Sweetwater inSync

Guitar of the Day

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:00:02 +0100

There are certain guitars played by famous musicians that you recognize immediately. For instance, there are Eric Clapton's Cream-era, handpainted Gibson SG Custom and Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Number One" battered Strat. More recently, that's been the case with the Gibson Custom Zakk Wylde Bullseye Les Paul Custom. It's unmistakable and unlike any other guitar on the planet. As heavy metal lovers know, Wylde has certainly worked hard to earn his worldwide reputation as one of the genre's premier guitarists. His masterful solos are scorching hot and he manages to wring every single drop of tone from his Les Paul Custom, with its unique "bullseye" paint job. Gibson isn't planning to build these in great numbers, so you can bet that these reproductions will rather quickly find homes with serious collectors, as well as with those who aspire to create their own flame-throwing metal guitar stylings. We seriously doubt you'll ever find a guitar that's more ready to rock than this one! When Zakk suddenly burst upon the music scene with his one-of-a-kind instrument, the Gibson Custom Shop contacted him about building reproductions of his unique guitar, with its black and antique white bullseye graphics; two powerful EMG humbucking pickups; and raw, unfinished neck. Wylde was happy to collaborate on the project and gave Gibson's Custom Shop luthiers both his blessing and full access to his personal axe. The original versions of these guitars were made to look and feel exactly like Zakk's own personal guitar, with all the nicks, scratches, stains, and wear and tear, which is no doubt why there were only a handful of these made. Today's Guitar of the Day is not built to look exactly like a Les Paul that has seen ultra-heavy use on tour after grueling tour, right down to the checked lacquer finish. It's meant to look like Zakk's guitar before he took it on the road (and it got its ultimate share of abuse)! Under all the outward cosmetics, there's a carved maple top; a solid mahogany body with multi-ply binding; a Nashville Tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece, and a 3-piece, unfinished (but sealed) maple neck with a 22-fret ebony fingerboard sporting real mother-of-pearl block inlays. The guitar is equipped with Zakk's choice of EMG 81 and 85 humbuckers, and it comes complete with a Custom Shop hardshell case, a certificate of authenticity, and a custom-care kit. It also includes our 2-year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty™ and free FedEx shipping right to your door!

Updates and Upgrades

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:00:01 +0100

Roxio's new Toast 10 Titanium, the latest version of the company's do-it-all disc-burning and file-converting application, is now available. This new version adds enhanced iPhone streaming, TIVo support, an audiobook creation tool, and archiving support for AVCHD video. The Pro version comes bundled with a plug-in for Blu-ray support, SmartSound Sonicfire Pro, BIAS SoundSoap, LightZone, and FotoMagico. Both versions of Toast require Mac OS X 10.5 ("Leopard") or higher and work with both PowerPC and Intel-based Macs. Toast 10 Titanium sells for $99.99. Users of Toast 9 can upgrade for $79.99. The Toast 10 Titanium Pro version sells for $149.99.

Waves Takes "Center Stage"

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0100

Typically, the most important information in any audio file is panned to the center - lead vocals, guitar and keyboard solos, and so forth. Up until now, when mastering, engineers had to hope that whoever created the mixdown properly handled the all-important "phantom center." But now, Waves has introduced a brand-new plug-in called (appropriately enough) Waves Center. Ideal for precision mixes and critical mastering, Waves Center is capable of separating phantom-center content from the left- and right-side content, allowing users to zero in on just the phantom-center information to separately adjust that content in terms of volume, EQ, and even timing. Waves Center uses a unique dynamic engine that analyzes the amplitude, frequency, and time envelope of stereo sources, then allows users to radically rebalance the spatial imagery. Controls include adjustable punch, as well as high- and low-frequency controls, which can enhance detail with maximum impact. Waves Center is a must-have tool for post-production facilities, DJs, and for mixing and mastering when "good enough" just isn't an option. Center is available separately, as well as in the Waves Mercury and Diamond bundles. Waves Mercury and Waves Diamond owners who are covered by the Waves Update Plan may download Waves Center. For additional information, pricing, and availability, pick up the phone and call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer right now!

