Songwriters - Music Connection

NEW TOYS
Gemini Pro Audio HSR-1000 Headphones
Gemini’s HSR-1000 headphones are a solid choice for
pro or project recording studios, live sound work, DJs
or just casual music listening. For $99 MAP, you get
a rugged pair of “working man” tools that will hold up
to the rigors of the creative music making process
without failure or complaint.
I don’t feel like I have to “baby” them too
much—being careful not to overdrive them (when
the singer wants the headphone mix at “11”)
and knowing it’s not the end of them if they get
dropped or (hopefully not) thrown across the
room—caught up a victim of an artist’s frustration
and rage.
I found the HSR-1000s to hold up to these
extremes yet provide a stable, great sound that’s
tailored to music work. They have a fat lower midrange-centric
sound and are not overly bright-sounding.
Low frequencies sound true and the 53-mm drivers
with PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) diaphragms keep
the bottom end fully extended yet not excessively boomy.
The HSR-1000s are a close-back, circumaural phones that cover your
ears to provide sound isolation. In the studio or live sound, this helps
you hear what you want to, and in your domicile—it prevents others from
hearing when they don’t wanna hear... any sound at all. This is important
for late night mixing when everyone else around wants to sleep.
The HSR-1000s come with a gold-plated 1/4-inch stereo all-metal plug
and threaded 6.3mm mini-adapter, curly cord and a velour carrying bag. I
like the phones’ sturdy metal swing ear brackets, leather headband cushioning
and comfortable lightweight �t.
For more information, visit http://geminiproaudio.com.
Focusrite iTrack Solo
Focusrite’s iTrack Solo dual-input audio interface is actually two interfaces
in one. It is a USB 2.0 audio interface that works for both your
Mac or PC up to 24-bit/96kHz and it also functions as an iOS audio
interface for Apple’s iPad and iPhone. The iTrack Solo comes in an
all-aluminum cabinet that’s slightly smaller than the Scarlett 2i2 USB
interface and borrows that unit’s clever halo indicators that surround the
two input level control knobs. The halos are for simply setting the correct
level in green and warn of possible over level when they turn red.
I tested the iTrack Solo using three different DAWs: Pro Tools HD
10.2 Accel on OS X 10.6.8; as an interface running at 96kHz the latest
update of Wavemachine Labs’ Auria on iPad; and Sonoma Wire Works’
FourTrack app (44.1kHz 16-bit) on my iPhone 4S. Other iOS Apps like
GarageBand are also supported.
I found the iTrack’s functionality to be the same in all three systems:
super easy to make two-track recordings. It’s stable and produces a
great sound for both the recording inputs and the stereo monitoring
outputs. The mic pre-amp (same as used in the Liquid Saffire 56 and
Scarlett interfaces) has plenty of gain when using old ribbon or vintage
dynamic microphones with typically low output. The high impedance 1/4inch
direct input worked well when recording piezoelectric pickups or my
Fender Strat’s passive pickups.
I’m impressed! iTrack Solo is a great idea for the on-the-go songwriter,
musician or voice-over artist who want to record in high quality
anywhere and rely on those recordings to be master-ready quality later
in the studio. The iTrack Solo sells for $159 MAP. Check out http://
us.focusrite.com/itrack-solo for more information.
10 November 2012 www.musicconnection.com
—BARRY RUDOLPH barry@barryrudolph.com
Yamaha DTX400 Series
The newest members of Yamaha’s DTX
line of electronic drums, the DTX450K
and DTX400K, are entry-level kits
that drummers can count on for durability
and dependability while spending a
little less to get into playing electronic
drums live.
You get the DTX400 module with
169 drum sounds, 128 instrument
voices and 10 customizable kits. The
DTX400 series has a fresh look with
specially designed 10-inch hi-hats,
crash and ride cymbals and 7.5-inch
drum pads.
The DTX450K drum kit features a
3-zone snare pad for head, rim-shot
and side-stick sounds. The Yamaha
belt-drive foot pedal offers true kick
feel and the realistic hi-hat controller
allows for half-open, pedal and
splash sounds. The included steel rack
for the pads and kick drum pedal is rigid
and solid plus, there is a way to attach an extra
cymbal (PCY90AT purchased separately) if you are an
“extra cymbal” kind of drummer. All the cymbal attachments on
the DTX450K feature chrome hardware.
The DTX400 drum kit comes with the new beater-less KU100 kick unit
for super-quiet bass drum operation, but if it feels better, get the FP110
belt-drive foot pedal that come with the KP65 kick pad. It, as well as
the TP70S 3-zone snare pad and XP80 DTX-PAD snare, are optional
upgrades. You can mix n’ match individual pads and pedals.
Yamaha’s DTX400K kit is $499.99 and the DTX450K sells for
$699.99. See http://4wrd.it/usayamaha.
BOSS VE-5 Vocal Performer
The little VE-5 Vocal Performer is a mobile personal effects processor
and phrase looper for vocalists, rappers, DJs or any performer looking
to call up cool vocal treatments instantly. Its six vocal effects, borrowed
from Roland’s VE-20 stomp pedal unit, are: Reverb, Delay, Double/
Harmony, Dynamics, Pitch Correct and Tone/SFX.
The VE-5 is battery-powered and comes with mounting bracket
clamps to attach it to any size mic stand so that VE-5’s backlit LCD
display and controls are right up “in your face” for the adjustment and
recalling of any of the 50 memory locations. Each memory location has
a programmable chain of effects—the 30 factory presets are great starting
places to build elaborate chains.
The VE-5 will auto-correct a singer’s pitch either chromatically or by
key and scale. It is capable of auto-tune effects along with other treatments
simultaneously; their settings and wet/dry balances are programmable
and storable in user memories. I like the Harmony button that
allows you to drop in pre-programmed harmony parts or special effects
at will during live performances and on top of the running preset.
The effects processor is a mono only microphone level unit and connects
between your favorite stage mic and the FOH or recording mixer
just as any microphone would. There is switchable +48-volt phantom
powering and built-in microphone that mutes when the mic is plugged
into the unit’s XLR input. The built-in mic and headphone mini jack with
volume/line output level control are great features for practicing and
working out vocal effects, harmony parts or building vocal phrase loops
without any other gear required. For working out harmonies, I used a
backing track playing out of my iPhone connected to the VE-5’s Aux in
jack with the included stereo mini cable.
The phrase looper works like “sound-on-sound” recording—add layers
of vocals with every repeat of the loop. Looper holds a loop up to
38-seconds long and, when in record, the new part sounds
dry but adds whatever effect chain you’ve programmed
once playback begins.
The BOSS VE-5 Vocal Performer
offers a way to personalize, practice
and perfect your stage
vocal effects and store
them for instant recall
during your live
stage show. It sells
for $299 MSRP.
Visit http://roland.
com/products/en/
VE-5.