Author: Stuart

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Getting Better Mixes With SonarWorks Reference 4

Paul at ReaperTV has posted an interesting video on how to get better mixes in a home studio, using SonarWorks Reference 4.

Adding acoustic treatment to a home studio isn’t always easy or desirable. We don’t all have a dedicated room in the first place, and I for one like how my little space adds a bit of life to a recorded vocal.

Well, there’s another way – to change the sound coming out of your DAW to take into account the acoustic properties of your room. And this is what SonarWorks Reference 4 does.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Paul’s video.

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Ariel Posen – Pedal Boad Rundown

The folks over at Guitarist Magazine have posted an interview with Ariel Posen, whom some of you might have come across from the Andertons videos or That Pedal Show.

Man, they did a great job recording the audio on this one. It’s such a rich tone, with plenty of body captured without it sounding muddy at all.

I’m going to go and play it again with my eyes closed, just to enjoy that glorious sound once more.

Oh yeah, there’s a bunch of great pedals featured too in the video. I’m far too busy just listening to that tone to list them out here for you though, sorry!

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Guitarist Magazine’s video.

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Marshall Origin Series Demo

These have to be one of the most anticipated amp releases of 2018 – and now we can finally hear them for the first time, thanks to Andertons.

Vintage-style Marshalls that are priced to go head-to-head with Fender’s Hot Rod series? That come in head or combo format? Yes please! Oh, and they take pedals really well? Take my money now!

Seriously, I think these have the potential to become the standard pedal platform amp. I’m looking forward to trying them myself when they arrive in the shops in mid-April. And there’s a good chance I’ll pickup one of the heads for an upcoming project that I have in mind.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed the Andertons’ video.

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Initial Thoughts On The PRS Silver Sky

This evening, my friend Matt asked me on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/matthew_darcy/status/971115684552937473?s=21

Well, truth be told: I haven’t played one, and until I do, all I have is an emotional reaction to the announcement.

And my feelings are really mixed.

The pricing was a nice surprise to me. I’m used to PRS charging top dollar for their guitars. In return, you get an amazing musical instrument that’s also often a work of art. Plus this is a signature model.

I was expecting it to be priced around the same as the Custom 24, if not higher. So to see it priced where it is was a really nice surprise. If I was looking for a top-end Strat, it’d make my to-try list on price alone.

The thing I’m not feeling good about is that, in looks at least, it’s a Strat. It’ll have all the little tweaks and improvements that PRS do best, but it’s a Strat. It’s a little too close to being a clone for my comfort.

I don’t know why I’m having this reaction. I grew up playing Strat clones, and I still own one to this day that I’ll never part with. Last month, I was very happily bonding with an Xotic California Classic, and I didn’t have the same reaction then.

It makes no sense, but there it is.

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PRS Announces The John Mayer Silver Sky

This has been teased for months … and now it’s finally out in the open for us all to see.

Let’s not beat about the bush. This is PRS’s take on a vintage Strat, just like the 594, McCarty and SC250 models have all been PRS’s take on the Les Paul.

An interesting thing about the Silver Sky is the pricing. They start from £2,299.99 in the UK. That competes well with Fender Custom Shop Strats, and is in aspirational reach of anyone looking at Fender’s Elite series.

What do you think? An interesting addition to the market?

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed these PRS videos.

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Some Thoughts About Gear Opinions

Whenever new gear comes out, people ask about it on forums and Facebook groups. Money is tight for most people these days, and many people aren’t covered by the great 14-day return distance-selling laws we enjoy in the UK.

The new Fender pedals are an interesting case in point.

Fender’s put a lot of effort into getting the word out and promoting these from launch. Not only have we seen demos appearing on YouTube, but they’ve also been running online ads for them too.

So when someone recently asked for opinions, it wasn’t a surprise to see people quickly respond with their thoughts. But how many people have actually played them?

At the time of writing, I’m the only person who posted in there and said “yes, I’ve played them.” That’s 1 out of 28 responses.

And that has me thinking. I joined forums and Facebook groups to learn how to get more out of gear, and to learn how to solve some of the problems I’ve run into over the years. Just how many people are offering their opinion (often with complete confidence) without having ever tried or owned the stuff they’re talking about?

It’s something to be aware of, as you look for helpful advice on getting the sounds you want at home.

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Marshall DSL40CR In-Depth

When Shane recently demoed the new Marshall DSL amps, he liked them so much that he went out and bought one for himself. And he’s kindly gone and posted an in-depth look at what the 40W combo sounds like.

Watch it all the way through to the end for his honest pros and cons of his new amp. and some footage of him using the amp live with an ES-335 style guitar.

If you’re thinking of getting one of these, you’ll find his comments about the two master volumes particularly informative. They’re especially important if you’re thinking of buying this amp to play mostly at home tone volume levels.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Shane’s video.

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Load Box Shootout – Vintage Tones

Another one from Michael Nielsen tonight. He’s done a great video looking at how several popular load boxes sound for vintage tones.

Around the 7 minute mark, he talks about a surprising aspect of load boxes – that they drive the amp harder than the real cab does. He then goes on to show the captured waveforms side by side. There’s a few surprises hiding in there too.

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment if you enjoyed Michael’s video.

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5 Way Amp Recording Shootout

Check this out. Michael Nielsen has posted a video comparing a real mic + cab setup vs 5 different ways to record silently at home. And he’s picked a great way to do it too.

He’s recorded the best sound he could with each approach, and used them in a mix so that you can hear the kind of final results you might be able to get. Best of all: the guitar is soloed to begin with, to give you a taste of what it’s like to simply noodle through each setup.

It isn’t a straight comparison. The real cab has V30s in it, and is mic’d using an SM57. The impulse responses used are of G12M Creambacks with a couple of different mics, and I’d swear that the OX is emulating G12Hs not G12Ms. But that’s kinda the point. He’s gone and done exactly what we’d do ourselves – dial in what he thinks sounds the best.

Do have a read of the comments people have been leaving on his video. It’s clear that not only do people have different tastes, but that different people actually hear different things too.

The other thing that’s interesting? Play it back to back a few times. Once ear fatigue kicks in, just how much difference can you hear any more?

(And just how good does that BE-100 sound?!? Me want …!)

Please head over to YouTube to leave a like and a supportive comment for Michael’s video.