in your project studio, or if you want to expand your capabilities with a well-performing large-diaphragm condenser, then the MK4 is the mic for you. Best of all, it comes in at a great price, so you can easily afford to add it to your rig.

Hands OnSennheiser MK4

,

By Mitch Gallagher

“Built by the people, for the people & within your reach” is the slogan on Fender’s website describing the new American Special line of guitars and basses. And it’s an apt descriptor: the new instruments are made in the USA and come in at stellar prices. I had the chance to check out fi ve instruments: a Telecaster, a Stratocaster, a Stratocaster HSS (with a humbucker at the bridge), a Jazz Bass, and a Precision Bass.

All fi ve instruments were top notch. They were solidly constructed, well set up right out of the box, and primed for making music. I ran them through a Fender Mustang III amplifi er (see sidebar for more on this amp). Each one produced the tone I’ve come to expect from a high-quality Fender instrument, from the twang of the Tele to the quack of the Strat in the in-between position to the crunch of the HSS humbucker to the rolling thunder of the two basses.

We’re talking classic good looks combined with classic tones. Each of the instruments rang well, with plenty of sustain. The pickups were solid, offering full, rich tones. And the hardware was of the quality you’d

expect from an American-made guitar or bass. These were U.S.-made Fenders all the way.

How much did I like the American Specials? Well, I ended up spending my hard-earned dollars to buy the Precision Bass for myself, and I couldn’t be happier. It plays great, it’s light, it rings like a bell, it sustains well, and the tone is true P Bass all the way. The same can be said for the whole American Special family; they all deliver

the real thing at a great price, and they’re made in America — very nice!

Hands On

ddd

ByBy MMititchch GGalallalaghgherer

“BBuiuiltlt bbyy ththee pepeopoplele, foforr ththFeFendnderer’ss wwebebsisitete ddesescrcribibininbbasses. AAndd itit’’s an aptt ddeprpriciceses. II hahadd ththee chchanancece tt((w( iithh a hhu bmbuckker at thhe

AlAlAllll fififi veve iiinsnsttrtrumumenenttsts wwerereeprprimimeded fforor mmakakiningg mumusisiththisis aampmp)). EEacachh ononee prproofrom the twang of the Tfrom the twang of the THSS humbucker to the

We’re talking cwell, with plent

expect f

How mPrecisiothe tone

the real t

BONUS: Mustang IIII had the opportunity to play the American Special guitars through the new Mustang III amplifi er. This is a pretty amazing piece of work from Fender: 100 watts, 12" speaker, built-in effects, and excellent-sounding amp models of all types. Whether for home practice — yes, it sounds great at very low volume levels despite the high power rating — rehearsal, studio work, or live performance, there’s a ton of tone in this lightweight, highly affordable amp. It’s the fi rst Mustang I’ve played through, and I’m sure it won’t be the last — Mustangs rock!

> >> > Sennheiser MK4

Sweetwater price $299.95

www.sweetwater.com/MK4

Fender American Special



Serious ImplicationsWould it be great to pack both API and Neve gear in your rack? You bet it would. How about Daking, Grace Design, Maag Audio, Vintech, Radial, A Designs, Millennia, JDK Audio, True Systems, or Tonelux? Now that we have your full attention, you can start to see the serious implications of the 500 Series form factor.

Choose Your Vintage500 Series gear gives you a totally flexible sound-shaping tool kit. Back in the ’70s, you were restricted to the single sound (no matter how awesome) of the console you were using, but today’s reality is somewhat different. Sometimes you want the smooth, warm musicality of vintage signal processing, and other times you need the incisive, surgical precision of modern gear. Now you can combine vintage and modern tones from numerous manufacturers to suit your particular needs and sonic

preferences. Some manufacturers are even stepping up to the plate with 500 Series modules that let you “choose your vintage.”

We Can HelpIn your quest for the ultimate sound, there’s no limit to how tweaky you can get — while staying within the convenient and affordable 500 Series form factor. With so much great gear to choose from, assembling a 500 Series rack may seem daunting, but your knowledgeable Sweetwater Sales Engineer is here to assist you in this noble endeavor! Learn more at our 500 Series page: www.sweetwater.com/shop/studio/500-series/.

500 Series Gear continued from page 1

Boutique in a box: the Daking Mic Pre 500 and True Systems PT2-500 mic pres each deliver a unique sonic signature. Maag Audio’s PREQ4 serves it up with a twist: “Air Gain” lets you dial in a special boost that breathes life into any track.

Fortify your sonic palette with only the best: API’s classic 550b equalizer,

Rupert Neve Designs’ Portico 517 preamp/compressor, andChandler Limited’s Little Devil compressor.


By Mitch Gallagher

Wechter Guitars has a solid reputation as a maker of acoustic and instruments, but the company has never ventured into the realm of solidbody electric guitars — until now, that is! Wechter recently introduced two solidbody models. The fi rst model, the Pathmaker SB Standard features a carved alder body, a set maple neck, and a rosewood fi ngerboard with a 25" scale length. A tremolo bridge rounds out the hardware.

The guitar is loaded with two humbucking pickups, which are mounted in Seymour Duncan Triple Shot mounting rings. This very cool system allows you to instantly switch each pickup among series humbucking, parallel humbucking, and each coil of the pickup individually, which gives you four unique sounds per pickup. When you factor in the ability to combine the two pickups, as well as the addition of a phase switch, you get a total of 40 different sounds from one guitar! I won’t tell you there’s a night-and-day difference between every sound, but there are absolutely 40 different tonal shades available at the fl ick of a switch or two.

The second model is the Pathmaker SB Maple. This guitar has a mahogany body with a carved maple top, a set mahogany neck, a rosewood fi ngerboard, and a tremolo bridge equipped with a Graph Tech Acoustiphonic system for creating an acoustic guitar tone. You can switch between the acoustic tone and the two Seymour Duncan pickups (with the Triple Shot switching system), or you can blend the electric and acoustic sounds for tremendous tonal versatility.

