These brand new guitar packs from legendary amp
manufacturer, Orange are set to make a big racket this Christmas. Priced at
£199, they offer amazing value for money and include everything that the
beginner guitarist needs to be on his or her way. The guitar itself is great;
it's of a decent quality and features two medium-high output humbuckers that
lend themselves to any genre of music. With three striking finishes, a
comfortable body shape and a unique headstock, Orange's debut into the world of
guitars certainly looks the part!
What sets this starter guitar pack apart from the likes of the long-trusted Fender variants? It has to be the quality of the amp. The CR12L
is a well established amp in its own right (priced individually at £75) and offers great sound, ease of use and of course, good looks. The on-board three
band EQ means that beginners can explore the world of equalisation without
being overfaced by options. The Overdrive and Gain knobs allow you to dial in
distortion to your liking. It's also got a headphone output so you don't have
to deafen everyone around you and, it's small and light enough to carry around
with ease.
Whilst the guitar and amp are undoubtedly the stars
of this little show, the extras are a nice bonus.Each pack comes with an Orange branded tuner,
gig bag, plectrums, lead and strap and means that no extra purchases are needed
for someone to get started playing electric guitar. Both the guitar and amp
look and sound great; they're built with the beginner in mind and are easy to use.
At under £200, they're fantastic value for money so we're these packs will fly out!
Huzzah! We’ve just received our first 2015 Gibson shipment.The
Gibson Les Paul Deluxe 2015 in Pelham Blue graced our store today and it’s safe to say we’re pretty excited!Along
with all the new 2015 features (adjustable zero-fret brass nut, G-Force
tuning system, new jack design etc), I’m personally excited about the
return of the mini humbuckers.They have been redesigned
so they’re at the forefront of today’s guitar technology but we have no
doubt that this guitar will be perfect for recreating your favourite
70’s rock sounds , along with a variety of other jazz, blues and pop
tones. This is what we’ve said about the 2015 Les Paul Deluxe, now if anyone wants me; I’ll be in the back playing Thin Lizzy.
“One of my favourites in the 2015 range. The mini humbuckers fitted
are sweet sounding, with plenty of harmonic overtones, making this
guitar a good choice for jazz and blues players. That said though, many
rock bands of the early 70s used Les Pauls fitted with mini humbuckers
because of their detail and punch. Pete Townshend and Scott Gorham are
just two of the players known for using the Les Paul Deluxe. The
Asymmetrical Rounded C profile of the neck is comfortable too; it's
slightly thinner on the treble side so is great for lead work.
The 15dB
Boost is a handy feature too as it allows for a boost at just the flick
of a switch, meaning you have more precious space on your pedalboard! The finishes are really nice; all four are classic colours and look
timeless. Like with the rest of the 2015 Gibson range, it features the
new adjustable zero-fret nut and tune-o-matic bridge making changes to
your action quicker and easier. Also, you'll have peace of mind knowing
that it will play well straight out of the box, thanks to Gibson's
professional set-up.”
Today, Focusrite announces
Saffire PRO 26 - the latest addition to their award-winning Saffire PRO
range of FireWire/Thunderbolt™ compatible* audio interfaces.
Building on four decades of audio excellence, Focusrite's Saffire PRO
26 boasts the same high-quality audio design as the hugely popular
Saffire range of interfaces in a portable, desktop-sized chassis.
Designed with both
studio recording and live musicians in mind, Saffire PRO 26 features
a comprehensive selection of professional analogue and digital I/O
options. A total of 18 inputs and eight outputs includes four
preamps, two instrument inputs, two headphone outputs, six line
outputs and ADAT & S/PDIF connectivity. This extensive feature
set allows you to expand and augment your recording or live setups,
ensuring you get the most out of your interface.
Like all Saffire
interfaces, Saffire PRO 26 connects seamlessly to a Thunderbolt port
via a FireWire to Thunderbolt adaptor (not included) or directly to a
FireWire 800 port with the cable provided. Its dual-protocol
compatibility (Firewire and Thunderbolt) means it will work
seamlessly for years to come with the next generation of computers.
At the heart of Saffire
PRO 26 lies its impeccable sonic integrity. The four award-winning
Focusrite preamps allow unparalleled recording flexibility and ensure
low noise and distortion with plenty of headroom to capture the full
dynamic range of even the loudest drumkit or guitar amp, whilst
precision 24-bit/96kHz digital conversion and JetPLL™
jitter-elimination technology maintain pristine audio quality in both
analogue and digital domains.
