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Review Review: Cakewalk Plasma Chris Bereznay This year has really been a banner year for Cakewalk. With the release of Sonar and the inking of several new distribution deals, you really don’t have to look far for great digital music creation products. What might surprise you, however, is all of the different market price points you’ll find these great products. Take for instance their latest offering – Plasma. About a week ago, a copy of Cakewalk Plasma arrived on the doorstep. We were curious, but not overly excited. From the outside of the box, what we saw was a cool tool in the $50 price range for budding musicians out there who are more on the contemporary edge. After all, one of the prime features of Cakewalk Plasma is the new Plasma FXPad which allows joystick and mouse control over effects parameters that control the multitude of DirectX goodies in the box. What we soon realized, though, was that even with all the glitz and glamour, Plasma isn’t just a toy. As a matter of fact, what you’ll find when you look under the hood is the Sonar engine in most of it’s glory. Sure, some the more advanced options and features of the full Sonar product aren’t in there, but for the most part – all of the quality and user friendliness is. After several days of playing with the cool looping capabilities and gittin jiggy with the mouse pad, we really settled in for some cool experimentation. Starting off with the cool bonus CD loaded with “Smart Loops”, we built several incredible rhythm tracks that had the cones on our 15 inch pa cabs rocking. Then, we took our Fat Strat Texas Special, courtesy of our friends at Fender, and recorded some sweet funk and heavy riffs that we quickly turned into groove tracks that were “acidized”. After playing around for hours just recording cool riffs and other repeating licks, we started arranging everything together. Once the mix was where we wanted it, we took our KSM27 Studio Condenser mic from Shure and started playing with the vocals. If you’re anything like the fools that we are, vocals are the last thing on your list of talent. That’s what made this product so much fun, though. We ran our vocals through everything from the Black Hole preset to the Dirty Hippy. Although we were trying mostly to cover our awful vocals, we were at the same time dancing around the mouse pad and slammin’ our joystick to test all of the cool effects. The percussion and guitar loops were prime victims in this onslaught as well. What amazed us wasn’t all the trick stuff, though. Don’t get me wrong, there’s tons of creativity to be unleashed here. What impressed us most was the quality of the recording capabilities of this product. Even when running dry with the studio condenser mic or a guitar or bass, the clarity and dynamic range of the tracks was amazing. When you throw in the added bonus programs, like Fruity Loops Express, built in soft synths and Cakewalk’s own Pyro mp3 and CD creator, you’ve got a music production powerhouse in your hands for half a hundred beans. Bottom Line: If you’re looking for something that can perform like Acid on steroids, look no further. Plasma is an incredible tool for the aspiring musician and home recording enthusiast. If you don’t have the budget for the full blown Sonar package – start here. You can’t go wrong. Heck, you can even edit sound tracks to Windows AVI movies with this product. Simply amazing. Release Yamaha AES Electrics Hit Rock Head On Press Release In today's musical landscape, the growing emergence of hard-edged, guitar-driven rock demands an instrument that can cut through and be heard-whether playing lead or rhythm, live or in the studio. Yamaha Corporation of America, Guitar Products, answers the requests of young guitarists for axes with a characteristic massive sound, fast feel, and an edgy, standout appearance with the Winter NAMM 2002 introduction of the AES820 and AES820D6 electrics. Designed at Yamaha's USA Custom Guitar shop, the AES820 features a highly contoured, lightweight solid Alder body with a fast, Black Satin-finished 24 3/4" scale Maple neck and Ebony fingerboards (no inlay markers). Electronics include neck and bridge direct-mounted, custom design DiMarzio humbuckers, two Volume controls and a 3-way passive rotary tone switch. Innovations continue with a low mass Tun-O-Matic style bridge, chrome independent tail pieces, and custom design chrome Sperzel Trim Lok tuners. Available finishes include Black, Light Brown, Metallic and Flat Blue. "The new AES820 models pick up where the AES800 left off, with some really extreme body contours and new appointments," states Ken Dapron, director, Yamaha Guitar Development. "They're the best looking, feeling, playing and sounding 2-humbucker rock guitars available anywhere for under $1,000 retail." A Drop 6 version, the AES820D6, contains all the features of the AES820, with the addition of the longer 26" 1/4 scale and special string gauge for down-tuning to A or B. Both models retail for $949 and will ship in April. "These guitars can meet any musical genre head-on-especially what's happening in rock right now," adds David Bergstom, director of marketing, Combo Group, Pro Audio & Combo Division. "The look is bold and classy. The new 3-way rotary tone circuit is simple and extremely effective, and the sound is loud and tight. They're winners." For more information on AES820 and AES820D6 electric guitars, visit Yamaha