The EVH Wolfgang Stealth features a double-bound basswood body with an arched, double A Maple top finished in a new Magna Coatings paint. This is a very unusual finish, almost sandpapery to the touch but dead classy if it doesn’t get too scratched along the way. Another first for EVH is the Ebony fingerboard, which on the review guitar is a georgeous slab of black timber which only adds to the fabulous look. EVH has chosen a quartersawn oiled Maple neck with a compound radius (12” to 16”) for easier bending at the top of the neck and installed two graphite neck reinforcement rods to ensure stability and 22 vintage-style frets. Scale length is 25.5“.

Electronics include custom designed hard-mounted (screwed directly into the body) EVH humbucking bridge and neck pickups, a 3-position toggle switch and well-placed volume and tone controls. Other features include all-black hardware, with the customary EVH-branded Floyd Rose locking tremolo with EVH D-Tuna taking centre stage, in addition to the Floyd Rose original locking nut and tremolo arm and Schaller chrome string retainer. Accessories include a SKB case with moulded stripes.

Whether you’re a fan of Eddie or not, the Wolfgang Stealth is a guitar that absolutely hits the spot on all counts. The neck is reasonably hefty compared to something like an Ibanez RG, but the Ebony fingerboard feels ultra smooth and the medium size frets make for a very easy playing experience. The neck/body chamfer make easy work of the top of the fretboard and because the neck is set well in to the body, the overall feel is of a very compact and comfortable guitar to play and hold. Whatever magic formula EVH has for its pick-ups, they need to hold on to it; both humbuckers display both beefiness and edge but have audibly different characteristics, giving the guitar more scope than just being a hard rock instrument. The D-Tuna can be operated either way a split second for lowering the botton string a whole tone and although Floyd Rose systems can be tricky, the set-up on this EVH Wolfgang Stealth seems stable enough.

With the renewed attention that Van Halen are receiving due to a critically acclaimed and warmly received new album, I expect interest in the EVH gear to increase accordingly. With guitars like the Wolfgang Stealth in the catalogue, the company won’t be too worried about delivering the goods.

 Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the EVH Wolfgang Stealth at dv247.com

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2. Gibson Les Paul Axcess Review
3. Gibson Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Review
4. ESP Alexi-Blacky Review
5. Rare Van Halen Tracks Released

Most traditional guitar players would agree that it doesn’t get any better than a boutique valve amp, cranked up until it hits the sweet spot — and they’re right — but even that dream scenario isn’t without its challenges. The best valve amp sounds are created when both the preamp and power amp are driven hard enough to hit that magical sweet spot, and in the case of most amps designed for stage use, that’s far too loud for home recording. A master volume control really doesn’t solve the problem because although that allows you to push the preamp hard, the power stage is no longer contributing its magic.

Of course you could buy a very small valve amp specifically for recording, and some of these sound wonderful, but even five watts of valve power can be fearsomely loud. What’s more, most valve amps have specific tonal character that might not suit all applications. And even a small valve amp needs to be played through a suitably large speaker to avoid it sounding boxy, so while you will find many low power valve amps that can do one thing really well, they probably won’t be any smaller than a stage amp and tend to be relatively expensive.

Modelling amps that combine DSP processing with a solid-state power amp have been with us for a while. They certainly look like an attractive proposition for the recording guitarist as their sound can be recreated at any volume from a whisper upwards while their on-board effects, amp and speaker models hold the promise of a tonal adventure park with virtually unlimited options. Though companies such as Line 6 and Roland started the ball rolling in this area, even traditional valve amp stalwarts such as Fender and Marshall have started integrating digital effects and modelling technology into their products. These modelling amps certainly meet the needs of tonal flexibility, scalable volume and affordability, but there are still those players who’ll never be happy with an amp that doesn’t have at least some valves in it.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Line 6 DT25 112 guitar amp combo @ dv247.com

One of the neatest solutions in recent years is the hybrid amplifier — one that combines digital modelling with real valves and real speakers. A good example is the recent Line 6 DT 25, designed in collaboration with Reinhold Bognor. This is available as a combo or as a separate amp head, and teams a modelled preamp stage with a full-scale valve output stage. Indeed it goes rather further than that because the valve stage (one 12AX7 plus a pair of EL84s) can itself be configured in a number of ways via a built-in electronic switching matrix to emulate different amp types. For example, it can operate in class A/B mode when you’re after a Fender or Marshall type of vibe or can switch to Class A for a Vox or Matchless tonality. The feedback around the power stage also changes to match the mode you select and the output valves can be set to operate in either triode or pentode mode offering even more tonal scope. I know some players will resist the idea of a modelling front end but my bet is that these same players feel no pangs of guilt when plugging a solid-state overdrive pedal or a digital delay into the front of their valve amp. Ultimately what matters is the result. Does it sound like a real amp, does it feel like a real amp and can you get the sound you want to record at a realistic volume level?

In the case of the DT25, I’d say that the answer to the above questions would be yes — it even includes a low power mode that brings in some extra modelling to help create the character of an overdriven power amp stage allowing you to set a much lower master volume level without losing tone. This is just as well as with a 25 Watt capability in Class A/B mode and 10 Watts in Class A mode, the DT25 is loud enough to play pub gigs. Even in low power mode, the final output still comes via a real valve power stage with a real speaker pushing real air, which combined with the magic of modelling gives you the opportunity to explore a far wider range of amp tones than any conventional valve amp can offer. Even the built-in modelled spring reverb sounds wonderfully authentic — though it doesn’t go ‘sproing’ when you kick it! The amp also includes an effects loop for adding those effects that need to come after the preamp, and if you already own a POD HD floor unit, you can use the built-in Line 6 Link connector on both devices to combine the variety of amp models and effects available in your POD HD with the power, flexibility and tonal authenticity of the DT25.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Vox Valvetronix VT40+ combo amplifier @ dv247.com

Another approach to hybrid amp design comes from Vox and I have to admit to being a real fan of their Valvetronix technology. What’s more these amps are unbelievably inexpensive. Vox have carried this technology through a number of versions of their VT amplifier range as well as their Tonelab stand-alone guitar effects products so it has been tried and tested now for a number of years, getting more refined with every revision. Again they start out with a modelled front end, so all the amp types, tone controls and effects are created using powerful DSP chips. The really clever part though is their valve stage, which is designed around a single dual-triode 12AX7/ECC83 valve in a miniature power amp circuit capable of delivering only around one watt maximum into a specially designed load that makes the valve ‘believe’ that it is feeding into a traditional output transformer and speaker. This valve stage switches from Class A to class A/B mode depending on the type of preamp model selected so gain retains the correct character of the type of amp being emulated.

The output from this mini power stage then feeds into a clean, solid-stage amp that boosts the power to an adequate level to drive the speaker with models available from 15 Watts to in excess of 100 Watts depending on your requirement. You can almost think of it as being akin to a small valve amp being fed through a PA system. For recording, I think the 30 and 50 Watts models are best-suited as their 10 and 12 inch speakers deliver the required amount of low end authority, though there’s also a 15 Watts version with an eight inch speaker if your needs are more modest. The great thing about all these amps is that no matter how low you turn the volume on the solid-state output stage, you can still push that miniature valve power stage as hard as you like so you get a consistent and highly believable sound at any volume level from ‘don’t wake the parents’ to full-on gig battle conditions. All the essential effects such as modulation and delay are built in along with an independent reverb and on the current VTX models you can store eight presets for fast access via the front panel or from an optional footswitch.