Saffire PRO 26 comes in
a sleek yet sturdy chassis that will sit neatly on your desktop or
fit easily into a bag for transport. Built to last, Saffire PRO 26
can withstand the harshness of the road, but looks great in your
studio too! What's more, thanks to Saffire Mix Control - a control
software application that runs on the host computer - Saffire PRO 26
is just as powerful in live situations as it is in the studio. The
ultra-low-latency 26x8 DSP mixer/router features flexible output
routing and monitoring for custom monitor mixes, as well as intuitive
one-click presets to help you set up your session as quickly as
possible, whether you're tracking, mixing or monitoring.
Why FireWire when
the future is Thunderbolt?
Although Thunderbolt
provides some advantages, it's only available on the very latest
computers. An audio interface fitted with FireWire can be used on
both older computers and Thunderbolt-equipped computers via an
inexpensive adaptor. Today, a purely Thunderbolt interface could only
be used on a limited number of machines, and thus we believe FireWire
offers more flexibility whilst still providing exceptional
performance.
The Bits in the Box...
Four Award-winning
Focusrite Preamps
Focusrite's
unparalleled preamp heritage lies at the heart of Saffire PRO 26,
which includes four award-winning preamps, helping to make it the
best-sounding interface in its class.
Precision
24-bit/96kHz conversion and pristine analogue audio
Precision A-D / D-A
conversion with JetPLL™ jitter reduction technology; pristine
digital & analogue audio quality and reliable synchronisation.
Multiple
Connectivity Options - FireWire or Thunderbolt*
Like all Saffire
interfaces, Saffire PRO 26 will connect to multiple ports on your
computer including FireWire and Thunderbolt* ports. Saffire PRO 26
connects seamlessly to a Thunderbolt port via a FireWire to
Thunderbolt adaptor (not included) or directly to a FireWire 800 port
with the provided cable.
Keep your USB Buses
Free
If you are connecting
multiple USB devices to your computer such as external hard drives,
mice and keyboards then streaming audio over a separate FireWire or
Thunderbolt* port will allow you to keep your USB ports free and
reduce the possibility of interference with other devices.
Comprehensive I/O -
18 inputs and 8 outputs
A host of I/O options
is provided, including four mic/line pres, two of which have
high-impedance instrument capability and 8dB pads, plus two
additional TRS inputs; two independently-controlled headphone
outputs, six TRS line outputs and a 'loopback' facility for routing
audio between software applications viaSaffire
MixControl
Expand your interface
with up to eight extra analogue input
ADAT optical input
allows extensive input expansion of your interface - expand Saffire
PRO 26 with up to eight additional preamps or line inputs. Pair
Saffire PRO 26 with Focusrite's OctoPre MkII eight-channel preamp and
instantly transform your interface into a 12 preamp unit.
FireWire Bus-powered
Connect directly to
your FireWire port for bus power, extremely useful for live or mobile
recording applications.
Dual headphone
outputs - multiple monitor mixes
Give multiple artists
independent, fully customised monitor mixes - two with independent
headphone sockets and front-panel level controls.
5-Segment LED
metering
Use the six front-panel
LED meters to accurately monitor input levels when recording.
Solid build quality
in a portable chassis
Saffire PRO 26 can sit
neatly on your desktop, or will easily fit into a bag for mobile
recording or live performance usage.
Comprehensive
Software Bundle
Included is a free DAW
in the form of Ableton Live Lite, Focusrite's professional Midnight
and Scarlett plug-in suites, Novation BassStation virtual synthesiser
and 1GB of Loopmasters sample content.
*Thunderbolt™
Compatible - In common with all Focusrite Saffire interfaces, Saffire
PRO 26 is compatible with Thunderbolt ports via the use of a FireWire
to Thunderbolt adaptor (not included). An external power supply is
recommended for use in Thunderbolt applications, particularly when
using phantom power.
Today sees a big price drop in Native Instruments Maschine controllers with discounts of up to £170 on the flagship Maschine Studio models. The offer is on until the end of May, at which point prices will go back up. Here are the savings you can get your teeth into...
The savings are carried across both black and white models, so get your order in now before stock runs dry. 12-months interest-free finance is also available on Maschine MK2 & Maschine Studioequating to as little as £29.93p/m! Click here for more info on finance.
If you're not familiar with these incredible groove production studios, play the video below to get an idea of one angle you can take it along.