at Winter NAMM 2002 in the Marquis Ballroom at the Anaheim Marriot Hotel; write Yamaha Corporation of America, Pro Audio & Combo Division, Guitar Products, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; email infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com or www.yamahaguitars.com. Release Yamaha Compass CPX15AD Acoustic Electric Guitar Press Release The Art Deco style has long been considered the pinnacle of sophistication and elegance, and those qualities are on full display in the newest addition to the popular Yamaha Compass line, the CPX15AD Limited Edition acoustic/electric guitar. Using natural materials which include Abalone, Mother of Pearl and Turquoise, Yamaha's craftsmen have made yet another bold visual statement while maintaining the characteristics that make the Compass the choice of professionals: outstanding playability and tone, plus the sophisticated electronics to bring that tone to the audience in vivid detail. "The Compass is unique among guitars in that it offers custom shop looks and features in a package that's accessible to the working musician," notes David Bergstrom, director of marketing, Yamaha Corporation of America, Pro Audio & Combo Division, Combo Group. "These instruments are at home on stage, in the studio, and in the collector's display case." Each of the 300 limited edition instruments will carry a certificate of authenticity. The handmade CPX15AD starts with traditional materials, including a solid Spruce top over Rosewood back and sides, a Mahogany neck with an Ebony fingerboard, and an Ebony bridge. The clear natural finish, highlighted by Gold hardware and tasteful eye-catching inlays, make this limited edition a must-have for collectors and players looking for an unforgettable visual statement. The CPX15AD succeeds beneath the surface, too. The Compass body shape is among the most comfortable in the business, and gives outstanding access to the entire neck, while the sophisticated combination piezo/microphone electronics system (with blender preamp) captures the guitar's natural tone. "The Compass is one of the few guitars that can capture the eyes as well as the ears," says Gary Cook, product manager, Yamaha Guitars. "But the best part happens when you pick one up. These are truly 'players' guitars." The Compass CPX15AD retails for $2299, includes a professional hard shell case, and is currently available. Release New Cyber-Twin Head Arrives from Fender Press Release Fans of the Fender Cyber-Twin amplifier will appreciate the added versatility of Fender's new Cyber-Twin Head, to be introduced at this winter's NAMM show in Anaheim. Designed to power various speaker configurations coupled with Fender's Cybernetic Amp Design technology, the Cyber-Twin Head allows guitarists to choose the tone of both the amplifier and the cabinet of their choice. Fender will also unveil its latest speaker cabinet, designed with the Cyber-Twin Head in mind, the new Fender Showman 412S Enclosure. Not another "modeling" amp, the Cyber-Twin Head's electronic architecture literally reconfigures itself to become the amplifier that is selected. With the new Cyber-Twin Head's ability to recreate the original amplifier's schematic and personality, guitarists can choose a variety of external cabinets and speaker configurations available to become that amplifier and maintain the nuances of its original cabinet design. Using the world's most revered amplifier circuits as the building blocks, the Cyber-Twin Head also allows players to design their own amplifier sounds. The "Custom Shop" function features 85 of Fender's own pre-set creations, all of which are fully adjustable to allow musicians to go as deep as they want into their own personal tonal preferences. Once adjusted, new sounds can be saved in the "Player's Lounge" for 85 added possibilities. The Cyber-Twin Head features 130 Watts of stereo output (65 Watts per channel). Two 12AX7WA vacuum tubes are used for the drive circuitry types and the analog circuitry, and there are four tone stacks, each with two location parameters before and after the distortion circuitry. There are twenty-eight effects selections, each with four or five adjustable parameters, including: ten delay effect; eleven modulation effects; three special effects; and four paired effects. In addition, there are eleven reverb types each with four adjustable parameters. Four Quick Access keys provide instant assignment and recall of favorite Amp Design pre-sets, all of which can also be accessed remotely with the included four-button footswitch. There is one Stereo Line Out jack for connection to digital sound equipment, two Stereo XLR Line Out impedance balanced jacks with two mono/stereo settings, and three Effects Loop jack (mono out, mono in and stereo in) with two switchable pre-amp levels. The new Fender Showman 412S Enclosure was designed in conjunction with the Cyber-Twin Head to offer guitarists a versatile Mono or Stereo cabinet with a 4 x 12" speaker configuration. The 300 Watt enclosure features four 16 Ohm Celestion G12T-75 speakers mounted in a high quality, 13-ply birch cabinet covered with black vinyl and a silver grille cloth. The rear panel has two inputs with a Stereo/Mono switch to allow 16 Ohm Mono or 2 X 8 Ohm Stereo operation. Dimensions for the Showman 412S Enclosure are as follows: Height 30"; Width 30"; Depth 15"; and Weight 97 lbs. US MSRP is $749.99 Dimensions for the Cyber-Twin Head are as follows: Height 