I use an older version of one of these Vox amps in my own studio and usually find myself gravitating towards the AC30 Top Boost emulation as it lends itself to most musical styles and also responds really well to a good overdrive pedal. I’ve tried many more expensive amps but keep going back to it. Back in the day I owned a couple of original AC30s and they sounded great, but the problem was that by the time you hit the sweet spot, the audience was already leaving clutching their ears! The Valvetronix amps really nail that AC30 sound, and at a civilised volume, but if the AC30 sound isn’t your thing, the VTX amps cover all the amp style essentials from clean US combos, via steaming Brit stacks to US High Gain and boutique metal amps.

I’ve done recordings using both these modelling amps and in most respects they really do manage to combine the best aspects of modelling flexibility with the sonic authority and responsiveness of a good valve amp. Sure there will always be individual valve amps that do a better job in a specific tonal area, but where you need to be in full control of both your volume and your tone, but you don’t want to rely on a DI modelling solution, I really think hybrid is the way to go.

Related posts:

1. Bugera Magician and Trirec boutique amps at Musikmesse 2010
2. New Fender Amps for 2012
3. Ampeg GVT Amps Roundup
4. Modelling guitars – the Line 6 Variax 700
5. DigiTech Launch Fusion Modelling Amp Range

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Slate Digital VCC plug-in collection dv247.com

Sound engineer, hardware manufacturer and plug-in developer Steven Slate  has joined the party with an interesting approach. Many plug-ins recreate certain characteristics of the chosen hardware, but what Slate Digital wanted to achieve was the recreation the non-linearities and aspects of certain legendary console’s signal path.

To achieve this, Slate Digital came up with VCC (Virtual Console Collection), a collection of two plug-ins – Virtual Channel and Virtual MixBuss – to be inserted on all channels and buss. Having the same plug-in inserted on every channel can seem pointless, but it is the best way to represent the cumulative effect on the signal path of a mixing console.

The GUI of the plug-in is really pleasant and extremely easy to understand, featuring a distressed metallic black colour with white text. The Virtual Channel comprises three knobs called Console, Input and Drive. Console lets you choose which desk you wish to emulate and offers a choice of five different mixers (the first release only offered four, with the latest sold separately, but the whole set is now bundled together) called Brit 4K, US A, Brit N, Trident Symbol, and RC Tube. The names make it fairly obvious which console have been emulated. The Input knob is self explanatory and the Drive actually adds as much of the console emulation as you decide, with zero being the original amount. Below the Drive knob there is a toggle switch called Group which, when switched-on, opens two new windows and bypasses the three knobs in the original. As the name suggests, Group opens a window offering you the possibility to group all tracks or a few of them together. The same three buttons appear, but are entitled Group Console, Group Input, and Group Drive. The Toggle Switch is called Group Bypass/Process and is used to deactivate the all the instances of VCC assigned to a particular group. What’s more, this window shows a list of eight groups to assign your channels to.  To ensure a nice work-flow and avoid any possible confusion it is possible to rename all groups and tracks and if you wish to edit a group attribute – there’s no need to close the plug-in and open another instance of the group chosen, just click on the red « light » next to the group section and the plug-in lets you view all tracks in that group, as well as all the settings, which can be edited from that window. This is a very clever idea that will improve the workflow. The MixBuss is only available on stereo tracks and features only two of the Virtual Channel’s three knobs, namely Console and Drive. It is possible to group Channels and MixBuss to the same group.

The Group feature is a great addition, as it allows you to control a group of tracks or all tracks by turning a simple knob or flicking a switch. And the possibilities are endless – you choose to group your drums to the US A, your bass tacks to the Brit N, guitars to Brit 4K, strings and vocals to the RC Tube, or group all your tracks to the same group to emulate mxing on one console.

To familiarise myself with the plug-in, I first loaded a song that I had already mixed to see what the VCC would bring and whether it was an improvement. I then added the Virtual Channel on all tracks and the Virtual MixBuss on all Buss including the master buss. I chose to route everything to the same group in order to hear the differences every emulation brought to the original mix. I was pretty happy with my original mix, so any changes had the potential of ruining what I had achieved.

I first selected the Brit 4K emulation and, to make sure I heard what was done to the sound, I pushed the drive to +3dB. Immediately the song sounded louder (something I expected when increasing the drive), but compensating for volume revealed that the song sounded edgier, with high-mids more present and a more controlled low end. It was a good suprise, so to make sure it wasn’t my imagination, I flicked through the group bypass a few times to see if what I heard was consistent, which it was. The song seemed to be better-glued and consistent. After flicking through a few times, I decided to move on to the US A, which seemed to also emphasise on the high mid, but gave a bigger sense of space, with a slight dip in the low mid giving more focus to the vocals. Once again, the general feeling was that it provided some form of glue to the whole mix. Surprisingly it gave the mix what I felt was a more natural sound, with a sense that all the elements fitted together. Comparing once again with the original, I was convinced that it was a definite improvement, and proceeded on with the Brit N.

The effects of the Brit N really surprised me, in that it sounded louder and almost over the top. I had to reduce the volume even more to match the original. At this point I wished for an automatic level compensation or at least a knob to control the volume within the plug-in itself. Once the levels were matched, I could focus on the changes that this emulation was bringing. Immediately the mix sounded bassier and rounder, with a sweet and almost vintage vibe. The low end was to say the least very impressive, the bass sounded rounder and the kick sounded much deeper. As the Brit N is so obvious, I felt the need to tame the drive down a bit and brought it back to zero, which did the trick. It kept all the roundness and depth of the bass but regained some clarity in the mid and high frequencies. Once more I had the feeling of a more cohesive mix which was really obvious when hearing the drums.

I then moved on to the Trident, and I have to say this was absolutely magic ! The strings in the background were brought up in a really nice way without sounding harsh, the toms sounded full, the bass sounded a tad more present in the upper range cutting through better without overpowering the mix. The mix sounded absolutely glorious! I knew full-well that I had found the setting specific for this song but for the purpose of the review I moved on to the next one.

The RC Tube instantly gave an obvious vintage tone, making the sound less airy and with more ‘medium’. The sound was much rounder, which didn’t quite suit the song. However, after trying it on just the strings I felt it gave an incredible tone that I decided to add them to another group and use them with the RC Tube.

During all this test I felt that the results would be better if I actually mixed into the plug-in from the start instead of adding the colour to a song already mixed. So I took a song I was about to mix and loaded all the instances of Virtual Channel and Virtual MixBuss and flicked through the console emulations until I found the one I preferred for this song. In this instance, the US A seemed the more appropriate choice. While mixing, I didn’t pay any attention to the colour that the Slate Digital VCC was adding to the song – I just focused on mixing the track. What I found, however, is that it became a lot easier to get a cohesive result which I usually struggled to get. I also used less plug-ins than I would normally but I can’t say for sure if this is due to the plug-in or the track. Once I was happy with the mix, I prepared myself for the moment of truth. I group-bypassed all instances of VCC and noticed straight away the change of tone, with the bass moving further in the background, and less spacious highs. On doing several A/B comparisons it was very apparent that in bypass mode the song was more cohesive with too much separation between different layers, the toms seemed less present and with less weight. I guess this is to be expected as when mixing in VCC, I was mixing to a different sound.

As I tried to understand what Slate Digital VCC was doing to the sound, I noticed in addition to the harmonic distortion and the EQ curve; the effect of the cross-talk. I originally didn’t think it was such an important factor, but in bypass mode the sound seemed almost to emanate as a dual mono signal coming from each speaker whereas when engaged, the sound became much more 3-dimensional.