And
with that you can see why Native Instruments' slogan is 'The Future of
Sound' as it breaks down the barrier between a human and a computer in
the live realm - letting natural improvisation and feel run wild.
Every Maschine model comes complete with the latest Maschine 2.0 software loaded with an 8GB library of production-ready sounds. Create your own drums
with sonically-outstanding drum synths – a broad sweet spot makes it
super-easy to dial in just the sound you’re looking for. 24
pro-quality studio effects directly from the hardware. Plus you get full
versions of MASSIVE, PRISM, SCARBEE MARK I, and the SOLID BUS COMP.
Instant, professional sound in a one-stop package.
As April draws to a close and the May bank
holidays are almost in sight, we can be sure of one thing... summer, or least
the British equivalent of it, is right around the corner. This means attempted
barbeques, beer gardens after work and of course, the festival season. The air
is rife with Saturday night Glastonbury rumours and Download is a matter of
weeks away so it's time to start thinking about what you're taking with you;
whether you're going to watch a few bands on a rickety old stage down the road,
or you're braving the mud at Worthy Farm.
Here is a list of things we know will make you and
your mates' summer brighter (metaphorically - we can't guarantee the sun):
Taylor GS Mini – Small travel-sized guitar, with
a solid sitka top (also available with a solid mahogany top). These guitars play and sound amazing; definitely one of, if
not the best small guitar. The mini grand symphony can project sound nearly as
well as any full sized guitar but is much easier to play in a cramped
environment i.e. in a tent or deck chair, plus it comes with a moulded, padded gig bag
so it's well protected during the journey. You'll be finding excuses to go
traveling just so you can to take this with you. A firm staff favourite, we can't recommend
them enough!
BU4S – Soprano ukulele with mahogany top, back
and sides; a decent sounding uke at a decent price. It has good quality
machine heads so you won't be slipping out of tune all the time and comes
fitted with Aquila strings so it will sound good straight out the box. The
small soprano size means it's easy to play anywhere and will even fit in your
rucksack.
Dual stool – It's a stool and a guitar stand,
packs down flat; what else needs to be said? Two birds, one stone.
Valencia CG160 ¾ - ¾ sized nylon strung guitar.
The nylon strings are softer on your fingers so it's easier to play in
whatever state you might find yourself in. It's a handy size and comes with a
gig bag.
Stagg Blues Harmonica Set – BE THAT GUY.
Includes 7 different keys so if you're playing with guitarists you can fit
into any jam session. Small enough to stick one or two in your pocket as well
because you simply never know when your services will be required.
Washburn Rover – This is a travel size guitar
that boasts a full size scale so guitarists will feel right at home on the
fret board. They sound and feel good and, due to the tiny body size, they're
so easy to play absolutely anywhere. Also, even with the included hard foam
case, they are designed to fit in most airlines' overhead storage
compartments
Martin LX1 - ¾ sized dreadnought acoustic, as
used by the likes of Ed Sheeran and many more. They sound great, thanks to the
solid sitka top and play comfortably because of the size and quality of build.
Even with the included gig bag, they don't take up much space so you won't
have to worry about sacrificing precious beer space to take it with you.
Marshall MS-4 – As used by Jack Black & co
in School Of Rock; need we say more? Well, just in case we do, they run on a
9v battery and can clip to your belt or guitar strap for those that want to
rock out on the go.
Vox Mini3 G2 – Small, portable battery-powered
Vox amp. Includes 11 different amp settings for a variety of tones from
sparkling clean to high gain crunch, as well as a number of different effects.
They're small enough to carry around with ease but loud enough to make
yourself heard, whether you're busking or just jamming outside
Alesis Transactive Wireless – An absolute
necessity for a BBQ or outdoor gathering. The rechargable battery means you
get 50 hours of use without a plug around and you can either stick your
iPod/phone etc in the dock, or stream wirelessly via Bluetooth. It's not just
a way of listening to music outdoors, you can plug in a microphone, guitar or
keyboard in as well so it works as a small portable PA system.
Videos emerged online yesterday featuring studio footage of legendary Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and former members of the now dis-banded, The Mars Volta recording together in a new project called ANTEMASQUE. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez produces the group and features on guitar, with Cedric Bixler-Zavala taking up vocals and Dave Elitch handling tub-thumping duties.
The new band have been spending time in the studio tracking what, on first listen, seems to be a refreshing and energetic brand of music in their debut song "4AM" - featured in the video below.
