– BARRY RUDOLPH barry@barryrudolph.com YAMAHA’S CP4 STAGE PIANO TASCAM DR-40 The DR-40 is a handheld 4-track digital recorder with many professional features that transcend expectations of the lowly field recorder. The “Dual Record Mode” allows for a simultaneous back-up recording at a (pre-set) lower level in the event that unexpected audio peaks occur overwhelming your initial record level settings and distort. This is a great insurance policy for the location sound recording engineer—now all field-recorded audio is useable—nothing lost due to distortion. The ability to overdub to an already recorded backing track within the unit is brilliant. This is great for capturing those “on the spot” lyric or instrumental ideas—moments of inspiration in the process of songwriting. You would have the track stored and played from the DR-40 ready to add your ideas. The DR-40 records up to 96kHz/24-bit or directly to MP3, plus you can move audio files to your computer via a USB 2.0 connection. With this four-track system, why not bring it to your next live show and record the FOH’s board mix through two channels while also recording the room sound/ambience with the fully adjustable cardioid X/Y stereo mics on top? There are also the XLR-1/4-inch combo inputs with phantom power available. The DR-40 runs for 15-hours on three AA batteries, has loads of external controls and features TASCAM’s non-menu intensive operating system. With a full complement of accessories available, the DR-40 includes a 2G SD card and sells for $279 MSRP. Visit http://tascam.com/product/dr-40. TWA GD-02 GREAT DIVIDE 2.0 Godlyke Distributor’s Totally Wycked Audio GD-02 Great Divide® is an analog synth octaver guitar pedal. It combines an analog octave divider circuit with proprietary synth technology to create a new kind of guitar effect with five independent voices. These five voices are programmed and mixable by using slider pots. You can get sounds from classic “stompbox” octave divider to multi-layered synth sounds and envelope follower treatments. Features include a relay-based, true hardwired bypass that automatically reverts to bypass if power is lost. Power comes from an included 9-volt power supply—sorry no batteries allowed. Other controls are: dry signal with level fader, -1 octave down and +1 octave up both with separate level faders & low pass filter controls, +1 octave envelope mode, Sub voice and Syn voices with separate level faders and individually selectable between -1, -1.5, -2 or -2.6 intervals. There are four selectable waveforms for the SYN voice and a single send/return TRS Effects Loop to patch in external effects. The TWA GD-02 Great Divide sells for $399 direct from http://godlyke.com or call 866-246-3595. eMEDIA SINGING METHOD eMedia Music takes advantage of modern technology with its eMedia Singing Method. It uses Interactive Feedback technology that actually listens as you sing and tells you whether you are singing sharp, flat, or spot on—right in tune. Even if that was all it did, most novice singers would love it, but add the Performance Evaluation system that listens and gives you specific feedback makes it irresistible. There are over 200 short lessons beginning with proper singing techniques, singing in time and in tune. Further lessons cover how to project your voice, increase your range, vocal agility, expression and sight-reading. You can sing along with about 80 included songs—some actual tracks and also MIDI files for playing your own sounds. eMedia Singing Method covers folk, pop, jazz, R&B, opera, classical and show tunes, including contemporary hits made famous by John Lennon, David Bowie, Mick Jagger and more. I like the video animations and the ability to loop more difficult sections—repeat them for practice and to develop your ear. Doing these lessons in the privacy of your home is a great way to learn to sing and self-improve at your own pace. eMedia Singing Method DVD-ROM is for both Windows and Macintosh platforms and sells for $59.95. Check out http://eMediaMusic.com. Match its 88-note Natural Wood Graded Hammer action with 45 voices from Yamaha’s premium handcrafted grand pianos, including the CFX, CFIIIS and S6, 47 vintage electric pianos with Virtual Circuit Modeling effects and you have just the start of the CP4 Stage Piano at $2,999 MSRP. You’ll also want the 321 sounds based on Yamaha’s flagship MOTIF synthesizer included in this slim, lightweight design with its large lighted buttons for splits and layers. At $2,399 MSRP the CP40 Stage also has a selection of grand piano sounds based on the Yamaha CFIIIs and one of the Premium Collection grand pianos. It also includes 35 vintage electric pianos, 247 Motif instrument Voices and 62 VCM effects. The CP40 comes with Graded Hammer action with the same simplified interface as the CP4. For more information, visit http://usa. yamaha.com/products/ BARRY RUDOLPH is a recording engineer/mixer who has worked on over 30 RIAA certified gold and platinum award-winning records. He has recorded and/or mixed: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs and Robbie Nevil, among others. Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility and also teaches recording engineering at Musician’s Institute, Hollywood, CA. http://barryrudolph.com 12 November 2013 musicconnection.com
November October 2013 musicconnection.com