Guitar of the Day

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:00:02 +0100

Ibanez originally launched the JEM Series of electric guitars as a tribute to Steve Vai, the Grammy Award-winning guitarist, composer, and producer. That's only fair, as Steve has been playing versions of this guitar for over a decade. Prior to attending Berklee College of Music, Steve got lessons from (and eventually jammed with) Joe Satriani, but Steve really hit the "big time" when he hooked up with the legendary Frank Zappa, a notorious perfectionist who was so impressed with Steve's playing that he invited him to join his band. With those credentials, you know that Steve isn't going to play just any old guitar. The Ibanez JEM 7V Steve Vai Signature guitar certainly isn't a "me-too" instrument. For one thing, the JEM 7V is the only guitar we know of with a hole in its body called a "monkey grip"! What this guitar has in huge quantity is personality. It starts with a contoured alder body finished in white with a pearloid pickguard and gold hardware, which includes the Ibanez Edge Pro bridge/vibrato with extra deep routing. Then there are a 5-piece maple/walnut JEM 24-fret Prestige neck with a long-grain rosewood fingerboard,and an eye-popping pearl and abalone vine inlay that you really have to see to appreciate. To deliver optimum tones, the JEM 7V comes fully equipped with three specially wound DiMarzio Evolution pickups: Humbuckers at the bridge and neck positions and a single-coil in the middle. A 5-way blade selector switch lets you choose between fat humbucking sounds or those slinky single-coil tonalities. Naturally, it ships in its JEM custom hardshell case via FedEx, absolutely free right to your door, and it includes our exclusive 2-year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty™!

Updates and Upgrades

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:00:01 +0100

PreSonus has released brand-new software drivers for its popular AudioBox USB 2x2 audio interface, a USB bus-powered recording interface featuring two microphone/instrument inputs (with 48V phantom power), two balanced TRS outputs, and both MIDI In and Out. It is compatible with Mac OS X 10.3.7 and later, and with Windows XP and Vista, plus it comes bundled with Steinberg's Cubase LE 4 48-track recording and production software, giving users everything they need to get started recording and producing music right out of the box. The new drivers significantly improve performance stability with the Windows Vista operating system and can be downloaded for free at the PreSonus website.

Jazz Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard Dies at Age 70

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0100

Influential jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, who played alongside such legendary figures as John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Art Blakey, and Herbie Hancock, died in Los Angeles at the age of 70 in a Sherman Oaks, California hospital following complications from a heart attack suffered last month. The Grammy-winning musician was famous for his "hard bop" trumpet style, which began to be heard in the 1960s, most notably on Ornette Coleman's Free Jazzalbum and John Coltrane's Ascension. Hubbard played trumpet on over 300 albums during his lengthy career. "He played faster, longer, higher, and with more energy than any other trumpeter of his era," commented fellow musician David Weiss. Born in 1938 in Indianapolis, Indiana, Hubbard's rise to fame did not come until he moved to New York at the age of 20. There, his trademark improvisations and sophisticated compositions quickly got the attention of music lovers. His first breakout recording, Ready for Freddie, which was released in 1961, was the first of several highly successful collaborations with noted saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Hubbard won a Grammy in 1972 for his album First Light and was also honored with the National Endowment for the Arts' Jazz Masters Award in 2006.