The Slate Digital VCC is a very interesting and useful plug-in that has the potential of really improving the whole process of mixing in the box. The effects can sometimes be hard to pinpoint and to appreciate on single sound sources. But the secret lies in the cumulative effect of routing the channel into the mixbuss. If you cannot hear the difference at the beginning, I can only suggest you mix with the plug-ins from the start,and once happy with mix do a group bypass to hear what you’re missing – you’ll be very surprised by the difference and you will never return to mixing without it. I for one have added VCC to all my templates.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Slate Digital VCC plug-in collection dv247.com

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4. DV Digital DJ Expo News – Part Two
5. The Art of Compression

Many people pick up an acoustic bass and expect it to sound like a double bass. It may go some way to emulating the larger beast when plugged in – especially if it’s a fretless model – but the comparative body sizes preclude the instruments sounding anything like each other unfortunately. However, modern acoustic basses can easily hold their own in all-acoustic ensembles and if there’s a need to plug in, they are nearly all now factory fitted with a pick-up and pre-amp system as standard. The new Fender T-Bucket Acoustic Bass is no exception. Part of the Fender’s Hot Rod Design series, it features a non-cutaway Grand Concert body style and an on-board Fishman Isys III pickup system with active pre-amp and tuner.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Fender T-Bucket Acoustic Bass at dv247.com

The Fender T-Bucket Acoustic Bass also features a laminated flame Maple top with scalloped X bracing, laminated Mahogany back and sides, Mahogany neck with dual-action truss rod and a 3-colour gloss Sunburst finish with Ivory body and neck binding. Rosewood is the chosen fingerboard material, which has been inlaid with an ’F’ at the 12th fret and there’s yet more inlay on the headstock and rosette – a ’pinstriping’ effect by Fender Hot Rod artist Vince Ray. Other features include a Rosewood bridge with compensated saddle for better intonation and a forward strap button. Scale length is set at a medium 32“ for easier playability and the factory set up with a Fender Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Bass 45-95 set includes a comfortable low action without any noticable string buzz. Fender has equipped the T-Bucket with a Fishman Isys III System which includes an active pre-amp, Volume control, 3-Band EQ and Tuner. The output socket and battery compartment can be located on the bottom bout of the bass and the positioning of this plate and the pre-amp has been well thought out and adds to the general impression that the T-Bucket is an ideal instrument for live work.

Acoustically, the Fender T-Bucket is a bit of a surprise. So many acoustic basses sound far too trebly to my ears and lack any ’thump‘ until plugged in. That is not the case here; the T-Bucket has a pleasantly woody bottom end on the low E string with some real bass response. The instrument also produces an impressive overall volume level and the individual strings are well balanced, again, not always the case.

Finding a Fishman system on an instrument that’s so affordable as the T-Bucket is also impressive. Although the Isis III is a basic affair it does a great job, enhancing an already decent sounding bass and giving it the power to hold down a substantial bottom end in any acoustic based ensemble. The T-Bucket is lightweight too and because of the comparatively small body and the medium scale, the bottom frets won’t be out of reach for the average person.

Despite its comparatively late start in the acoustic bass field, Fender – as you would expect – is now firmly established in spite of plenty of competition from all quarters. However, with a instrument as good as the T-Bucket, I don’t think it has too much to worry about.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Fender T-Bucket Acoustic Bass at dv247.com

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4. Fender Deluxe Precision Bass Review
5. Fender CD-100 Acoustic Review

If you would like to read about how to use your mouth to write music then check out the other articles using the links below:

Part One: Creating a beat in Cubase 6 using your voice

Part Two: Creating a Bass Line in Cubase 6 using your voice

Part Three: Creating a Melody line in Cubase 6 using your voice

Part Four: Creating a Synth Line in Cubase 6 using your voice

Part Five: Creating a morphing pad in Cubase 6 using your voice

Why?

Many people complain that the music industry has gone a bit over the top with the obsession to be the loudest. However, there is a lot to be said for cranking up the levels and it’s not all about making peoples ears bleed. Good compression and limiting adds warmth and makes your tracks sound fuller by pumping the volumes and filling little gaps with sound; this also makes them sound better at lower volumes. Running a compressor and limiter from the beginning of producing your track can also save you a lot of time, as it means you don’t have to worry much about levels – as more synths and sounds are introduced into the mix, the compressor and limiter pulls the volumes and peaks down , giving  a nice even mix without you doing anything.

It is a personal preference, how far you want to smash your audio signals to achieve loudness, but in my project I’ve been fairly rough with my treatment to get that live, blaring sound.

The Technique

So far I have written a 4 bar segment which contains a drum loop, a bass-line, a melody, a couple of synth-lines and a pad. I have not arranged these components yet, because every note I write, effect I use, or EQ I introduce will be affected by the compressor and limiter, and any automation may have to be redone, so it  makes sense to insert the compressors and limiters first so that I am working with the correct levels. Also, by effectively mastering the track as I write/arrange, it means that upon writing the last bit, my project will be finished and immediately ready to bounce down.

What I am looking to achieve here ultimately is the track to sound as loud as possible with the final output at dead on 0dB (i.e. the maximum level for a CD). Whenever a channel on the mixer or a level within a plug-in exceeds 0dB things start turning red to tell you that there is a potential problem. Cubase 6 can mix at much higher levels than 0dB due to its 32bit floating point architecture – this is an interesting topic, but I’m not going into it here. So, when writing, I set my channel levels high and then use compression and limiting to bring the final output back down to zero. To get an idea of where to start, I normally pick a tune that is similar to mine and listen to it,  then try and get my levels to sound as loud.

The Kick

Our ears aren’t designed for low frequencies and we can barely hear them, so you will find your low frequencies are cranked right up. If you don’t like bass, then you are in dreamland and can write the loudest track ever; if you love bass then your going to be doing battle with physics and biology and I wish you every luck.

My track is a dance track, and as with all dance and pop tracks, the kick drum should be nice and loud and proud, which will use up most of my “headroom” (the available loudness). Because the kick drum is so bass heavy it requires a lot of volume to be heard – the bassier you want you kick drum to be the louder you will need it to be to hear it. It is for this reason, you will notice in most pieces of pop and dance music, the audio wave clearly shows the kick drum as the loudest and biggest peak, even though it isn’t necessarily the loudest sounding instrument. Ultimately the kick drum will determine how loud my track will be, so I start by isolating it and crunching it to make room for everything else. The more I can squeeze it down, the more headroom I can recover and the louder all my other instruments can be.

My kick drum is  in Groove Agent One which I loaded into the VST Instruments rack. Grove Agent One can have a massive 16 different stereo audio outputs, so the first thing I do is open the VST Instrument rack and click on the little output button immediately to the left of the rack slot (where the instrument name is displayed) and activate a second audio output, as you can see below:

I  now have two stereo channels for Groove Agent One in the master mixer, allowing me to have completely different routings, levels and effects. By default, all the sounds in Groove Agent One are playing out of GAOne 1 (channel one), so I to set my kick drum to go to GAOne 2. To do this, I open Groove Agent One and click on the kick pad; now the display shows all the settings for that individual pad and using the knob furthermost to the right, beneath the instrument’s screen,  I change the kick’s Output from ST1 (stereo output 1) to ST2. You can see this in the picture below:

I then open the channel view for GAOne 2 and set a steep sloping EQ with the frequency set to 30Hz and the gain pulled right down; this will remove all the frequencies that can’t be heard or reproduced by speakers and allow me to boost the audible frequencies to a higher level.