Each Wechter Solidbody is set up using the Plek Pro system, which is a computer-guided system for leveling and dressing the frets. It ensures that the guitar plays buzz free, with the best-possible action.

As a bonus, I was able to play a Wechter Solidbody equipped with an optional 13-pin MIDI output, hooked up to drive a Roland GR-55 synth. The system tracked very well and expanded the capability of the instrument immensely. If you’re into synth guitar, or want to give it a try, defi nitely consider adding this option!

Wechter Solidbody guitars deliver great playability, excellent build quality, and tons of rich tones, all in an amazingly affordable package. But bang-for-the-buck value aside, these are simply excellent instruments. Check them out!

Hands On

neck, and a rosewoood

uncan Triple among series

s you four unique as the addition of a ere’s a night-and-daay ailable at the fl ick of

th a carved maple th a Graph Tech e acoustic tone and an blend the electric

MIDI xpanded t a try,

Wechter SolidbodiesHands OnGenelec 8260A

By Mitch Gallagher

You have to have great monitors to really hear what’s going on in your tracking, mixing, and mastering sessions. And I’ve just spent time with some of the most phenomenal studio monitors I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing in my studio: the Genelec 8260A monitors. Did I really hear what was going on in my sessions? You better believe it!

The 8260As are midfi eld monitors featuring a 10" woofer, a 5" mid driver, and a 3/4" tweeter. The drivers are tri-amped with 390 watts of power — plenty of power to blow you away, if that’s what you want! There are two ways to use the 8260As with your rig. You can connect them via analog connections and use them as conventional studio monitors. You can also connect them digitally to the AES/EBU outputs of your DAW’s audio interface.

Either way, they sound spectacular: huge, rich, full, articulate, dynamic, punchy, and natural. The bass extension goes way deep. The highs sparkle but are never harsh. These are speakers you can trust to be accurate, and they are gentle enough not to fatigue your ears during long sessions.

But you can take it even further by networking the 8260As together with your computer using Genelec’s proprietary GLM technology. This lets you connect a microphone and have the speaker automatically tune itself to your room via sophisticated DSP (digital signal processing). The result is stunning. Just the straight speakers sound wonderful, but when you optimize them for your space, things get even better.

Quality and capability this massive isn’t for everyone, but if you’re looking for show-stopping monitors to power your studio, then defi nitely give the 8260As a long, serious look. You won’t be disappointed. These are incredible speakers.

ional

By Mitch Gallagher

Tech 21 has long been known for their SansAmp family of guitar and bass processors. These were some of the fi rst amp simulators on the market, and they still hold up well, producing excellent tones. The Character series upped the ante with a line of pedals that each simulated a particular type of amplifi er. These pedals have been very popular in the worship market because they include a nice extra: speaker simulation. This lets the pedal become, in effect, your amplifi er. Just feed it straight into the PA, and you’re ready to go.

Now Tech 21 has a new line of pedals, the Boost series. They sent me two members of the Boost family: the Boost Chorus and the Boost Chorus Bass. The new Roto Choir was also in the package. These pedals re-create the sound of vintage pedals, while adding some nice extras. The Boost Chorus, for example, can replicate a very wide range of chorus pedals from the ’70s, from pedalboard-standard choruses to “Tri-mode” choruses. You’re given a ton of control, including a mix control (this has become a must-have for me on my chorus pedals) and a pre-delay control that allows the pedal to reach into the fl anger realm and almost get into the slap-delay range. A level control lets you match the output of the effect to the bypassed signal, or you can boost the level of the pedal way up if you so desire.

You can set the Boost Chorus for everything from a subtle thickening to a lush, syrupy wash to a warbly tonality, with rich, colorful tones on tap at every setting. The Multi Voice switch makes things even richer and deeper. I have a number of choruses in my collection, and I have to say that the Boost Chorus can stand in for any of them — color me impressed! If you’re after a Swiss Army knife of a chorus that sounds great at every setting, this is the one. The bass version adds detuning for even thicker, richer sounds, without losing bottom end.

The Roto Choir simulates rotary speaker effects. It can do pretty much everything the original can do: it ramps from slow speed to fast speed, you can overdrive it, you can adjust the mic distance from the cabinet, you can EQ the treble and the bass, and you can even switch from a single rotating drum to a bi-amped Leslie. In use, this pedal sounds very convincing. The fl exibility of the controls allows you to dial

in just the sound you want, whether you're looking for clean or dirty sounds. The overdrive sounds and feels natural, and the speed ramp up/down feels right. All in all, it's an excellent pedal — I believe this one has earned a spot on my pedalboard!

Hands On

TTeTeccststililThThyoyo

NoNoThTheeooi

Tech 21 Boost Chorus and Roto Choir

> >> > Genelec 8260A

Sweetwater price $4999.00 (ea)

www.sweetwater.com/8260A

> >> > Tech 21 Boost Chorus


www.sweetwater.com/BoostCH

> >> > Tech 21 Boost Chorus Bass


www.sweetwater.com/BoostCHB

> >> > Tech 21 Roto Choir


www.sweetwater.com/RotoChoir

> >> > Wechter Pathmaker SB Standard


www.sweetwater.com/PM7310BK

> >> > Wechter Pathmaker SB Maple


www.sweetwater.com/PM7350SB

Pathmaker

SB Standard

Pathmaker

SB Maple


Discover the Sweetwater Difference — (800) 222–4700 or www.sweetwater.com


By Jon Schafer

Playing live music is full of equipment challenges. And though it seems counterintuitive, playing in a small room is often more complicated than fi lling a stadium with sound. My folk/Americana trio, the Gimcrack Slackers, recently faced the small-room/live-sound challenge, playing a small club here in town. But thankfully, our friends at Bose were nice enough to loan us an L1 Model II with ToneMatch for the gig — and it performed admirably!