Guitar of the Day

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:00:02 +0100

Today we're featuring not one, but two nylon-string classical guitars from Guild, a name you probably associate with bigger hollowbody electrics and steel-string acoustics. The GAD-C2 and GAD-C3 Flamenco Negras look quite similar at first glance, and it's only upon closer inspection that you see the GAD-C3 has some additional high-end appointments. You might be surprised to learn that Guild has actually been building fine-quality, affordable nylon-string guitars since 1961 - that's almost 48 years! So, you can bet they've got the formula perfected by now. Play one for even a few minutes, and you'll be convinced that these are both exceptional instruments! Both sound a lot like "boutique-quality" nylon-string guitars, yet neither is priced like one! Both models have the Hauser classical body shape, but the GAD-C2 has a western red cedar top, while the GAD-C3 has a solid AAA American Sitka spruce top. Each has a high-gloss polyurethane protective clearcoat to prevent nicks and scratches (and it also brings out the richness and beauty of the woods). Both have a Natural finish, with Guild classical spruce bracing, a one-piece mahogany neck with rosewood insert, and a flat radius 18-fret ebony fingerboard. Both have solid Indian rosewood backs and sides, although the GAD-C3 has an upgrade to AAA-quality rosewood and premium binding front and back. Both also have a solid Indian rosewood bridge with a compensating bone saddle. Guild 3-in-line tuners are standard equipment on both models. But most importantly, these instruments play and sound just like nylon guitars you'd expect to pay at least twice as much for. Both come with our 2-year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty™ and include absolutely free shipping right to your door via FedEx.

New in Stock at Sweetwater

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:00:01 +0100

Muse Research Receptor 2 Pro - This amazing module offers up a ton of muscle, placing your favorite VST plug-ins into an easy-to-travel-with, ultra-fast device. Whether you want to take your favorite virtual instruments and effects up onstage, offload plug-in processing from your computer, or just get creative without a lot of powering up and plugging in, you'll love the Muse Research Receptor 2 Pro. The original Receptors were groundbreaking in their design, and now Muse Research has upped the ante, packing 50% more memory and twice the processing power into the Receptor 2 Pro! It boasts a whole new software and hardware engine, giving you 50% more memory, twice the processing power, three times the hard drive throughput, and 10 times the networking speed! What that means for you is serious muscle and efficient processing, allowing you to run even more virtual instruments and effects, thanks to a massive 500GB hard drive, 3GB of memory, a blazing-fast 2.5GHz dual-core processor, and an E-SATA external port.
M-Audio Studiophile DSM1 - This superb active reference monitor gives you accurate, rich, natural sound, as well as onboard DSP, for great results - right from your desktop! The Studiophile DSM1 includes both analog and digital inputs (24-bit/192kHz), allowing you to optimize it for practically any studio environment, from pro console to "in-the-box" DAW. Its 6.5" LF driver and 1" HF driver receive a total of 180 watts of power from integrated Class D amplifiers. The onboard DSP not only controls the crossover, but it also provides extensive phase-correction and EQ functions. Your listening environment and speaker placement greatly impact monitor performance, and to ensure optimal monitoring in your studio, the onboard DSP also manages a broad range of customizable performance filter settings that allow you to custom tailor each speaker to your room.
M-Audio Studiophile DSM2 - The "bigger brother" to the DSM1, the Studiophile DSM2 monitor features a custom-designed 8" anodized aluminum cone woofer that actively reduces distortion by pushing the breakup mode out of the pass band, for maximum low-frequency detail at any volume level. The 1'' ferro-fluid-cooled tweeter is made of a soft Teteron dome, which strikes the perfect balance between efficiency and damping, to produce a controlled high-frequency breakup all the way out to 27kHz. The drivers and their carefully matched power amps provide a wide 42Hz-27kHz frequency response and outstanding dynamic range, ensuring that you hear an accurate representation of your audio at all volumes. Each component in the DSM2 monitor is customized to deliver outstanding sound quality in a compact footprint.

Updates and Upgrades

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0100

The folks over at Arturia have just announced the availability of version 1.0.6 of the Origin firmware, which is a free update for all registered owners. This update features fixes and improvements that include (but are not limited to):

Increased stability in Multi Mode
Increased stability while editing programs
MIDI event management improvement
Fixes some issues while using the footswitch pedal in Multi Mode
Fixes occasional crashes on preset 1000
Fixes issue with preset loaded at start-up
Improved graphical performance

M-Audio has just announced the immediate availability of Torq 1.5 DJ software for both the Mac OS X and Windows platforms. Torq 1.5 brings even more creative options to the digital DJ workstation, designed to merge live DJ performance and advanced music production. New features in Torq 1.5 software include Tempo Anchors, Tempo Master, zplane elastique time stretching, send/receive MIDI Clock, a brand-new toolbar, and a wide array of workflow enhancements. As a full-featured virtual workstation, Torq 1.5 allows performers to incorporate outboard MIDI hardware into their audio production setups. The Torq 1.5 software can send and receive MIDI Clock for total synchronization with drum machines, effects boxes, and other computers. Multiple DJs can connect with each other and share the same tempo across systems, which improves collaboration between artists. The Torq 1.5 upgrade is available at http://www.m-audio.com.