I am then ready to compress and limit my kick drum to boost it, so I click in an Insert slot and from the pop-up list I go down Dynamics folder and then click on VSTDynamics; you can see this below (I have a number of additional 3^rd party plug-ins installed, so don’t expect to see the same list as I have):

The VSTDynamics plug-in then pops up. It is important to have the kick playing back whilst you are changing the settings so that you can look at the levels and hear the results. The VSTDynamics plug-in an amalgamation of three different processors called GATE, COMPRESSOR, and LIMITER, which you can see listed along the bottom of the plug-in screen. The small circles next to these names are the power buttons, so I click on the one next to COMPRESSOR and the one next to LIMITER to activate them, as these are the processors I want to use. The COMPRESSOR settings take up much of the middle part of the screen, and the controls are as follows:

• Threshold: This is the level in decibels at which the compressor will start affecting the audio, so it is effectively a dynamic on/off switch. As soon as the audio signal hits this level the compressor will start compressing.
• Ratio: The harshness with which the audio will be compressed, the higher the number, the more severe the compression.
• Make-Up: Once the audio has been compressed it will be quieter, so you use the Make-Up to get it back up to the level you want. The “Auto” button will return it to the same decibels it was to start with before compression, but to trigger the LIMITER you need to send the audio out to a level above the limiter’s threshold which is 0db. So you should turn the “Auto” off and then use the Make-Up to get the limiter working.
• Attack: The speed with which the compressor will start attacking the audio signal and compress it once the level is over the threshold.
• Release: The speed at which the compressor will stop compressing the audio after it falls below the threshold.
• IN (level meter): Shows the level of the audio as it enters the compressor, which is useful for setting the threshold.
• GR (level meter): The amount the compressor is impacting on the audio (if this isn’t doing much then lower the threshold, if this is going berserk then you may want to raise the threshold

You can see all these settings in the picture below:

For my kick, I have chosen a Threshold of -8.9dB against an input of -4.5dB (the volume works in reverse, from 0dB downward). I’ve then selected the maximum ratio of 8, the fastest attack and “auto” release. All of this means that any audio coming in over -8.9dB will be immediately crushed by 8:1 and as soon as the audio falls back below -8.9dB it will be left at it’s original level. This creates a pumping loudness – which is perfect for my tune.

I put the Make-Up gain right up to +10dB, which means when I get to the LIMITER, the “IN” level is reporting a red warning that my audio is +3.1dB. This is what I want, as the LIMITER will then bring this down to 0dB by attenuating the peaks (like getting a pair of scissors and just snipping off the top of the peaks). I then set the Output volume of the LIMITER to -6.0dB as that sounds about right and leave some headroom for other instruments.

Groups

To make mixing easier and to compress the all the percussion together for a squelchier sound, I create a group channel to send my two Groove Agent One channels to. The group channel is exactly the same as a regular channel with all the same functionality (EQ, Inserts, Send, Volume, etc.). To create a group, I simply right-click in the empty Track Header area and select “Add Group Channel Track…”, as you can see below:

I name the group “Percussion” and a new channel appears in the mixer with a corresponding track in the Project Page (for automation purposes). I want to route my kick drum channel (GAOne 2) and my old percussion channel (GAOne 1) to the new group, so I open the mixer and along the top it shows the  output bus for each channel. For the two channels I want to route to the “Percussion” group, I click in the Output bus slot and from the drop-down list select Groups > Percussion, as you can see below.

(MMM-LoudPercGrp.png)

I then go to my group channel, “Percussion”, and insert an instance of the VSTDynamics plug-in effect and active the COMPRESSOR and LIMITER sections. The IN level on the compressor is showing that the level is peaking at +0.2dB – this is because the kick and the clap, when playing at the same time, are very loud. I set the Threshold to roughly where the kick level on its own, -6.8dB, so that when the kick is playing on its own the compressor has no effect. I then set the maximum Ratio for a harsh compression, and the Attack and Release times to the minimum for a very fast response. I crank up the output to +4dB to hit the LIMITER but then drop the Output Volume on the LIMITER to -4dB to fit into my mix and leave room for my instruments.  You can see all these setting in the picture below:

With my percussion levels set, I then look at the next headroom muncher, bass.  I have two bass sounds to start with; the one which comes in during the intro section and the rather nasty sounding one that begins during the first break. I create a group called “Basses” and route my two bass sounds to this new group. I then insert another copy of VSTDynamics into that group channel with a fairly mild set of compression and limiter settings (as they aren’t particularly bassy and all I need to do is take the peaks off and leave a nice even signal level). This group highlighted another benefit of groups later on when I decided I wanted to run a 4 bar loop of the harsh bass though a long ping-pong delay to create a doubled-up, panning effect, which I needed to bounce down so that I  could just the second two bars as an audio loop (this became the bass-line that runs between the two breaks). I was able to just route this audio track into the “Basses” group, avoiding having to re-do the compressor or levels.

Finally, I create a “Synth” group for all my other synths and pads and insert another instance of VSTDynamics with very light compression and limiter settings. All my audio signals are now running through one of three groups before going into the master bus which means when I mix these three “groups” of audio back together I will be totally free of unwanted peaks or surges in volume which might cause unexpected results when I compress and limit the master output. With compression and limiting working on each of these groups, the instruments within the groups are only competing with each other for headroom. So if four percussion sounds come together at once, they will only compete with each other rather than causing my bass or synth parts affected. Also, when two or three synths play at the same time through the “Synth” group, they will be compressed to have the same apparent loudness as when just one of them was playing – so the compressor and limiter act as a kind of auto-mixer.

Master Output

With all my levels going into the master output channel at a controlled level, I then insert one final instance of VSTDynamics into the output bus to ensure my final mixdown will be brought down to exactly 0dB ready to be burned onto CD. I set the VSTDynamics on this channel to be far more gentle, as all I really want to do is pull the levels down to 0. You can see these setting in the picture below:

You can see in the picture above that the volume coming into the compressor is at +4.4dB, which will cause hard clipping on my final mixdown, and it is for this reason I am inserting this master set of VSTDynamics. I have set the compressor to a gentle ratio of 5:1 and the threshold to -8dB which looks like quite a heavy setting (a difference of 12dB), but from listening and looking, it is clear that the audio doesn’t often reach  +4.4dB and this setting sounds fine. I then play with the Make-Up setting to push the levels over 0dB again and start the limiter working. The higher I can push this without and audible problem, the louder my final piece of music will be. As it turns out, I can push it up by another 4dB and it still sounds great, so this is where I leave it. I leave the output of the Limiter set to 0dB and now when I export my tune the levels will be at exactly 0dB.

Summary

This way of working may sound completely wrong to some people, but this is the story of My Musical Mouth project and this is how I wrote my track. You can hear the results for yourself, by clicking on the Soundcloud link below, and decide if it worked or not.

The beauty of heavy compressing and limiting is that it becomes a sound effect as much as a dynamic process; an effect that fills the empty spaces of sound and adds a pumping warmth and liveliness that brings a piece of dance music to life. However, it doesn’t necessarily work with everything and some sounds are easily distorted; resonant sounds such as vocals and sounds that have few peaks, such as sub-basses, are  especially troublesome.

This is officially the end of  My Musical Mouth – officially this article shouldn’t have been part of the series as it has nothing to do with using your mouth, but hopefully it was a useful insight into how I got my levels right up – and I could go on! So, I’m going to leave it to a public vote. If ten people leave comments at the bottom of this article asking for more, then I will cover the arrangement, the effects I used and how I automated them.