We had no trouble assembling the L1 Model II, although the low ceiling did make for a little excitement. Once we had the unit put together and positioned where we wanted it in the room, it was time to start plugging in and choosing ToneMatch presets for our particular setup. Our instrumentation consisted of two acoustic guitars, a banjo, an electric bass, and two vocalists. The vocal mics went into channels 1 and 2, with the banjo mic in channel 3. Channel 4/5 (a stereo pair of 1/4" jacks) accommodated the two acoustic-electric guitars running direct into the module. The electric bass was amplifi ed using an external bass amp.

The ToneMatch has presets that let you shape the sound for what you have running through the L1 Model II. For mics, all the usual suspects are included, along with voicings for various guitar pickups, basses, and much more. The menus are easy to navigate, and the presets sound great. After just a few minutes of selecting presets and dialing back the brightness of the acoustic guitars just a touch, we were ready to take the stage.

Now, for how it sounded. In a word: amazing! The room was fi lled but not overpowered by the sound system. The L1 Model II offered up very natural-sounding reproductions of all the instruments (even the banjo!), and we received several compliments on the sound after the show. When you couple the L1’s painless setup with its superb sound, it’s easy to see that Bose has a real winner here. We really didn’t want to send it back!

Hands On

By Mitch Gallagher

Looking for a great portable recording device? Why not use your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch? One reason might be that you don’t have a way to capture sound into the device. Well, that reason is no longer valid! IK Multimedia has introduced the iRig Mic, a handheld mic that plugs right into your i-device. The mic has a cardioid polar pattern and enough heft to feel nice and solid in your hand. It comes with a mic clip and a soft carrying pouch.

The iRig mic is equipped with a 3-position sensitivity switch and an 1/8" stereo output jack for connecting to a mixer, monitors, or headphones for real-time monitoring. The mic comes with a selection of apps, including AmpliTube Free (guitar/bass processor/amp simulator), VocalLive Free (vocal processing/single-channel recorder/backing tracks), and iRig Recorder Free (quick and easy audio recording and processing).

The iRig Mic works great for vocal practice, grabbing quick ideas, recording on the go, songwriting sessions, and even more. Anywhere you’d use a handheld recorder, you can use the iRig Mic and your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. It’s a cool idea that comes in at a no-brainer price!

Bose L1 Model II with ToneMatch

Hands OnIK Multimedia iRig Mic

View online versions of our print publications at www.sweetwater.com/publications/.


Earbuds and iPhone not included

> >> > Bose L1 Model II


www.sweetwater.com/L1m2B1T1

> >> > IK Multimedia iRig Mic


www.sweetwater.com/iRigMic

By Daniel Fisher

As I enter my 50th year of life, I fi nd myself thinking about what is important to me and, more specifi cally, what situations provide the most memorable fun and enjoyment. Family activities aside, I fi nd that jamming with talented friends is the most exciting and soul-satisfying thing I like to do on a night off.

In the old days (pre-children), we’d all turn up our amps just loud enough so that we could all hear ourselves well enough to play. Within minutes, each person would turn up "just a little bit more." Before long, we’d all be loud, but it sounded pretty good. Today, though, even the initial soft volume is way too loud for my house. Just when every-body’s groovin’, I’ll get the inevitable, “Turn it down!”

So I said to myself, “No problem. I own plenty of gear, and I have a headphone amp. I’ll just have everybody bring headphones, and it’ll be magic.” But it never was. The unchanging truth is that musicians need to hear themselves “just a little louder” than everyone else in order to play their best, and the single headphone mix made everyone unhappy. Plus, almost all the musicians were using stereo effects, and my mixer just doesn’t have 14 sends.

Enter the JamHub. There are three models to choose from: the BedRoom (5 sections, 15 audio channels), the GreenRoom (7 sections, 21 audio channels), and the TourBus (7 sections, 21 audio channels, an onboard SD recorder, and more). Each musician gets a TRS line-level stereo input, perfect for keyboards, guitar and bass pro-cessors, and electronic drum kits and groove boxes — even the headphone output of your iPod, iPad, or computer. Then they each get an XLR for their microphone (phantom power is available on the GreenRoom and the TourBus). It’s easy for each musician to balance the levels of all the other musicians. All the vocal mics have individual send amounts to a global vocal effects processor.

It’s amazing how much better musicians play and sing when they’re happy with their mix. The resulting music will be so good that you’ll want to record it via the stereo recording output channel, which has its own mixer and TRS output (USB output available on the GreenRoom and the TourBus). The TourBus even adds an SD card recorder to archive every moment of the jam.

There is also an optional remote mixing module, the SoleMix Remote, that effectively lets you have your slice of the pizza 12' away from the JamHub. The BedRoom has one connector for a single SoleMix. The GreenRoom and the TourBus each have four SoleMix connectors — and these models each come with one SoleMix Remote.

Headphone maker Direct Sound has partnered with the JamHub to create bundles (5-pack or 7-pack) of their EX-25 and EX-29 Extreme Isolation headphones. These headphones turn the JamHub into a pro-quality rehearsal facility. Each headphone is color coordinated to match a specifi c channel.

And fi nally, to those of you with lots of gear in your house, who are thinking, “I bet I already have enough stuff to do all this,” just consider that the whole JamHub can rest in your open hand; it weighs less than 5 lbs.! And it’s ready to go within a minute of everybody plugging in. More importantly, you don’t have to tear up your studio trying to get this to work. I promise you this: just one jam session with friends you rarely get to see will make you glad you own a JamHub.

SYNTH TRICKS

BedRoom

GreenRoom

TourBus

SoleMix Remote

®

TourBus

So

GreenRoom

TourBus

View online versions of our print publications at ww

BedRoom

ix Remote



By Chuck Surack

As I’m writing this, another GearFest is drawing to a close. (You can check out a full report on page 2.) We’ve been holding these huge gear exhibitions for quite a while now, and each year I’m amazed by the show. I’ve got to take a moment to thank the team that puts GearFest on; you wouldn’t believe the amount of planning, effort, and work that it takes to bring a show like this to you. The entire crew here at Sweetwater pulls together for many weeks to make it all happen, with a huge push during the last week and, of course, during the show.