Happy New Year!

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0100

Have a safe holiday! inSync will return tomorrow!

Guitar of the Day

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:00:02 +0100

The Taylor 814ce is easily one of the finest models in the company's fairly extensive catalog (and one of our own personal favorites), particularly if you're looking for an acoustic with a Venetian cutaway for easier access to the upper frets. This is a Grand Auditorium-size guitar, which combines the width and depth of a dreadnought with a slightly narrower waist. Right now, we have two available in stock: one in a sweet Honey Sunburst and one in a deep, rich Tobacco Sunburst. The 814ce has a premium-grade Sitka spruce top and quartersawn Indian rosewood back and sides. The genuine abalone soundhole rosette shimmers with a veritable rainbow of colors when hit by light, which perfectly complements the figured maple binding and black purfling. This is the perfect premium acoustic for players that have spent most of their time playing electric guitars. Its neck profile, low action, and ebony fingerboard all add up to a very playable acoustic, on which electric players will feel right at home. The 814ce is perfectly balanced, whether you're playing seated or you're standing onstage. The spruce and rosewood combination has been time tested, and it's complemented by a tropical American mahogany neck with an ebony fingerboard that's graced with gorgeous pearl 800 Series position markers. The Taylor Expression System, which was designed in partnership with audio pioneer Rupert Neve, produces a beautifully natural acoustic sound that preserves all the guitar's richness and detail. Finally, Taylor's commitment to using only eco-friendly gloss finishes definitely deserves praise. These finishes are cured using ultraviolet light and have proven to be amazingly durable - they actually resist checking better than almost any other finishing processes. In the future, it's going to be harder to use the older solvent-based finishes, but, thankfully, Taylor has already addressed these issues. Naturally, your new 814ce includes absolutely free shipping right to your door via FedEx, and it comes in a deluxe, plush-lined hardshell case. You also get our exclusive 2-year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty™!

New in Stock at Sweetwater

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:00:01 +0100

Line 6 POD Farm - Recording guitar tracks on your Mac or PC? The POD Farm is designed to give you the signal chain of your dreams - it's as easy as dragging and dropping! To start, there are more than 29 must-have stompbox and studio effects included. You can shake up the order of each effect without plugging and unplugging cables, and all the effects are totally tweakable, just like the originals. But the real meat of POD Farm is in the 18 guitar amplifier models and 24 guitar cabinet models. So, you can run through a chimey British amp first, then crank up the gain and get shredding on another. There are also five bass amp models and five bass cabinet models included, so you can get as creative with tone as you want. The best part is, you won't wake up your neighbors while you're jamming - and all the tones are available to record into your favorite DAW. POD Farm even includes premium microphone preamplifier models for good measure!
Line 6 POD Farm Platinum - Line 6's premium POD Farm Platinum software puts the tones of legendary gear within easy reach - no bulky amps to haul into the studio and no microphones to position - and those immortal tones are available 24 hours a day. Jam out with POD Farm Platinum as long as you like. And when you're ready to record the idea, it's as easy as pushing a button. Line 6 POD Farm Platinum runs as an AU, RTAS, or VST plug-in inside your favorite Mac or PC DAW and offers up a truly mind-bending 78 guitar amplifiers, 24 guitar cabinets, 28 thumping bass amplifiers, 22 bass cabinets, 97 killer stompboxes and studio effects, and even six world-class microphone preamplifiers. If there's a tone in your head, then you're sure to bring it to life with POD Farm Platinum!
Peavey Sanpera I - The Sanpera 1 foot controller lets you take charge of your Peavey Vypyr amp - onstage, in the studio, or at home! Giving you an expression pedal for controlling volume, wah, and pitch-shifter functions, you also get four momentary feature-selector buttons complete with LEDs, for ultimate control. Boasting tap tempo capabilities, looper activation and control, as well as a convenient bank select function, the Sanpera I is housed in roadworthy cast metal, with high-quality, reliable metal switches. For truly tapping into the performance possibilities of your Peavey Vypyr, the Sanpera 1 foot controller is an absolute must-have device!
Peavey Sanpera II - The Sanpera II foot controller lets you take total command of your Peavey Vypyr 4-channel amplifier's functions - whether you're onstage, in the studio, or at home! The unit includes 10 heavy-duty footswitches; two expression-style pedals for wah, volume, or you-name-it; plus an easy-to-read display for comprehensive foot control of your Vypyr amp. It also increases the preset storage capability from the amp's built-in 12 presets to a truly mind-blowing 400 presets! Its cast metal housing ensures dependable, roadworthy performance for years (or decades) to come! You'll get the most out of your Vypyr (and then some!) with the Sanpera II foot controller!

M-Audio Releases Pro Tools M-Powered 8 Software

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0100

Our friends over at M-Audio have just announced that Pro Tools M-Powered 8 software is available now through authorized dealers (that would be us here at Sweetwater). The company states that a dramatically enhanced feature set is highlighted by a completely updated user interface, along with more than 70 bundled plug-ins and virtual instruments, plus fully integrated MIDI and score editors, as well as an expanded array of editing tools for both music and post-production applications. The bottom line? Pro Tools M-Powered 8 offers comprehensive music and sound creation features and functionality, plus a proven dedicated platform for audio production, all in a single application. To learn more about Pro Tools M-Powered 8, pick up the phone and give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call today!

Guitar of the Day

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:00:02 +0100

There are two kinds of people who fall into the category of "guitar collector." One spends insane amounts of money on vintage instruments from the early- to mid-20th century because of their rarity. The other purchases the finest examples of contemporary craftsmanship, regardless of the guitar's age! The latter are looking for one-of-a-kind, superbly crafted instruments that are almost guaranteed to appreciate in value, particularly as the materials used to build them become rare - if not impossible to obtain in the future. A perfect example of such an instrument can be found in the PRS Private Stock line. Honestly, the standard line of PRS guitars is impressive enough, with some of the most gorgeous maple tops we've ever seen (not to mention awesome sound quality and unrivaled playability), but their Private Stock guitars are quite literally the best of the best! Every single piece of wood, each inlay, all the electronics, and even the finishes used on these masterpieces are the finest on the planet! Take today's Guitar of the Day, for instance. The Paul Reed Smith Private Stock Custom 22 Semi-Hollow #2063 has a carved maple top that's simply to die for! No matter what angle you look at it from, the 3D effect is just stunning, proving once again that, for sheer beauty, nothing beats Mother Nature when it comes to taking your breath away! The finish used on this one-of-a-kind instrument is called Abalone, one of the newest PRS hues, and, just like the real thing, from certain angles, the top shines with a stunning iridescent glow! It's in stark but gorgeous contrast to the korina back and figured wide-fat korina neck, which is a sort of rich honey color. Because this is a semi-hollow electric (with a slightly oversized F-hole on the upper bout), it's both surprisingly light and amazingly responsive! As you'd expect, the Dragon II pickups perfectly capture this guitar's sweet sustain - they're the same pickups PRS has used on all their famous Dragon models since their launch in 1992. The pickups have gold covers that match all the other gold-plated hardware, including the fully adjustable combination bridge/stop tailpiece. And since they were at it, the PRS craftsmen used golden mother-of-pearl for both the neck and headstock inlays, which, in turn, are outlined in real gold! According to the official specs, the fingerboard of this Private Stock guitar is Brazilian rosewood, which is almost impossible to obtain these days because of import restrictions. The headstock also has a rosewood overlay, and locking tuners with what appear to be real ebony tuning buttons! As with all Private Stock guitars, Paul Reed Smith, himself, plays it (through Carlos Santana's original amplifier), to make absolutely sure it meets his highest standards. Finally, the guitar is placed gently into its hardshell presentation case, given its certificate of authenticity, and then shipped to us here at Sweetwater. If you have ever dreamed of owning a custom-built guitar that will be the envy of every guitarist who sees it, Private Stock #2063 might just be the instrument you've been looking for!