Don’t forget, if you are a customer of ours or want to buy a copy of Cubase, then you can email me on education@dvmusic.com for full tutorials in PDF. For now though, goodbye and happy mouthing.

Related posts:

1. My Musical Mouth – How to write music using your voice with Cubase 6
2. A Beginner’s Guide to Using Cubase Part One
3. Creating a beat in Cubase 6 using your voice
4. Creating a Bass Line in Cubase 6 Using Your Voice
5. The Art of Compression

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 5 Head at dv247.com

Housed in a steel case with end cheeks doubling as carrying handles and Hughes and Kettner’s familiar transparent front panel and blue illumination, the TubeMeister 5 Head measures less than 10 inches across, weighs 3.5 kg and is delivered complete with a soft carrybag. It only offers a single channel, but in keeping with its TubeMeister companions this tiny amp features the same Drive function to boost the guitar signal from clean to overdrive, although unfortunately there’s no footswitch option.

The 5-watt output is delivered courtesy of a pre-amp featuring one 12AX7 tube with a 12BH7 dual-triode push-pull power section while the oversized transformers allow more headroom for clean sounds and more punch for the drive tones. The front panel includes a 3-band EQ section and a Master and Gain control in addition to the Drive button. Round the back we get Hughes and Kettner’s proprietry balanced and speaker-emulated Red Box Out for direct connection to a DAW and an automatic/switchable Power Soak with silent record function. There’s a single speaker output marked 8-16 Ohms – the TubeMeister 5 head is meant to be matched up with the H&K 110 cabinet housing a Celestion TEN 30 – but any decent cab will do.

Guitar amplifiers are not usually described as ’cute‘, but if the term has been waiting around for the right product to happen along, then the TubeMeister 5 Head is definitely the one. Unveiling it for the first time produced variously astonishment and delight from onlookers, morphing into poorly concealed excitement when the little box was powered up and all lit up in blue. Before plugging in a guitar, I turned all the controls flat out to check the noise level and was pleasantly surprised to hear very little in the way of hiss, furthering the TubeMeister 5 Head’s obvious recording amp credentials. Clean headroom is also impressive and although probably not loud enough for live work, with the Master up and the Gain rolled back a bit and possibly a little volume backed off on the guitar, you can achieve a clear and very usable tone for rhythm work or clean leads.

Staying on the Clean setting, pushing up the Gain control introduces the luscious and harmonically enriched overdrive sound that so characterises the TubeMeister amps in general, at a volume level – even on 10 – that’s just right for recording, practice or dare I mention it, a small gig. The overall sound that emanated from my chosen demo speaker cabinet was absolutely huge compared to the amp’s diminutive proportions and low power rating and should you become a TubeMeister 5 owner, if there’s a random 412 cabinet in the vicinity I recommend you requisition it for your own private TubeMeister 5 experience, you will not be disappointed.

Pressing the Drive button not only nudges up the level, it introduces a gratifyingly warm saturation tone, with bags of sustain and remarkable articulation. Every note in the chord can be heard clearly – even with the Gain wicked up – which is a feature you usually only hear on very expensive boutique jobs, not on amps as affordable as the TubeMeister 5.

Like the TubeMeister 18 Head and combo, the TubeMeister 5 offers a very pleasing playing experience indeed; the natural compression offering a rare touch/feel responsive that makes every note special. There’s also plenty of gain for everyone apart from the extreme metal guys, but they are unlikely to want to be caught red-handed with anything so dinky. Everyone else will love it. The TubeMeister 5 Head is another great amp from Hughes & Kettner. Recommended.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 5 Head at dv247.com

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3. Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister 18 Combo Review
4. Hughes & Kettner Puretone Head Review
5. Hughes and Kettner Trilogy Review

This technically savvy DJ runs through some basic effects units (creating loops and beats on the fly), high-end mixer and CDJ’s (playing SD cards too), his preference for Ableton Live (with FX triggered and manipulated by an iPad) and more. Interviewer Pete Tong further quizzes James on his musical style and influences, how he assembles his sets plus the interesting question of how original tunes are sourced – promo, download, vinyl (transferred to digital by the artist), purchased etc? The video rounds off with the DJ pair discussing the availability of online and social media marketing resources – somewhat of a double-edged sword of course as we all mostly know – being that there’s so much available to help  new DJ’s promote themselves, but then again the pure mass volume of said DJ’s competing for attention can often cancel out the effectiveness of the former.

So, start up DJ’s would be well served watching this video from top to bottom I’d suggest, with more seasoned jocks emulating a needle drop through it perhaps to more relevant sections.
Check Current Pricing of the latest DJ Gear at DV247.com

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Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Gibson Les Paul Standard Bass Oversized at dv247.com

At first glance you would be forgiven for thinking that the body of the Les Paul Standard Bass is the same size as the guitar, but a back-to-back comparision with a (left-handed) Les Paul reveals that the bass has been scaled up – although not in equal proportion – being oversized by approximately 10 cm across on each side (in the upright position) and about 25 cm in length. Construction is pure Les Paul; Mahogany body and neck with a Rosewood fingerboard and a carved Maple top, with a choice of either Gold, Heritage Cherry Sunburst or Ebony nitrocellulose finish.

With a sold body this bass would be somewhat heavy, so Gibson has added several tone chambers to relieve the weight. The neck is quarter-sawn, with a comfortable round profile that increases gradually from .860″ at the first fret to .960″ at the twelfth, topped with a 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with Acrylic trapezoid inlays. The bass also features a PLEK-cut Corian nut, and a four-string version of a Tune-o-matic bridge and stud-mounted wraparound tailpiece in addition to a set of Grover bass tuners with 20:1 gear ratio. All hardware is chrome.

Electronics include a pair of Gibson USA’s TB+ humbucking pickups, with ceramic magnets, individual volume and tone controls and a three-way switch, all set out exactly as the guitar. The bass balances perfectly on a strap and is still a lump, despite the chambers. However, the big Mahogany body provides the instrument with a huge grunty sound, although the placement of the front pick-up means that the old thumpy Gibson neck-pick up bass sound of the EB series – admittedly favoured by very few – is absent and instead we get an up to date range of usable and modern sounds, from hollow, jazzy type tones to enough treble for Ricky aficionados to take notice.

The Gibson Les Paul Standard Bass is beautifully finished, with good attention to detail on the frets ends, bindings and set-up and would fit in to most styles of music without any problem at all. In addition, although there’s no actual name present on the headstock – just the inlaid Gibson logo – it’s unmistakably a Les Paul, which should say something about the player who‘s invested in it.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Gibson Les Paul Standard Bass Oversized at dv247.com

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The Transient Designer, as its name suggests, helps increase or decrease the volume of the attack (transient) and sustain in order to shape the sound. This has become a standard tool on drums, but also acoustic guitars, synths and much more, giving punch and helping the sound cut through a mix or giving weight to a sound that could otherwise be too percussive.

The Transient Designer features only three knobs, named Attack, Sustain and Output, and two buttons – On and Link. It’s extremely easy to use: turn the attack up or down to increase or decrease the amount of transient desired and proceed the same way to control the sustain. Sustain is ideal to control an 808 kick drum or a snare with too much reverb tail or simply for keeping a grip on the spill between different microphones on the drum kit.

Although the SPL Transient Designer is an obvious choice for drums, it also works wonders on acoustic guitars, and I very often use it to emphasise the sound of the guitar being picked. It can also add a bit of natural ambience if the guitar was recorded too dry.