But here’s the best thing: no one complains! Everyone here has as much fun bringing GearFest to you as the people who attend. GearFest really is a major celebration of gear and music, and we truly enjoy putting it on.

I’d also like to offer a big thanks to all the members of the extended Sweetwater family who make the effort to be here for GearFest: our family of manufacturers and reps. These wonderful people give up their personal time and go to great lengths to spend the long weekend with us here in Fort Wayne. We’re very grateful for and truly humbled by their efforts.

Last but certainly not least, I must thank all of you who came to our home to attend GearFest this year. Sweetwater friends and customers travel from all parts of the United States — and all parts of the world — to attend, and we’re honored to spend time with you.

It was a great weekend, one that offered something for everyone, including clinics and workshops, artist appearances, new gear debuts, and the chance to interact with manufacturers and get hands-on time with the gear — plus, perhaps best of all, the chance to mingle and hang out with other musicians, producers, and engineers from all over the world!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping to make GearFest such a huge success again this year. I don’t know how we’ll top it next year! If you weren’t able to attend, I hope that you’ll start making your plans to be here next year — it’s going to be a blast!

Inside


Tiny Mic, Large SoundIn the ever-changing world of microphones, Shure, one of the giants of all time, has

released a new condenser mic in their Beta series, the Beta 181. This mic is set apart by its swappable capsule design and diminutive size.

The Beta 181 stands less than 5" tall (with capsule), and the side-address capsule is less than 1.5" square. This mic is tiny, making it perfect for miking in small spaces. One of the more diffi cult instruments to mic can be the snare in a drum kit. The Beta 181 makes it easier than ever to get that perfect placement, without trying to shoehorn the body of a larger mic into a tight space — and it stays out of the drummer’s way. Being a side-address mic, it will work better in tight situations than most pencil mics. The cardioid capsule offers great off-axis rejection to isolate your source. The Shure Beta 181 excels in high SPL situations, as it has a maximum SPL rating of 151.5dB. So don’t be afraid to use this mic anywhere.

There are four capsules available for the Shure Beta 181: cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional, and supercardioid. No matter what your need, the 181 is ready. Each capsule has a 6-pin plug that plugs straight into the mic. A threaded insert securely locks down the capsule to the body of the mic. In typical Shure fashion, the Beta 181 is a solid, well-built, ultra-compact microphone that’s ready to take on your

biggest projects for years to come. > > Shure Beta 181


www.sweetwater.com/beta181c

Inrele

its swa

The Bethan 1more dthan evinto a twork brejectiomaxim

There a

> >> > S

S

w

Sweetwater is excited to introduce Blackstar amplifi ers to our customers! Although the well-known heavy hitters in the guitar amp world continue to release innovative new products, it’s refreshing to experience a new brand that offers truly unique products.

Blackstar Amplifi cation was born out of a desire to do something different. Founded by former Marshall amp engineers Ian Robinson and Bruce Keir, Blackstar quickly gained popularity, thanks to their attention to detail and attractive prices. With a range of amps that cater to everybody from the hobbyist home player to the touring professional, as well as a line of pro-quality stompboxes, Blackstar is an amp company to keep your eye on.

We’re stocking the complete line of Blackstar amps, but one of the fi rst to make its way to the Sweetwater warehouse is the HT-1 single-watt combo amp. There’s been a resurgence in popularity for low-wattage amps, and the HT-1 is great for recording and home practice. The 1-watt design lets you crank this combo right up to its tonal sweet spot, without overbearing volume. There’s even a speaker-emulated output for direct-recording convenience. The tonal fl exibility of the HT-1 is due to Blackstar’s patent-pending ISF (Infi nite Shape Feature), which gives you unprecedented control over the character of your amp. With a twist of the knob, you can blend the characteristics of USA and UK amps to develop your own unique sound.

Sweetwater is proud to provide these innovative UK-designed amps to the American audience. Built with quality components and offering you the ability to alter the sonic character of your amp, Blackstar amps represent fantastic value for guitarists of any musical style. Whether you’re looking for a dependable practice amp or a new rig for playing live, Blackstar’s lineup includes an amp for you.

Now at Sweetwater!

mplifiers to our customers! Although the well-known

HT-1

HT-1RH

HT-1R

MISSION: ProGearSweetwater is always pushing the boundaries of service and reliability. Now we’ve even pushed into the stratospheric boundaries of space. On May 11, 2009, the space shuttle Atlantis blasted off on a highly publicized mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. Mark Hubbard, deputy carrier manager for Hubble — and Sweetwater customer — asked the crew of Atlantis to sign a copy of Sweetwater’s ProGear Directory.

On an interesting side note, the shuttle crew included Commander Scott D. Altman, the actual pilot who fl ew Tom Cruise’s Tomcat in the movie Top Gun. The crew also consisted of Captain Gregory C. Johnson as well as mission specialists John M. Grunsfeld, Michael J. Massimino, Andrew J. Feustel, Michael T. Good, and Megan McArthur.

SweeNow wOn MpubliHubbcustPro

OnScotheJoM

To fi nd out more about Blackstar, check out sweetwater.com/store/manufacturer/Blackstar


Hands OnUniversal Audio UAD-2 Satellite

By Mitch Gallagher

If you’ve been reading SweetNotes for a while, then you know I’m a big fan of the Universal Audio UAD-2 platform. The UAD DSP hardware works great, and I love the plug-ins; I think they’re some of the best on the market. I’ve been using the UAD-2 Quad card in my studio and the UAD-2 Solo/Laptop in my MacBook ever since they became available, and I’d be loath to give them up!

But for portable applications, unless you had an ExpressCard slot in your laptop, you were out of luck as far as the UAD-2 family goes — until now, that is. The UAD-2 Satellite is a portable version of the UAD-2 DSP accelerator. It connects to your Intel-based desktop or laptop Mac via FireWire 400 or FireWire 800. As with the other UAD-2 models, the UAD-2 Satellite offers a variety of bundled plug-in packages. My advice is to get the package with the most plug-ins — you’re going to want them all! I received a UAD-2 Satellite Quad, which has four DSP accelerator chips in it. There is also a Duo version, which includes two DSP accelerator chips.