New in Stock at Sweetwater

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:00:01 +0100

Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 - This surprisingly affordable 20-in and 20-out 24-bit/96kHz FireWire interface is steeped in the legacy of the famous British audio pioneer, yet it's built to handle even the toughest tasks in a modern digital project-studio environment! Eight Focusrite preamps ensure low noise and very little distortion, while quality digital conversion and JetPLL jitter-elimination technology ensures pristine audio quality as your signal flows between the analog and digital domains. There are 10 analog outputs, ADAT I/O, stereo S/PDIF I/O, and 2 virtual "loopback" inputs for routing digital audio between software applications, making it ideal for capturing online audio. Every channel features phantom power, with the first two channels also having pads for additional headroom. Front-panel 5-LED metering for each analog input delivers accurate viewing of your levels.
TC Electronic Level Pilot - Rather than having to lean way forward to grab a tiny volume knob, let the affordably priced TC Electronic Level Pilot give you a convenient, great-looking desktop volume solution with a sandblast aluminum finish. It's got a sleek design, with a slip-free rubberized bottom plate, plus it requires no extra power supply! Just connect it up via its fully balanced quad-core cable, and you'll be ready to make precise, high-resolution volume adjustments. It's all analog controlled after the final D/A conversion, so you get the highest possible quality. In fact, it works as a standalone analog level control, free of your computer, so you don't have to wait on the computer being booted, as is the case with many DAW setups.

PRS Introduces New KL Series with Korina Bodies and Necks

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0100

If you're the kind of guitarist who wants to be the only one around with a certain model, yet you don't have access to limitless funds, then you might want to take a look at the new KL Series from PRS. Essentially, you can get your choice of a Standard 24 (which is a Custom 24, but without the flame maple top), a pre-factory body shape (which is what the company uses on its Santana models and, more recently, the Mira), or the newly reintroduced Custom 22 Soapbar, in a limited run of just 100 each, in genuine African limba wood, which you probably know better by its "brand name" here in the U.S., Korina! Each model has a solid Korina body and neck finished in Vintage Natural, with genuine East Indian rosewood fingerboards. The KL 33 (the pre-factory body shape) has a 24-1/2" scale length, with 24 frets, moon inlays, Mira humbucking pickups, and that silky-smooth PRS vibrato. The KL 380 (the newly reintroduced Custom 22) has 22 frets, with a 25" scale, moon inlays, a regular D-profile neck, three black Soapbar (P-90 style) pickups, and the PRS vibrato. Finally, the KL 1812 has 24 frets, with a 25" scale length, moon inlays, a regular neck profile, a stop tailpiece, and Mira pickups with push/pull tone control for splitting the coils. All three are stunning in an understated way. These models prove just how perfect the PRS bodies are designed, since there is no flame maple to grab your attention. Of particular interest to us is the KL 380, because it brings back the three-soapbar pickup configuration that the company produced for less than two years in its Custom line. For more information regarding pricing and availability, contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer today. You can bet these instruments will get snatched up in a hurry!

Word For The Day: Touch Pad

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0100

This is a type of control input device that is capable of sensing the presence of a finger and, in some instances, the position of the finger, as well as the amount of downward pressure and even the actual area covered by the fingertip. It then puts out a corresponding control voltage. It does this without the use of any externally visible moving parts.

Word For The Day: Top-note Priority

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0100

This is a type of keyboard logic originally used in the majority of monophonic synthesizers, in which the highest note depressed is the one that sends out a control voltage to the oscillator(s). Examples would include the Minimoog and the ARP Axxe.