UAD SPL Transient Designer is an incredible tool for shaping the attack and sustain of a sound, whether you are looking for punchy or heavier drums, an acoustic guitars that cut through, or simply to minimize spill in a natural way (although it can be easy to overdo it). With ease of use and a great sound, the UAD SPL transient designer has become an absolute necessity to my productions and mixing projects.

A Dose of Vitalizer for UAD

Last year Universal Audio announced opening the UAD platform to other developers, and SPL and Brainworx were the first two companies to have announced their participation. Although UAD had already emulated the Transient Designer, SPL announced it would port its emulation of the SPL Vitalizer Mk2 signal processor hardware too.

The original SPL Vitalizer mk2 is a hardware unit and arguably the one that helped SPL gain its popularity.  The principle behind the Vitalizer is to use psychoacoustic principles to improve the original sound. To do this, it uses a combination of processors including compression, distortion, EQ, and stereo widening. The plug-in is divided into four sections, which are easily identifiable thanks to the lines between the knobs. The first section is the Drive, which sets the gain coming in to the processor as well as the harmonic content. The more drive that’s applied, the more distorted the sound becomes.

The next section comprises a series of controls focusing on the bass, and includes a Bass control ranging from soft to tight, which is linked to the Compression knob and sets the amount of gain reduction. The Soft side of the Bass control offers a smooth and warmer sound while the Tight end of course offers a tighter, edgier and more percussive sound. A Compressor immediately follows, and helps control the level fluctuations linked to the Bass control. The one-knob design of the Compressor makes it very easy to find the right amount of compression. The more Compression is increased, the higher the Ratio and the faster the attack and release become. Next is the Mid-Hi Tune, which is slightly more obscure. SPL describe it as a cut-off frequency where the frequencies above are amplified and the frequencies below are reduced. In all fairness it takes some times getting used to, but I found that not reading the numbers really helped, as the knob worked as intended and turning it to the right brightened the sound. Finally, the Process knob controls the amount of processed signal that passes through. It is important however to realize that the Bass and the Mid-Hi Tune work on separate signal paths, and that the Process knob dampens what SPL calls dominant mid frequencies.

The third section features two controls – LC-EQ and Intensity – and helps shape the sound further, giving a broad and soft EQ around the frequency specified by the LC EQ. Even when the Intensity knob is pushed, the EQ stays pleasant and natural – SPL claim that they spent a lot of time ensuring that this section was close to the original hardware unit’s spec. Tweaking this section helps bring the higher spectrum into focus without ever sounding harsh, giving a more hi-fi sound. To ensure a smooth and natural sound, SPL have mixed the original signal with the treated signal at the output stage and as a result the intensity knob lets you adjust between fully original signal (OFF) to a fully processed one (Max), with 10 being 50 per cent Wet/Dry.

Finally, the last section comprises a Stereo Expander and the final Output. As its name suggests, the Latter controls the loudness of the exiting signal and ranges between –20dB to +6dB. The Stereo expander is much more interesting, and uses a clever trick consisting of duplicating the signal on each channel and inverting its phase before bringing it back into the other channel, creating a wide stereo image. The amount of stereo impacts on how much phase reversed signal is fed into the opposite channel. At high settings the mono compatibility disappears, but it is possible to create really wide stereo tracks that are great for strings.

To get accustomed to what this signal processor was capable of doing, I decided to insert it on individual tracks or grouped instruments rather than a full mix. I started with the bass, and got some really interesting results turning the knob between soft and tight – the results were sensibly different but always useable. My preference with the way I play bass tends to lean towards the soft side, which brings a really warm and big low end, but I can easily imagine situations where the Tight side would be much more appropriate. What really surprised me was that the effect was never over the top and that it remained extremely musical. Adding the compressor helped tame some level discrepancies left, but I wouldn’t use the SPL Vitalizer as my main bass compressor, where I often find myself needing more controls. Pushing the compressor too hard robbed the sound from its low-end, so I kept it at a very low level.

I then added an instance on a group of strings to assess the mid and high frequency changes. Tweaking the LC-EQ gave a really Hi-Fi and lush sound on violins, even with the intensity all the way up, although my preference was somewhere between 14 and 16. Adding the Mid-Hi tune made the sound cut through the mix better without ever sounding harsh while the Stereo Expander gave more depth and a wider image.

In fact every instrument I seemed to put through seemed to sound more controlled, more ‘Hi-Fi’ and polished. So I then decided to try it on the master buss. As I expected, the Vitalizer had the potential of improving the track, but all the controls needed to be used very sparingly, as bringing LC-EQ too much would make the percussions lose all their weight, the vocal sound too sibilant. However, with a bit of care I succeeded in getting a wider, more polished mix. I can see how it can benefit a mastering engineer, although I feel that it is very easy to overdo it.

The SPL Vitalizer Mk2 is a great tool to enhance the sound in a way that most other processors are not capable of. Whether you use it on instruments or on a whole mix, the results can be very rewarding, with very little effort. With the turn of a few knobs the UAD SPL Vitalizer Mk2 is capable of adding some magic dust, delivering bigger, wider and more polished lush mixes.

SPL have been lauded for the undeniable quality of their products over the years and now ported on the UAD platform, it has become more practical than ever to use them.

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2. Logic 9 Review – PedalBoard/Amp Designer
3. Sonnox Elite Native review – Inflator & Transient Modulator
4. Michael Jackson – Pop life and death
5. SPL Transpressor and M/S Master at Musikmesse 2010

Hallowed Be Thy Name

As always with my time working with the Ministry of Sound, a select group of more technically savvy DJs were invited to do Educational tours around the UK’s college’s and universities as the 20th century came to a close. In ’99 I did my first MoS set (sunset, Cafe Mambo, Ibiza) using computer based DJ software, running compressed audio MP3′s, and a then primitive, but workable, hardware interface. It was quite a weird experience for me the DJ and any interested enough punters to watch a DJ work with no decks or physical mixer in sight. The MP3 was promoted to DJ/Producers as a God-send, being that one day in the future, we’d no longer have to lug twenty odd kilo’s of vinyl to each gig. In addition, we’d have the advantage of sending a demo of any production worked on, instantly to fellow DJ/Producers around the globe via the ever faster internet speeds becoming available. The more cynical amongst us began instantly to question however the big compromise in audio quality of this new, Saviour of a format.

Tech Weapons

In the very late 90s of course, Trance was still king of the world, but DJ and studio wizards such as Timo Maas and Pascal F.E.O.S. introduced the dance music world to the tougher sound of ‘Tech-House’, minimal in [musical and vocal] content, heavy on rhythm, and almost as hypnotic and euphoric as trance. Vinyl of course still held on as the main stay of DJ weapons (with Vestax keeping the faith with its PDX model turntables), but the CD was really coming into its own. The affordability and ubiquity of real-time (and computer based) CD burning opened the flood gates for DJ product manufacturers to create ever more technologically advanced playback units – at the same time they were working on how to capitalise on the new compressed audio/computer based possibilities too. Back in DJ land, that cool as hell trance vibe got twisted harder by such new blood as Tiesto, Joshua Ryan (‘Pistolwhip’), Mauro Picotto (‘Lizard, ‘Iguana’) and even the mighty Oakenfold grabbing the mainstream crown (via Bullet in the Gun’) from the likes of Hollands, Ferry Corsten.

Plugged In

1999/2000 saw a super speed up in computer capabilities, more affordable hard disc space for the masses and the stratospheric rise of new computer music ‘plug-in’ (virtual studio) technology. All of a sudden, more powerful and original synthesizer instruments appeared (with the likes of LinPlug/Rob Papen breaking new ground along the way) and emulations of long gone, analogue classic’s making an appearance in the virtual channel strips of many a producer’s DAW. The world of plug-in effects too got a vitamin boost as the standard delay, reverb and dynamic workhorses had a whole new generation of weird, wild and creatively awesome newcomers add themselves to the party. VST 2.0 technology opened the doors for DJ/Producers to be more expressive and imaginative, with sampler and virtual drum machine tech too getting their juices flowing. Of course, different competing technologies enticed users to a variety of platforms – Apple’s Audio Units (helping to craft the Logic DAW into the powerful beast it is today), Digidesign (now Avid’s) TDM and RTAS, MAS, LV2 DirectX and more, competed for pole position with good ol’ VST. Whatever the choice of tech, studio engineers, musician’s and programmers had never had it so good; and so affordable.

Meltdown

One of the usual Monday afternoon conversations that DJ friends would have, normally started with, “Have you heard that tune..?”. Unfortunately, as the Millennium arrived and the year 2000 advanced further into the years this particular article doesn’t cover, that question became, “Have you heard ‘a’ tune.. any tune..”? House and dance music was changing. Vinyl was becoming more scarce as record pressing plants began to feel the effect of CD usage amongst DJ’s, added to the ever increasing popularity and interest in the MP3 format. The creative juices of the usual dance music innovators was seemingly drying out and, as the previous ten plus years of mass, mainstream UK dance culture had run its natural course, the cash feeding major labels cut the purse strings to their associated trendy dance labels. A&R guys lost their jobs, cash ran out for promised projects and contract periods, and even the all-powerful Ministry of Sound began culling label staff. Hope was not lost of course. Every cultural and technological movement sees one wave subside and a new one soon to replace it. The industry in all its forms needed this flushing out of deadwood in all arenas. What was to follow for DJ’s, electronic music producers and the general public though, was a completely new way of looking at and listening to the sounds they loved to make and dance to – Dedicated MIDI control keyboards became popular, Final Scratch appeared (though die hard vinyl lovers held tight) and controllers, laptop DJ software (Serato/Traktor etc), CDJ and mixer technology advanced significantly too. So 2003 (ish) to 2010 then? – now that’s another story all together.
More Info and Current Pricing of the latest Studio Production gear DV247.com

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2. History of DJ/Producer Technology & Musical Genres -1980~2000, Part Two
3. History of DJ/Producer Technology & Musical Genres -1980~2000, Part Four
4. History of DJ/Producer Technology & Musical Genres -1980~2000, Part Three
5. Pioneer CDJ 2000 – Evolution in Revolution

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Danelectro ’56 Single Cutaway HS Red at dv247.com

Constructed on a laminated wood frame, the top and back of the Danelectro 56 are fashioned from Masonite, which is a sort of fibreboard or ’tempered hardboard‘ used for the surfaces of interior doors, table tennis tables and canoes, providing a smooth surface on which to apply an opaque colour finish – in this case a deep red – although the guitar is also available in Black and Aqua. The body tape filling in the Masonite sandwich replicates the old ’Ostrich Pattern‘ of the original fifties model; a textured vinyl effect that adds to the already full–on retro vibe.

Danelectro has fitted a 5-bolt Maple neck and a Rosewood fingerboard with pearloid inlays, with both the back of the neck and the headstock finished in the same colour as the body. White plastic button tuners have been installed and although inexpensive looking, are totally in keeping with the look of the guitar. However, the bridge may prove to be an issue for intonation freaks as the rosewood saddle offers no individual string adjustment, or in fact any adjustment at all apart from height, which can altered with the mounting screws.

The neck profile on the ’56 Single Cutaway is not super slim, but being the only lump of solid wood on the guitar, provides the sustain and resonance that the body lacks. Danelectro has fitted a twin lipstick tube humbucker in the bridge position and a single-coil at the neck, which are wired in series to give the middle position sound a bit more wallop. These pick-ups – with their Alnico magnets – are rather wonderful sounding, giving the guitar a real grittiness and bite without any tinniness in the top end. Through the right amp, the ’56 Single Cutaway will provide slicing rhythm parts with bell-like presence and cutting solos without taking the top of your head off. The dual-concentric volume and tone controls – the larger disc on the bottom is the volume – take a little time to master but quite honestly, most users will probably be leaving them full-on and utilize a pedal for any overdrive or level boost.

Easy to play, light to hold and dripping in vintage style cool, the Danelectro ’56 Single Cutaway‘s desirability factor is ramped up even further by the fact that it sounds like nothing else out there and is an affordable addition to any guitarist‘s stockpile.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Danelectro ’56 Single Cutaway HS Red at dv247.com

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Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Oberheim SEM-V @ dv247.com

That said, I find it difficult to believe that anyone could be anything but overjoyed with Arturia’s latest simulated synth, the undeniably awesome Oberhiem SEM-V. The company is already well known for its utterly brilliant work on the soft incarnations of Prophet, Moog and ARP models, and has gone a long way in converting producers to the possibilities of emulation. The SEM-V, then, has been due a tribute for a while then, especially since the analogue classic was recently revived into regular production thanks to significant demand. It must have prompted Arturia’s boffins to prick up their ears, and thank goodness.

Everything will be familiar once you’ve fired everything up (eLicensing is quick and easy to sort out), and the layout is true to the analogue counterpart, quick to move around and aimiable when you’re editing your tones. The only thing that might throw you off guard is in fact the way that this specific synth works, which has in fact always been one of the quirky selling points of the analogue version too – the multimode switching between low-, high- and band-pass. Tonally it means you’re treated to a gigantic spectrum of shape and sound, and what might at first seem like a novelty synth suddenly becomes quite the powerhouse.

There are benefits to soft synths you know. In this case, notably, you get the faithful nuance recreated here, but for your money you’re also treated to the joy of polyphony, which couldn’t be more welcome here – the cocksure leads and expansive warmth of growling bass have always worked wonderfully in poly format, but unless you have a lot of money you’re not going to be chaining together analogue models to make the eight-voice monster you can on this software version. What’s exciting, though, is the level of deep editing you can action when you start to involve yourself with the displayed and hidden menus in conjunction with multi-timbral functionality. Those of you with a real head for what you’re doing can use a routing matrix and keyboard follow menu to create astonishing soundscape work – mess with oscillator, resonance and LFO curves and trigger up to eight voices that can be individually edited as you see fit and either used separtely or stacked on top of each other in mono mode. It can lead either to insane swirling patterns or incredibly thick ‘classic’ creations. I got pretty freaky with some alien strings that were swooshing everywhere, but was just as partial to ramping up a raspy brass synth that benefitted from strength in numbers. It becomes almost overwhelming when you realise how powerful this synth is once you start really taking your time with it. Delay and overdrive are easy to set too, although I ended up using other plug-ins in conjunction with this synth to do that, comfortable that I am with specific preferences.

There’s a second LFO here too, a sub-oscillator and an arpegiattor. I half suspect that this is simply to bring the Oberheim SEM-V up to spec with its peers, which is almost unnessecary considering how unique an instrument this is in its own right. Still, they’re welcome additions, and I have to say after initially tuning up and having fun with filters it was easy to drift over to the arpeggiator for some serious experimentation, authentic or not. It simply makes this synth even more adaptable, which can’t be a bad thing.

