Schecter Diamond P Custom IV Review - Schecter Revisits the P Bass
Written testFollowing the Schecter Ultra Bass review published last summer, here we have a brand new product from the Asian manufacturer.
Have Fun with Noise Gates - Noise Gates Don't Have to be Boring
LearningNoise gates aren't as relevant as they were back in the analog days, when hiss was an uninvited intruder on anything you recorded. But noise gates can do some really cool special effects that have no…
Fender Blacktop Series Review - Fender Puts On a Spurt
Written testInstead of launching the umpteenth reissue of a catalog instrument, Fender decided to innovate by mounting high-output passive humbuckers on a new series called Black Top. This new product range incl…
Fender Rumble 150 Review - Power on Casters
Written testI got a bit nostalgic when I wrote this review. I was 16 when my first amp was waiting for me under the Christmas tree. Not a 15-watt amp but a big one. To play in a band, do live gigs and be cheere…
Tonehammer Pianos Review - Pianos Like No Others
Written testThe launch of the Montclarion Hall Piano gives us the opportunity to present to you the full range of Tonehammer pianos, characterized by the same original approach of all the other instruments by th…
Exploring the Art of Filthy Signal Mutation - Extreme Drum Processing
LearningI like music with a distinctly electronic edge, but also want a human "feel." Trying to resolve these seemingly contradictory ideals has led to some fun experimentation, but one of the more recent "h…
Steinberg Cubase 6 Review - Cubase SiX
Written testWhile Avid and Cakewalk launched the new versions of their respective flagship sequencers just before Christmas, Steinberg chose NAMM 2011 to present the wistfully awaited version 6 of Cubase. This n…
Multi-Channel Micing for Live Sound - Capturing Guitar Amps in the Wild
LearningThere are almost as many ways to capture guitar amplifier sound with a microphone as there are for a piano. And as with piano (and kick and snare drum, for that matter) single-mic approaches can’t al…
All About DC Offset - DC Offset: Case of the Missing Headroom
LearningIt was a dark and stormy night. I was rudely awakened at 3 AM by the ringing of a phone, pounding my brain like a jackhammer that spent way too much time chowing down at Starbucks. The voice on the o…
SWR HeadLite Amplifier Head & Amplite Amplifier Review - Light Headed But Fully Packed
Written testOn today's menu, to get rid of the cold and warm up, we have a light but nourishing pair of SWR class-D heads (an amp/preamp combo and a power amplifier).
How to Compress a Guitar or Bass - Dynamics Processing Meets Rock Guitar
LearningDynamics processing with studio-oriented processors? Been there, done that. But have you re-visited it lately in a guitar context? Dynamics control for vocals or program material is very different co…
ADAM A3X Review - The Tiny ADAM
Written testAn ADAM speaker for under $300? Yes, what used to be a dream is now reality thanks to the small A3X equipped with a 4.5" woofer and the German manufacturer's famous ribbon tweeter. Does it have every…
VSL Instruments Pro Mini-Review - Big Time VSL
Written testVienna Symphonic Library recently presented its Vienna Instruments Pro. What is hidden behind this virtual instrument? Is it just an aesthetic update or a real evolution?
Cables: The Most Important Piece of Gear - All About Wires
LearningNo matter how much caffeine you've consumed today, you're not as wired as your studio - or your stage rig. But how much do you really think about those little spaghetti-like critters that form the ce…
Avid Pro Tools 9 Review - Let There Be Light!
Written testIt was THE event at the 2010 AES show in San Fran: the launch of Pro Tools 9 took center stage and generated a lot of expectations. Pro Tools 9 is not merely a simple update. It is in fact a small re…
MusicMan Classic Stingray 4 Mini-Review - Classic and Timeless
Written testToday's review is dedicated to a master piece and a living legend — a totem in electric bass guitar history.
The Audio & Musical Gear that Made the Show - Best of NAMM 2011: The Top 11
LearningFollowing tradition, we present to you Audiofanzine's Top 11 gear picks from NAMM 2011.
Cakewalk Sonar X1 Review - Sonar Under X-Rays
Written testThe new Sonar version has arrived. However, instead of being version 9, it is named Sonar X1. Cakewalk actually decided to completely rebuild the interface of its sequencer. And it changes everything…
Native Instruments The Mouth Mini-Review - Word of Mouth Plug-in
Written testThe Mouth, second effect created by Tim Exile after The Finger, allows you to process any input signal in a creative way, even though it shows some preference for vocals. Is it a vocoder? More? Or le…
Compressors: How They Really Work - Compressors Demystified
LearningIt's one of the most used, and most misunderstood, signal processors. While people use it to make a recording "punchier," it often ends up dulling the sound instead because the controls aren't set op…
DJ-Tech U2 Station MK2 Review - Station to Station
Written testHow about mixing MP3 files without a computer? That's the goal of the DJ-Tech U2 Station MK2...
The Next Big Thing in Guitar Distortion - A Guitarist's Guide to Multiband Distortion
LearningIf you're a guitarist and you're not into multiband distortion...well, you should be. Just as multiband compression delivers a smoother, more transparent form of dynamics control, multiband distortio…
Propellerhead Reason 5 Review - Eight Rex and One Kong
Written testWhat features does the fifth version of the historical Propellerhead software have to offer? Overview.
Christmas Shopping 2010 - Gifts for Geeks
LearningClock is ticking, and there is still time to please and be pleased. Here are some ideas for Christmas gifts for musicians and gear heads to fit all tastes and wallet sizes.
How to Get the Most Out of Them - Multitrack Drum Libraries
LearningMore drum libraries are showing up in multitrack format from companies like Discrete Drums, Wizoo, East-West, Reel Drums, etc. Although these are sold on the basis of being useable out of the box for…