Word For The Day: Auto-Glide

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0100

This is a type of monophonic portamento in which there is a pitch slide that occurs between notes only if the new key is depressed while the previous key is still being held down. Playing with a staccato touch does not trigger the glide; instead, each note played produces a discrete pitch.

Word For The Day: Sone

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0100

This is the unit of measurement for perceived loudness. It was proposed by S. Smith Stevens in 1936. In the study of acoustics, loudness is the subjective perception of sound pressure and thus falls within the category of psychoacoustics.

Word For The Day: Time-delay Spectrometry

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0100

This is a specialized, sophisticated technique that may be used to measure the system response of electro-acoustic systems (such as studio monitors) in "real world" reverberant spaces. It may also be used to measure the system response of an acoustic environment, such as an auditorium or a concert hall.

Tech Tip: Real-time Markers in SONAR

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0100

Typically, with most software DAW systems, you would add markers to a project at a point when no other activities are going on. But in SONAR 3 (and later), it is possible to add them in real time while the project is playing. To do this, you just need to press the F11 key on your computer's keyboard, and SONAR then creates a marker instantly at that location. The new marker gets assigned a temporary name, which you can later change.

Tech Tip: Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (If You Don't Know Why)

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0100

Q: I have heard the term "speaker breakup" plenty of times, mostly in reference to guitar amplifier speakers, but also in reference to PA systems. My understanding is that this happens when a given speaker cannot handle a given amount of power (in watts). Is this correct? A: A speaker may produce distortion in a certain way if it's overdriven, but true "speaker breakup" actually depends upon the cone density and the relationship between the top plate thickness and the actual winding height of the voice coil. Unfortunately, manufacturers do not publish specifications for the individual "breakup" point of a given speaker. You may have to try several different speakers with your amp to find the one with the characteristics you are looking for. Generally, manufacturers do that homework for you and voice their speakers with the breakup point in mind, to maximize the best overall tonal qualities for a given product. If you are trying to find a good speaker cabinet for, say, a '64 Fender Bandmaster, then you can either try to find a Bandmaster cabinet (good luck there) or try out a variety of other new or used cabinets until you find one that is pleasing to your ears.

Tech Tip: Using T-RackS with Logic Pro 8

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0100

Q: I have the T-RackS mastering suite plug-ins and would like to use them in Logic Pro, which is running on my dual 2GHz Mac G5. Can you tell me if these are compatible? A: As long as you install T-RackS as an AudioUnits plug-in, you should be fine. During the installation process, there will be a check box for VST, RTAS, and AU. Once it has been installed, you'll find the plug-in at the bottom of the Audio Units sub menu in a folder called "IK Multimedia."

Tech Tip: Beefing Up a Fender Champion 600

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0100

The Fender Champion 600 is a compact 5-watt all-tube guitar amplifier with a 1950s-style two-tone vinyl covering and a 6" speaker. It's great for practice or recording, and its Sweetwater price is just $199.99. Recently, guitar amp guru Robert Hanrahan let us in on a tip: swap out the stock 6V6 power tube with a NOS Tung-Sol (they are available if you look hard enough on the Internet)! It will transform this low-power amp into a sweet, buttery-smooth recording amp that will have other guitarists drooling! Can a simple tube exchange make such a big difference? Robert believes it can, and he has performed this upgrade numerous times for some high-profile clients!

Tech Tip: Burning for Blu-ray

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0100

Q: Obviously Blu-Ray won this round of the format wars. Is there any way to burn a Blu-ray disc using my stock dual-2GHz G5 Mac running OS X 10.5 without having to buy another CD burner? A: You can use the latest version of Roxio Toast 9 Titanium to do this, and you can actually burn the data to standard DVD-R discs, but you'll need to buy the optional $19.99 HD/BD plug-in to accomplish it. Keep in mind that you can only burn about 30 minutes of HD video in Blu-ray format onto a standard 4.7GB DVD-R disc - or twice that onto a dual-layer DVD-R.