However, if things do threaten to get overwhelming, there’s a giant collection of presets to click your way through – strings, brass, pianos, pads, and everything else – and in fact for all the ingenuity of your editing options you’re just as well heading for one of these defaults unless you have an incredibly specific sound in mind. At the very least they’re great starter-for-10s in helping you get your head around exactly what this whole setup is capable of, and you can reverse engineer from there if you feel the need to tweak. I don’t mind admitting that I actually had to do this to understand what the hell I was doing with a collection of separately editable voices. As I say, if you’re not careful you can be overwhelmed and run scared from anything other that the presets, so maybe go in to using the Oberheim SEM-V with that in mind and start gently.

It’s impossible to find the SEM-V anything but mindblowing, frankly. There’s a lot to go at here, and as is always the way with feature-laden synth, you’ll probably end up using it for the first few good tones you alight upon and forget what it’s capable of until you come back to it at a later date and really start to fiddle. It’ll be a staple in my recordings now, though, and I suspect even the hardened analogue nuts will have to eat their words when they hear this beauty. A studio must-have.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Oberheim SEM-V @ dv247.com

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Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Epiphone Thunderbird Pro IV at dv247.com

Instead of a single piece of Mahogany, the centre body section and neck of the Epiphone Thunderbird Pro IV is constructed with a Walnut/Maple sandwich in seven sections, with Mahogany ’wings‘ forming the body shape. This design is actually very stable and less likely to twist or bend than a single piece of wood, which is fortuitous as the Rosewood fingerboard Slim Taper neck is so long, although it has extra protection from a double-action truss rod. For such a large instrument, the Pro IV bass is pretty light and balances perfectly on a strap, even though it appears neck heavy.

The Thunderbird Pro IV is equipped with two Epiphone T-PRO bass humbuckers, turbo charged with an active circuit and powered by a 9-volt battery housed in a neat compartment on the rear of the instrument. Controls include a Master Volume, a detented Blend knob which mixes the two pickups and High and Low EQ, both with centre detents. Smart black hardware sets off the natural satin finish – which is so thin as to hardly be apparent – including a substantial, fully adjustable bridge and premium die-cast tuners.

Strapping on a Thunderbird Bass for the first time seems a trifle uncomfortable as the head and tuners of the instrument – despite the bass having a standard 34“ long scale – seem like a long way away and so playing down on the first few frets will require some adjustment in playing technique for those unused to such a stretch. Once that’s overcome, playing a Thunderbird bass is all about attitude and a certain amount of swagger and it’s obvious that it’s not an instrument for the shy and retiring bass player. Then there’s the sound. The pick-ups on the original Gibson T’birds rendered the bass somewhat limp sounding but the Epiphone Thunderbird Pro IV displays no such modesty. The T-Pro humbuckers are powerful and growly and with the aid of the on-board pre-amp possess all the necessary punch to hold down an impressive bottom-end in any ensemble.

To conclude, the Epiphone Thunderbird Pro IV is a solidly built, good-looking and great sounding bass that should be proud to continue the Thunderbird legacy.

Check Current Pricing and Read More Info on the Epiphone Thunderbird Pro IV at dv247.com

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First up are the all-valve 1960’s JTM1 Head and JTM1C Combo which offer 1-watt of power courtesy of two ECC83 pre-amp valves and one ECC82 (12AU7). With a nod to one of Marshall’s most revered amps from the period, the JTM1 features Loudness (volume) and Tone controls and if 1-watt is proving too loud, the power can be lowered to 0.1-watt with a switch on the rear panel. The JTM1 is constructed with Birch plywood, hand-finished cabinets with era-correct detailing - including a ‘block’ Marshall logo – and there’s a commemorative 50th Anniversary plaque on the rear panel. In true Marshall tradition, the JTM1 Combo contains a 10” Celestion speaker.

Marshall JTM1 Head

Marshall JTM1 Combo

Following on from the 1960’s JTM1 will be the 1970’s JMP1, the 1980’s JCM1, the 1990’s DSL1 and the 2000 JVM1.

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Takamine EG50TH

The Takamine EG50TH is the first Limited Edition instrument in the G Series, built on the same theme as the collector’s edition T50TH commemorative and LTD2012 guitars. This cutaway electro-acoustic guitar features a solid Sitka spruce top and Mahogany back and sides, scalloped X bracing and a Rosewood bridge, fingerboard and peghead face. The pickguard is inlayed and the body is bound in Ivory Cab, while the gold logo is matched with a gold rosette around the soundhole and the guitar is also equipped with gold machine heads. Also featured is a ‘growing vine’ inlay on the fingerboard and electronics include a CP100 pick-up and the Takamine TP4T pre-amp. The EG50TH is finished in Natural Gloss.

Takamine EG340DLX

The Takamine EG340DLX cutaway electro-acoustic guitar features a ‘Bearclaw Spruce’ top with highly figured flame Mahogany back and sides, scalloped X bracing, Rosewood fretboard with Abalone Snowflake inlays and Maple top bindings. Other attributes include a soundhole rosette inlayed with Abalone, ‘Tortoise’ pickguard and a Rosewood bridge. The peghead is faced with rosewood and the EG340DLX also features gold machine heads with Pearl Keys. On-board electrics include a CP100 pick-up and TP4T pre-amp. The guitar is finished in Natural gloss.

Takamine EG355SCTB

The Takamine EG355SCTB cutaway dreadnought electro features a solid Spruce top, Mahogany neck, quilted Maple back and sides with Maple bindings and scalloped X bracing. Other features include a Rosewood fretboard with snow flake inlays, a Rosewood bridge, Abalone rosette, machine heads with gold and black buttons and the Takamine TP4T pre-amp. The EG355SCTB is finished in Gloss Trans Black.

Takamine EG430S-WR

The Takamine EG430S-WR features the NEX small jumbo body shape and has a solid Cedar top, figured Maple back and sides with Maple back binding and scalloped X bracing. The Rosewood fretboard and rosette is inlayed with Abalone, there’s a Rosewood bridge and the EG430-WR also features gold machine heads and is equipped with the Takamine TP4T pre-amp. The guitar is finished in Gloss Wine Red.

Takamine EG4555

The Takamine EG4555 NEX Cutaway electro-acoustic guitar features a solid Spruce top with tinted, quilted Maple back and sides with Maple bindings, Mahogany neck and a Rosewood fretboard with snow flake inlays. The rosette is inlaid with Abalone, there’s a Rosewood bridge and machine heads with gold and black buttons. On-board electric include the Takamine TP4T pre-amp and the EG4555 is finished in Natural Gloss.

Takamine LTD2012 MICHI

The Limited Edition 2012 Michi dreadnought cutaway electro-acoustic features the Takamine growing vine motif and is constructed with a top grade Spruce top and solid Rosewood back and sides with white bindings and a mahogany neck. The top features scalloped X bracing and other attributes include a gold rosette, inlaid pickguard, Rosewood bridge with bone saddle, a gold logo and gold machine heads. Electrics include a Palethetic pick-up and the Takamine CTP-2 pre-amp system. The guitar is finished in Gloss Black and includes a case.

Takamine LTD2012C MICHI

The LTD2012C Michi cutaway electro-classical guitar features an oval soundhole and is constructed with a high-grade Spruce top, solid Indian Rosewood back and sides with black and brown cab bindings and a classical ladder bracing system. This limited edition guitar also features a gold rosette, Rosewood bridge with bone saddle and gold logo and machine heads. It has an Ebony fretboard with growing vine inlay and a 2” nut width and is equipped with a Palethetic pick-up and the Takamine CTP-2 CoolTube preamp system. The guitar is finished in Gloss Black and includes a case.

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