Getting the UAD-2 Satellite working is easy; just install the software from the included CD-ROM, plug in the Satellite, hook up the power supply, and go.

The Satellite comes with a free 14-day demo of all the available plug-ins, so you can give everything a real try in your own studio. There are so many

great plug-ins, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention two of the latest: The Studer A800 emulates the sound of an analog tape machine to the nth degree. And the new Lexicon 224 reverb is

simply stunning. The Lex 224 is a studio-standard digital reverb, and for good reason. It creates amazing ambiences and ’verbs — and this plug-in nails them. I spent way too much time trying it in place of my usual reverbs, and I was always happy with the results.

With the UAD-2 Satellite, Universal Audio has taken the UAD-2 platform to a whole new level of portability. If you’re a MacBook user and felt you were missing out because there wasn’t a UAD-2 that was compatible with your machine, then don’t wait another second! The UAD-2 Satellite is simple to install, lightweight, and portable, and it runs an amazing array of top-notch plug-ins. This little box can, with one quick FireWire connection, take your mixes to an entirely new level!

> >> > Universal Audio UAD-2 Satellite

bundles starting at $899.00

www.sweetwater.com/uad2Sat


Moving? Moved? Want more than one copy? Call, fax, or e-mail us your new address and don’t miss an issue of SweetNotes!

Sweetwater Welcomes Schecter Guitar Research

Nearly 35 years ago, Schecter Guitar Research began selling high-tech modifi cations for some of the most popular guitars on the market. By the late ’70s, Schecter was offering hundreds of custom guitar parts, and Schecter-hot-rodded guitars had become a staple of the more aggressive styles of rock of that era. It was only a matter of time before Schecter started offering custom guitars of their own. And these guitars were instantly adopted by some of the most infl uential fi gures in rock, including Pete Townshend, Mark Knopfl er, and Yngwie Malmsteen.

By the mid-’90s, a whole new breed of aggressive rockers were tapping into the Schecter sound. While mainstream alt-rockers, such as Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots, were using Schecters to redefi ne modern music, White Zombie’s Jay Noel Yuenger and Sean Yseult introduced a new generation of metal shredders to Schecter. It was time for a facelift, and Michael Ciravolo (Schecter’s new president at the time) was more than ready to break Schecter guitars out of their mold. Beginning with the revolutionary Diamond Series, Schecter began blazing new trails in metal guitar design.

The most recent decade of Schecter Guitar Research’s history has seen the company confi rmed as one of the most iconic guitar makers in the world,

providing unique designs and ultra-hot sound to guitarists in over 150 countries. Schecter’s elite USA Custom Shop instruments continue to command attention, appearing in the company of bands such as Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Seether, Nevermore, Black

Label Society, and many more. Schecter has also begun offering many of their top-of-the-line guitar styles in more affordable models, meet-ing the demands (and budgets) of a whole new generation of serious

guitarists. Call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer to fi nd out more about Schecter guitars.

Market Your Music Online!

By Chris Robley, marketing coordinator for CD Baby, www.cdbaby.com

Don’t compete. Be unique. Over 10 billion songs have been purchased from Apple’s iTunes music store. Amazon and Google recently launched competing cloud-music services. Companies such as Rhapsody and Grooveshark are making music discovery fun again. For the serious artist, digital distribution is no longer optional. But thankfully, it’s no longer a hassle either.

Companies such as CD Baby can get your latest single available on iTunes by the end of the week. However, the increasing ease of digital distribution has created new promo-

tional challenges for musicians who want to have their voices heard above the ever-growing crowd.

So your music is on sale at iTunes, but who is listening?Do yourself a favor: don’t look at the modern musical landscape as a marketplace governed by the laws of supply and demand. You’ll drive yourself mad. You don’t want to be just another Acme-brand rock band competing with an infi nite amount of other acts. Instead, defi ne yourself and let your promotional efforts be the way you share that defi nition with the world. When it comes to being you, there is no competition!

How do you help your future fans fi nd your music?Here are a few easy steps:

1) Start with your website. You need to have a hub from which you’ll engage your fans. All the content you create (songs, videos, etc.) should begin its life here. Then push it out to the social networks.

2) Blog frequently. Make the tone consistent with the musical persona you want to convey. Have a conversation with your fans.

3) Offer a free track or access to exclusive content in exchange for e-mail addresses.

4) Create e-mail newsletters that are compelling, engaging, and informative. Give readers something they want. Don’t just spam people with your latest product promotion.

5) Use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter to further establish your voice and style. Bring your personality to life.

6) Be everywhere. Customers want purchasing options. From your website, link to iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Rhapsody, CD Baby, etc.

7) Be interesting. Be unique. Be you. If you’re authentic, fans will follow. Once their ears are opened, they’ll want to buy your music. Make it easy for them and give them a reason to care about your career.



Exclusive videos, features, and hands-on reviews at www.sweetwater.com/expert-center.

> >> > Line 6 DT50 212 Sweetwater price $1499.99 www.sweetwater.com/DT50-212> >> > Line 6 DT50 112 Sweetwater price $1299.99 www.sweetwater.com/DT50-112> >> > Line 6 DT50 HD Sweetwater price $1199.99 www.sweetwater.com/DT50-HD > >> > Line 6 DT50 412 Sweetwater price $799.99 www.sweetwater.com/DT50-412

By Mitch Gallagher

Some players can make their music happen with just a single amplifi er kept on a single setting. But many of us are looking for versatility from our amps; we want to cover a range of sounds, from clean to crunchy to singing to screaming. If this describes you, then you really need to check out the Line 6 DT50 tube amp. From Fender to Vox to Marshall, it’s all in there. And even if you’re a one-sound kind of player, the DT50 should still be on your list, as it will deliver your sound with great authenticity.

The DT50 was designed by Reinhold Bogner of Bogner Amps fame, and it completely changes what we think of as a modeling amp. The DT50 does include the same high-resolution modeling found in the Line 6 POD HD, but there’s much more to this amp

than just great models. There are two 12AX7 preamp tubes and two EL34 power tubes inside. The cool thing is that the amp can reconfi gure itself for either Class A or Class AB modes. So, when you select a Fender sound, you get a true Class AB tube section, just like the real thing. When you move to a Vox, the amp switches itself to a Class A confi guration for totally authentic tone.

There are two channels, each with drive, bass, mid, treble, presence, reverb, and volume controls, plus a master volume control — and when you pull the master volume out, the amp drops into low-power mode for very quiet operation. You can also switch the tubes from pentode to triode operation for even more volume control.

There are four “topologies” in total: Classic American, Class A Chime, British Crunch, and Modern High-Gain. Selecting one of these topologies instantly reconfi gures the amp to the proper circuit and tube-confi guration type. It’s like switching to an entirely new amplifi er! And if you want to take things way further, hook up an HD 500 modeler to the DT50 via the proprietary L6 Link. The HD 500 takes over the front end and becomes the brains for the rig, controlling the topology and the confi guration of the DT50.

On its own, the DT50 is tremendously versatile. For live performance, you can instantly call up the tones you want. In the studio, there’s plenty of fl exibility for tweaking the tone exactly to your requirements. And it’s easy to dial in; the controls will be familiar to any guitar player. Now add in the HD 500 and things just go over the top. Suddenly, you have a rig that can do anything. It’s truly mind boggling. And with those real tubes in there, it sounds right.

CustomerStudio

While Watson Wu Studios’ many services include original music, sound design, voice overs, and consultation, it’s fi eld recording that really sets this southwestern Florida operation apart. “With the perfect location of so many available expensive vehicles and fi rearms, I tapped into recording them for clients,” says owner Watson Wu. “It would be insane to refuse getting paid to shoot and record machine guns or joy ride in a speedy Ferrari.”

His operation involves three studios, but the primary location is on the coastal island of Boca Grande. “It’s very quiet and not far from where I fi eld record many expensive vehicles, fi rearms, animals, ambiences, etc.,” he says. “There aren’t many ideal locations in America where I can quickly record weapons in quiet shooting ranges and rig multiple microphones on exotic cars to run on long quiet roads.”

Watson studied music education and composition in college, but it was a book about game audio that inspired him to get into fi eld recording. “The thought of working in this industry was quite exciting, since I play and enjoy video games,” he explains. “After the fi rst contract job, more work came fl oating in. Even though I am a composer, fi eld-recording requests have been very active, and I thoroughly enjoy this type of work. Instead of buying more traditional items for the studio, I started acquiring fi eld equipment. Since then I’ve done related work within the fi lm, TV, and commercial industries.”

Watson points to the hub of his go-to rig, a 702 fi eld recorder from Sound Devices. “[Sweetwater Sales Engineers] Kenny Bergle and Matt Wood sold me this amazing gear, which has successfully gone through many harsh areas without any problem,” he says. “Before Sweetwater, buying gear was a constant headache. Both Kenny and Matt know me very well. Now, when I speed dial my guys, they’re cheerfully ready for questions or orders. During a mishap from a weapons session, one of my windshield kits caught on fi re — nothing new. Matt went out of his way to track down replaceable parts so that I wouldn’t have to pay for an entire new kit. They’re the best!”

Visit www.watsonwu.com to learn more about Watson Wu and the services he provides.

Hands OnLine 6 DT50

Sweetwater.com/guitargallery

Web InnovationsInnovation has been the driving force powering Sweetwater.com since the beginning. One of the fi rst websites in the music industry, Sweetwater.com’s focus has always been on creating quality content, with the end goal of giving customers a seamless gear-buying experience. With an amazing inventory north of 15,000 products, Sweetwater’s website has its work cut out for it. Each day, the talented writers, programmers, designers, and photographers of Sweetwater’s in-house marketing department fi nd new ways to raise the bar. Innovations such as our popular Guitar Gallery, Cable Finder, and Comparison Feature — among many others — have ushered in a whole new era in music equipment e-commerce.

Usability is a term you often hear, and at Sweetwater.com, it’s a mantra. Guitar Gallery is a great example. Sweetwater’s Web gurus have crafted a guitar-shopping experience that is actually superior to auditioning guitars in a noisy store — where the guitars hang on the walls for months and are played by hundreds of shoppers (many with large belt buckles!). Guitar Gallery instruments are photographed from multiple angles, so you can zoom in and see the grain of the tonewood, the inlays, and even the back of the headstock. Guitars are posted by serial number, so you can select the exact instrument to be expertly set up and shipped to your door.

Cable Finder is another Sweetwater.com innovation, and it makes fi nding the right cable a snap. With over 1,500 cables online, it’s a pleasure (and a relief) to be guided by our three-stage Cable Finder wizard. You’ll cut through the clutter and quickly get the right cable into your cart.

A relatively new feature on Sweetwater.com is the Comparison Feature. Customers have told us that they appreci-ate our attention to accurate specs, and our Web developers have taken the next step by allowing you to compare multiple products side by side. Now you can make an even more informed gear decision.

Recent innovations along with such long-time favorites as the Knowledge Base and InSync, plus a growing number of super-helpful videos and a social networking interface that lets you post or read user reviews: it all adds up to a satisfying and productive online gear-buying experience. If you haven’t visited Sweetwater.com in a while, please do check it out — and come back often, because the innovations keep coming!

Watson Wu


Continuing with the theme of looking in from the outside by getting the perspec-tive of our vendors, I’ve asked Jeff Mac, one of the principals at Tech Rep, a large independent rep fi rm, to give us his take on Sweetwater.

“After more than 17 years of interfacing with Sweetwater, you would think that they would lose the ability to surprise me. A relationship that runs that long can easily become too comfortable.

“I think that conscious lack of complacency is one of their core strengths and their key difference. They are constantly looking for a better way to serve their partners in the business. To Sweetwater, everyone is a partner, from the person buying a fi rst set of strings to those of us who supply the equipment to them that feeds all of our dreams.

“I was fi rst at Sweetwater to train the staff on one of the seminal digital consoles, the Yamaha 02R. It was a new approach to mixing, and it simply did not work like other mixers. While Sweetwater had a training system that went beyond what anyone else in the industry was doing, that sort of theater-style presentation was inappropriate to learn the fl ow of a new mixing style. Since Sweetwater was so concerned with being able to transfer those ideas to their customers, they suggested changing the style of the training to a small-group approach so that all of the Sales Engineers would be able to better connect with their customers. It was outside of the norm for them, but very effective.

“The new building truly emphasizes the difference at Sweetwater. Not just because it is beautiful and unique in its attention to being ‘green,’ but because of its sense of community. I am constantly amazed at seeing the vice president of a department sitting with one of the warehouse guys discussing a new guitar or a recent band performance. This level of camaraderie means that someone in service can feel comfortable bringing up improvements for shipping or setting up a guitar to anyone in the company. That does not happen by accident, and it shows how everyone in the building is interested in raising the level of experience.

“Everyone wants to be excellent. The challenge is that to be excellent, you fi rst have to admit that you might need to improve something inside of yourself. This is the Sweetwater Difference. They are brilliant at so many things, from training to support to the delivery of your dream to your door. But their real strength is that they refuse to admit that it is good enough. They are constantly looking at their processes and asking what needs to be better, rather than focusing on what is good. To Sweetwater, good is not good enough. That is their difference.”

Thanks, Jeff for the insight and the kind words.

Rock and roll!Jeff Radke, Vice President of Sales

Inside the

Jeff Radke

This Classy Chrome Beauty Lets You Record AnywhereIn recent years, there’s been an explosion of high-quality, ultra-portable USB microphones on the market. So, what makes the Samson Meteor Mic so special? The answer goes far deeper than its eye-catching chrome exterior. Its 1" diaphragm provides a velvety smooth frequency response that’s reminiscent of studio microphones far outside of the Meteor Mic’s price range. Plus, its focused cardioid pickup pattern lets you record noise-free audio almost anywhere.

Fold-out tripod legs let you easily position the Meteor Mic on any fl at surface, and a built-in mic stand lets you take advantage of studio miking techniques. When it comes to portability, Samson’s Meteor Mic is second to none. Packed into its tiny frame is a 16-bit/48kHz audio interface. Plug in a pair of headphones, and you’re ready for latency-free monitoring. What’s more, you can plug the Meteor Mic directly into your iPad Camera Connection Kit to get pro-quality recording with your favorite mobile recording app. Whether you need a mic for mobile voice-over spots or on-the-go music production, you’re going to love the Samson Meteor Mic!

> >> > Samson Meteor Mic


www.sweetwater.com/meteormic

Focal Factory TourBy Jeff Radke

Several of my coworkers and I recently had the opportunity to visit the headquarters of Focal-JMlab in picturesque Saint Etienne, France. For those of you not familiar with Focal, this innovative company has been designing and manufacturing high-quality speakers and components since 1980. They currently have a substantial line of home audio products, all the way up to the astoundingly good, top-of-the-line Grande Utopia ($180,000… and they sound like it!), in addition to car audio, integrated in-wall solutions, and their amazing studio monitors that the pro audio world is so familiar with.

I’ve been a fan of Focal studio monitors for quite a while and was really excited to actually see the factory and get an inside look at their manufactur-ing facility and technologies. To say the least, we were completely blown away by the attention to detail and the lengths to which the folks at Focal go in their search for audio perfection. I’m serious about this; I’ve never seen a company so focused (pun intended) on sparing no expense to make the best-possible products. While there, we even had lunch with the chairman of the board and founder of the company, Jacques Mahul, and the CEO, Christophe Sicaud. Thanks also to Simon Cote, the North American sales and product manager for Audio Plus Services (they distribute Focal in North

America), and Nicolas Debard, the Focal professional manager. Both were amazing hosts throughout our stay in France. Great people, great products!

With no further ado, I’ll let the pictures do the talking. By the way, some of the processes and machines, such as the construction of the beryllium tweeters, are so proprietary that we weren’t allowed to take photographs. But trust me, it was all pretty cool. The rigidity afforded by utilizing beryllium allows for much more accurate reproduction with less distortion. It’s one of the patented processes that really set Focal apart, so I can understand why they’d like to protect it.

Forming the patented Polyglass “W” cones one at a time. This process helps precisely control the rigidity, weight, and damping of the cones, and it’s one of the keys to the accuracy of Focal monitors. One thing I was impressed with was the fact that many of the machines and tools used for manufacturing were built in-house.

Installing the amplifi er before closing the cabinet on a CMS 65.

Final assembly of the Solo6 Be.

My sincere thanks to the folks at Focal who allowed us this amazing opportunity to see fi rst hand how their products are designed and manufactured.


Tech support 24/7 at www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare

Ameristay in

WithsuchphotmucFoca

themom

Int

f

o

fi

t

Mtaa




Name: Richard Whittington

Position at Sweetwater: Sr. Sales Engineer

Start date: 1/8/1998

Hired as: Sales Engineer

Education: Some college

Where are you from originally? Jacksonville, NC

What was your occupation before coming to Sweetwater? I operated a small project studio.

Why did you fi rst apply for a job at Sweetwater? I wanted more fi nancial stability.

Technical strengths: DAW system confi guration

Favorite music-related website: EddieTrunk.com

Instruments you play: Guitar, bass, and some keys

Gear you own: Many guitars; Mesa/Boogie and Marshall amps; Avalon 737; PreSonus ADL600; Euphonix Artist controllers; Apogee Rosetta 200, DA16X; Dangerous Music 2-BUS LT; Lexicon effects; Neumann, AKG, and RØDE mics.

Family info: I have a girlfriend of several years and a 2-year-old collie. The rest of my family is in eastern North Carolina. Go Tar Heels!