However, it didn't seem like long-time Mars Volta members Omar and Cedric would see a re-union any time soon after enduring one of the sorest break-ups in recent memory when the band split in 2012. In a statement released when quitting the band, Cedric uses a unique methaphor to describe his feelings towards Omar spending time with his side-project 'Bosnian Rainbows' -
"...What am I supposed to do, be some progressive house wife that's cool with watching their partner go f**k other bands?..." - Cedric Bixler-Zavala
Nevertheless, the two old wiley pals have kissed and made up, and can be heard joking and laughing in the video. It seems that adding Flea to the mix has worked wonders! Check out the rehearsal video below and see Flea's cool new Damien Hirst designed Fender '61 Jazz bass with real butterflies in the lacquer!
4AM is available for download on iTunes now but as of yet, there are no details regarding release dates for an album. Let us know what you think on our Facebook and Twitter feeds and make sure to follow ANTEMASQUE on Twitter and Facebook whilst you're over there to keep in the loop.
As many of you know, we are currently
working in conjunction with a number of venues around town, as well as
Blackburn Council and Blackburn College to carry on the revival of the
Blackburn music scene. Coming up are some of the best bands
and artists from around Lancashire
performing at these venues on Friday
nights starting from 25th April. The nights are called Friday Night Live, or FNL and the venues are as follows:
Blakey's Cafe Bar
Molloys
Sir Charles Napier
The Lounge
Blackburn Times
Over the last couple of years, we've built
up a massive network of local talented artists through our annual
Talent Contests and weekly Sunday Sessions and as a result we're
able to pick out who might be best to play at certain venues. We want as
many bands and artists in the area to contact us and become a part of
this network; whether you need advice on a new guitar, need help putting
together a pedal board, have questions about some of the new digital
pianos or fancy a slot at an FNL gig, just pop in store or contact us
via email and talk to Jamie (aka The Working Man).
The Working Man - in action... working...
We've actually gone around to the venues to
check out the acoustics and size of the rooms to decide what kind of
sound system will best suit each one, giving the bands and audiences a
better gig experience. Also, we genuinely care about the gear we're
selling you, we want you to be happy with what you're getting, plus
we'll all be going to these gigs ourselves so the better you sound, the
happier we'll be!
As well as these FNL gigs, we're carrying
on our Sunday Sessions, giving you all something to get out of bed for
on a Sunday afternoon and we're assessing the possibility of a Battle of
the Bands, plus Youtube and singer-songwriter Competitions. We care
about live music and we know that you do too so let's carry on the
momentum and keep it going. There are some amazing venues in the town
and bundles of talent so whether your thing is rock, pop, blues, folk,
jazz, classical, metal or whatever, get in touch and join an
ever-growing number of musicians helping to get Blackburn back on top
again.
Announced earlier this year at NAMM,
Orange announced two brand new guitar heads; the Dual Dark 50 and the
Dual Dark 100. They offer more gain than ever, while still offering the
versatility and subtlety you would expect when the gain is turned down.
Both feature a footswitchable attenuator which is particularly handy for
changing volume whilst on stage, as well as allowing you to really
drive the valves without having to play louder than you need to. Another
useful feature is being able to knock down the output (the 100 watt
model goes down to 70, 50, & 30 watts (the 50 to 30), meaning that
it's suitable not only for the stage, but for the studio and the
practice room too.
We heard these amps at the Frankfurt music
show and, as you would expect, they sound great. Channel A has a
completely new voicing; it's still distinctively Orange but like nothing
else in the range. The 3-band EQ also means you've got a lot of control
over your tone. Channel B is based on the tone of the hugely successful
Dark Terror and, while both channels are capable of masses of gain,
there's a lot of range within them too so you can set them to sound very
different.
From our trip to Musikmesse 2014
All this makes for a couple of amazing
two-channel guitar heads, perfect for any rock guitar player, especially
those that like their gain. They stay true to the Orange heritage yet
render themselves innovative and contemporary, you need to hear them for
yourself!
Psychedelic rockers Good Foxy left King
George's Hall triumphant last Thursday night after winning this year's
Reidys Talent Contest. They, along with all the other acts put on a
blinding performance that impressed judges and audience members alike,
however it was the young four-piece that walked away with £1000 worth of
Reidys vouchers, studio time at The Grand in Clitheroe, a music video
courtesy of Blackburn College and slots on the main stages at Darwen Live and Testifest.