9 3/4"; Width 26 1/8"; Depth 11 5/16"; and Weight 30 lbs. US MSRP is $1,499.99 For more information, visit their web site at www.fender.com. Release Randall Returns to Tube with the New VMAX Press Release Randall Amplifiers is pleased to announce the release of the VMAX, the flagship of the XL amplifier series. The new VMAX is a professional amplifier, that was designed & road tested by professional musicians. In designing the new VMAX, our goal was to combine tube and solid state in one amplifier. We designed the VMAX with two separate preamps, one that's all tube, the other solid-state, and 300 watts of power output. Preamp 1: This preamp incorporates pair of Sovtek 12AX7's, that gives you lush tube distortion & harmonics. A voicing switch will allow you to switch between a modern and traditional style distortion, and a gain boost switch for adding that massive grind. Preamp 2: This preamp is classic Randall. All solid-state that allows you to switch between clean & overdrive tones. The overdrive channel has a sustain boost that can be activated by pulling the treble pot knob. Additional Front Panel Features: The VMAX has more features than we have ever offered in an amplifier before. A 6-band graphic EQ that can be activated by either the front panel button or the footswitch, which can used on the tube channel, or solid-state channel. Also included is master density & presence control knobs. The density knob allows you to control the overall amount of low end and the presence knob allows you to control the overall amount of high-end. Rear Panel Features: Included on the rear panel are the two external speaker outputs, line-out with level control, a parallel effects loop, which has a level adjustment button that helps balance output levels of your processing gear, and our new cabinet simulator circuit, to accurately reproduce the sound of a miked speaker cabinet. This XLR out can be used for live performance and recording situations. Footswitching: Built into the amp is a smart chip we call "Command Touch". Command Touch allows the footswitch and the amp to communicate. Normally the footswitch when plugged in overrides all other changing functions on the front panel. With the Command Touch, you can use the front panel or footswitch to make your changes. Any switching you do on the front panel can be achieved with the footswitch. (The 5-button footswitch activates- Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Ch. 3, tube boost, & graphic EQ). Music Gear ReviewsTaylor Baby Taylor Acoustic Guitars Purchased at Guitar Center for $249 for my son. Good 3/4 size for my son. Nice action. Fun to bang on around the campfire or as a second guitar when a pick'n friend comes over. Thin sound but what do you expect from such a small box. Good construction. Typical Taylor. Nice little guitar well made nice action best option I could find for my sons 7 year old hands. 4 Jimmy Larrivee LV-10 Acoustic Guitars guitar center beat every ones price- maybe because they messed up the order 3 times and delayed ordering this guitar for 6 months. It was ordered out of denver for $1800 We revied all the acoustic guitars we could find in 2 years at any price, but not one of a kind. Martins performed well- all of them, but the only magic (playability, feel, sound etc) came in the 28-45 series; lowdens-too quiet; lakewoods - excellent overall, but not enough magic; Santa Cruz- like Martins with the occasional sublime instrument, Froggy Bottom-sweet, but playability is not perfect. I list these to show the caliber of Larrivee: perfect and inspiring sound naturally or amped, Fort Knox solid, and the playability...Beethoven to Jimi Hendrix, Woody Guthery to Phish, Pink Floyd to well just slapping it around Larrivee Guitars shine at every thing. It was the ONLY guitar to be able be played sweetly or with rage and still sound...sublime. This guitar will move you. This is why we had to invent the Zuni Guitar Strap's - guitar of the year award and name Larrivee the winner. We are in no way connected with the Canadian company, so take the time to see what we mean and play one. Dislikes: well to be honest the ease at which this guitar is played tends to bring out the best of my ability leaving me wishing I could play more difficult pieces. Solid- You can find reviews back 10 years. they have no real complants. Short of one of a kind or rediculosly priced instruments Larrivee is the best out there. The good news is all larrivee models have this sublime quality so you budget may dictate to trim level, but not the quality. 5 M.D. Miller Line 6 POD 2.0 Guitar Effects $349 from Musician's Friend, but the unit included a $100 rebate. The tone, quality, and excellent effects and amp and cabinet simulations. It's basically a table top unit so it doesn't have a floor board included with pedal switches. First rate. The unit's shell is built like a tank. The POD 2.0 is one hell of a unit. You can get just about any sound out of it imaginable. 5 Chris Bereznay Line 6 POD 2.0 Guitar Effects $349 from Musician's Friend, but the unit included a $100 rebate. The tone, quality, and excellent effects and amp and cabinet simulations. It's basically a table top unit so it doesn't have a floor board included with pedal switches. First rate. The unit's shell is built like a tank. The POD 2.0 is one hell of a unit. You can get just about any sound out of it imaginable. 5 Chris Bereznay |
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