Other stuff we should know about you (hobbies, talents, interests, etc.): Golf, basketball, studio recording… too much TV, movies, etc.

Personal motto: Be the right club today!

Favorite magazine: Golf Digest

Real-life hero: Roberto Clemente, Pittsburgh Pirates H.O.F.

Guilty pleasure of choice: Sports video games, TMZ.com

How would your boss describe you? No one cares more about his or her customers.

How would your best friend describe you? Someone you can count on.

What did you dream about doing for a living when you were growing up? Initially, baseball player, then musician.

Describe the most dramatic situation in which you provided the Sweetwater Difference for a customer, or the most unusual/creative solution to a customer’s problem: It’s really more of an everyday thing. If a customer is having an issue, whether it’s a product question or availability, support, or shipping diffi culties, it becomes job one for me to see that it’s resolved. I’ll do everything I can to take care of my customer.

What in your life best prepared you for the work you do here at Sweetwater? Likely being a Sweetwater customer for a number of years before coming to work here. I was shown the Sweetwater Difference before becoming a part of it.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Sweetwater team? The people who work here. Amazingly talented and intelligent people with incredible senses of humor.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned at Sweetwater? That you never stop learning. Music technology is always evolving, and we take great steps to ensure we’re always at the forefront of the newest developments.

Rivera Makes Your Amp Sound Huge, Without the Huge Volume LevelsEverybody loves big amp tones. But not everybody loves the volume levels needed to achieve that sweet spot. How do you get your amp’s power section cooking in the studio, onstage, or during rehearsal — without melting eardrums? The renowned amp makers at Rivera answer that question with two incredible tools to maximize your tone and keep volume levels under control.

Let’s start with the Rivera Rock Crusher. This amazing power attenuator/load box doesn’t just keep your output levels manageable; it lets you plug your amp straight into a recording device, with impressive results. Put the Rock Crusher between your amp and speaker, and you’ll be able to crank up and push your power section while keeping your volume levels under control. This is a perfect setup for the studio or a small live stage. The Rock Crusher’s attenuation

and level controls rein in your amp without compromising your tone. Edge and Warm EQ switches let you add sparkle or tame fi zziness. These functions come in very handy when you use this box to plug your amp directly into a recording device.

Rivera’s Silent Sister isolation cabinet puts volume control at the speaker level. This 1 x 12" cab comes loaded with a premium Celestion G12T-75 speaker. Open the handy front hatch and you’ll fi nd two prewired goosenecks mounted inside the cabinet. This means perfect mic placement and no mic bleed. Rivera’s engineers smartly engineered this iso cabinet to give you a surprisingly open, airy sound — no boxy, compressed tones here. You also get built-in casters, so transporting the Silent Sister is a breeze. As are all Rivera products, the Rock Crusher and the Silent Sister are made from top-notch components and built road tough. Now you can maximize your tone and keep your hearing intact! Call your Sales Engineer to fi nd out more about these cool tools.

> >> > Rivera Rock Crusher > >> > Rivera Silent Sister

Sweetwater price $499.00 Sweetwater price $999.00

www.sweetwater.com/RockCrusher www.sweetwater.com/SilentSister

Hands OniConnectivity iConnectMIDI

By Daniel Fisher

As a musician, you’re probably at least marginally aware that the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch keep getting exciting new instrument apps every day. At this year’s Winter NAMM show, you couldn’t swing a guitar strap without hitting one of these devices. And a

staggering number of booths were either using an iOS device or demonstrating software or hardware that went with one.

Maybe you already own an iOS device and have tried some music-making apps but decided that it was more of a toy or a gimmick because it didn’t respond as

quickly and accurately as a “professional” MIDI instrument should.

Enter the iConnectMIDI by iConnectivity. This USB MIDI interface offers so many possibilities that you will continue to fi nd many new uses that haven’t even been thought of yet.

Like a standard MIDI interface, it has two MIDI inputs and two MIDI outputs, each with a pair of MIDI activity LEDs. It also has two USB mini ports that can connect to your iOS devices or your Mac/PC. The iConnectMIDI can support up to eight (!) USB devices using standard USB hubs.

But what sets the iConnectMIDI far apart from the contenders is the addition of a USB Type A “host” port. Do you have a nifty portable MIDI controller that only works if you plug it into a computer fi rst? Now many of those devices can plug directly into the iConnectMIDI, with no computer needed!

But all of this is meaningless if the MIDI transmission isn’t tight. Well I can attest that the timing on this box sets new standards for MIDI latency. The specs tell you that the high-speed USB connections are blazing at 12Mbps. But here’s a better real-world example: I watched my friend and keyboard wizard Jordan Rudess wail away on one keyboard controller with his right hand while laying down a killer drum groove on pads with his left hand. The precision of his performance ended all concerns about latency.

With good reason, the iConnectMIDI has been selected as one of the “Best from NAMM 2011” by Keyboard magazine, “Top 50 Products” by Music Inc magazine, and “Top 50 Accessories” by iPhoneLife magazine. Ask your Sales Engineer for more information about this amazing interface.

> >> > iConnectivity iConnectMIDI


www.sweetwater.com/iConnectMIDI

Richard Whittington


Change Service Requested

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSWEETWATER

SOUND5501 U.S. Hwy 30 W

Fort Wayne, IN 46818 (800) 222–4700

Sweetwater.com

SweetNotes®

(800) 222–4700 | www.sweetwater.com

SweetNotes®

Inside This Issue:GearFest ’11

500 Series Gear

Universal Audio UAD-2 Satellite

Blackstar & Schecter

...and more

Inside This Issue:

GearFest ’11!

500 Series Gear

Universal Audio UAD-2 Satellite

Blackstar & Schecter

...and more

Page 12.indd 12 Page 12.indd 127/8/11 1:55 PM 7/8/11 1:55 PM

Documents

SUMMER 2011 Issue Vol. 94 SweetNotes (800) 222–4700 | · PDF filewas guitar great Johnny Hiland, who has played on countless hit albums and is one of the nicest, most passionate