The performances given on the night of the
final, and indeed throughout all stages of the competition have proven
that the music scene in the local area is alive and well. There's no
shortage of talent and enthusiasm for live music and with the upcoming Friday Night Live gigs (partly thanks to our very own Working Man) at
various venues across Blackburn, we're hoping that the scene won't just
fizzle out until next year's competition. Don't forget that we're also
carrying on our weekly Sunday Sessions to help with the inevitable
end-of-weekend blues.
A lot of people recently have been coming in asking for a pedal to boost their guitar sound. Somewhat
predictably, the answer lies within boost pedals, but which boost pedal and where to put it?
The best way to get the sound you're after is through trial and error; try different pedals in different orders
and play around with the effects loop. Many players look to a distortion pedal for a boost, which, if you're
playing on a clean channel may well do the trick but if you're already using a distorted channel and just
want a volume boost, without changing the sound too much, your best bet is to use a boost pedal in the
effects loop of your amp. Depending on which pedal you use, you can adjust the amount of volume by
which you will be increased and sometimes even tweak different frequencies. When trying them out,
always start with the volume low and gradually increase it to what you need, never any more!
To say that Gibson have revolutionised the electric guitar yet again
with their new self-tuning mechanism isn't far off the truth.
The Gibson Min-ETune now comes on all Gibson 2014 Les Paul and SG
Standards and will no doubt be making guitar players' lives much easier
all around the world. Simply strum the strings and with literally, the
touch of a button, your guitar will start to tune itself. The device is
fitted to the back of the headstock and can provide between 80-100
tunings on one charge.
This tuning device is accurate, quick and reliable. Not only does it
provide quick fine-tuning but it's also great for switching between
tunings; go from Standard to DADGAD to open G in a matter of seconds
thus eliminating the need (but not desire...) for multiple guitars at
gigs. We've seen self-tuning mechanisms before but this is something else; it's not just a novelty, it's genuinely really useful. Even if you've got a perfect ear for tuning, the Min-ETune makes it one less thing to worry about on stage.
All 2014 Les Paul and SG Standards are fitted with the Min-ETune, as
are many other models. For more information, please call 01254 265212, or check out
Announced at this year's NAMM, the newest offering from Line 6 really is something to shout about. The Line 6 AMPLIFi (75 or 150 watt versions available) takes amp modelling to the next level. Firstly, the amp sounds are great; technology has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years helping modelling amps produce tones that are closer to the 'real thing'. The same can be said for the massive array of effects on board. A wide range of different distortions, modulations, delays and everything else you could want are all available within this amp.
What's remarkable about this amp is that the majority of the sound tweaking is done on your iOS device (via the free Line 6 app), not on the amp. While this does mean that an Apple device is necessary to get the most out of it, it makes awkwardly bending down with your guitar round your neck a thing of the past; stand in front of your amp and hear it properly whilst making adjustments to your sound.
Now for the really impressive bit; when you play a song from your library (wirelessly via bluetooth, we might add), the app will automatically match your tone to that on the song. Yes, really. It's done by users around the world tweaking the tones to match the song and then publishing it through the app. This means that as more people use the amp and as the Line 6 online community grows, the song-specific tones will only get more accurate.
We're really impressed with this amp. It sounds great when used as a guitar amp, capable of a variety of different sounds, and as just a speaker, to listen to music on. The speaker system replicates a range of frequencies clearly and both models are capable of a fair bit of volume. It looks nice too, it wouldn't look out of place in the living room or bedroom.
We'll try and get a video of it as soon as possible, but in the meantime here's a picture of the edit screen:
The auditions are over and now we're looking forward to the heats that will take place at Blakey's Café on the 20th Feb, 27th Feb, 6th March and 13th March. It's hard to comment on it without sounding clichéd but we have genuinely been so impressed with the quality, quantity and enthusiasm of all the acts this year. We're trying pretty hard over here (Jamie aka the Working Man in particular) to improve the music scene and nightlife of Blackburn and, for the second year in a row, we've been shown that there is an abundance of talent in the local area to help make this happen.
The Talent Competition has been great not only for giving bands and artists a platform to showcase their music on, but it's been good for music fans like you and me. I've been introduced to a few bands that I'd previously never heard of and will definitely be going to watch again. It's also a way for musicians to network with each other; sort out gig-shares, arrange jam sessions and just generally help one another out.
Whether you've already seen some the acts playing at this year's Competition or not, get yourself down to the heats at Blakey's (there's a bar!!); you'll be helping to support local music and you never know, you might just discover the next big thing.
Check out the video playlist of some of this year's auditions:
