Mixdown Issue #341

Tour News

Garbage at Good Things Festival

Stewart Copeland

Phil Campbell

Jesse Terry

Chuck Sics

remaincalm

100 years of Shure

In Focus: Hosa Cables

In Focus: Vintera II Road Worn

Bryan Adams

Columns

EDITOR

Anita Agathangelou

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

Patrick Carr

DESIGNER

Kelly Lim

CONTRIBUTORS

Lewis Noke-Edwards, David James Young, Peter Hodgson, Tamara Issa, Michael Vince Moin, Will Brewster, Jarrah Saunders, Christopher Hockey

FOR ADVERTISING OR CONTENT PARTNERSHIPS advertise@mixdownmag.com.au

DISTRIBUTION distribution@furstmedia.com.au

ACCOUNTS accounts@furstmedia.com.au

PUBLISHER Furst Media Pty Ltd

FOUNDER

Rob Furst

I suffer from demo-itis. Once I become attached to how it sounds, anything different sends me into defence mode. The demo is so imperfect – honestly, probably not very good – but I’m holding onto it with cold, dead hands. You can’t take that demo away from me! It’s my vision! That’s what I want the song to sound like! Maybe it could become the real thing if I suddenly have all the skills, tools, and gear I need to really give the music justice.

I’m a big believer in getting your demos out somewhere. Most of mine sit on my hard drive for years, waiting to be made into something bigger, better. A good ol’ upload can really clear the mind and get you ready for the Real Thing, or even the Next Big Thing. If that’s not your vibe, all power to you. I’m too impatient.

Anita Editor

RØDE PUTS CREATIVES ON THE WORLD STAGE AS CREATOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS RETURN

Following last year's successful debut, this year's awards feature 18 categories – three major awards and 15 Spotlight Awards – plus over US$200,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs.

RØDE has announced the return of its Creator of the Year Awards for 2025, bringing back the global competition that celebrates content creators across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and beyond.

Creators can submit a link to their profile on their platform of choice via creatorawards.rode.com before the end of October. All shortlisted creators receive a RØDE Creator Pack with merchandise, gear and an official certificate.

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA LAUNCHES MAIN STAGE GRANT FOR EMERGING ARTISTS

Each category winner will receive $5,000 cash plus $5,000 worth of Yamaha instruments, providing emerging artists with both financial backing and the tools needed to create, record and perform.

Yamaha Music Australia has announced the Main Stage Grant, a new initiative offering substantial support to the next generation of Australian bands, singer-songwriters and music producers.

Applications are open now until Saturday, November 15 at 10am AEDT. A panel of industry experts and tastemakers will review submissions in collaboration with Yamaha Music Australia, with the three recipients announced in early December.

Product News

Focusrite celebrates 40 years with limited edition Scarlett 2i2 Anniversary Edition

FOCUSRITE.COM

The British audio company has marked its 40th anniversary with the Scarlett 2i2 Anniversary Edition, a strictly limited release that pays homage to the company's legendary heritage. Instead of the familiar red chassis that defines the Scarlett range, this anniversary model appears in ISA blue – the iconic colour that first featured on the ISA 110 and 130 modules that Rupert Neve created for Sir George Martin.

The Anniversary Edition features the historic ‘ff’ logo prominently displayed on top, plus hidden artwork underneath inspired by classic Focusrite schematics. Each interface arrives in a premium black-and-gold giftbox befitting its collector status.

Fender Studio receives major update with new amps and creative tools

FENDER.COM/EN-AU

Fender Studio maintains its commitment to accessibility across platforms, with version 1.1 available as a free download for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Linux systems. This crossplatform approach makes sure that musicians

can capture their ideas whenever and wherever, on their preferred device or operating system. The update reinforces Fender’s position in the mobile music creation space, providing both beginners and experienced players with professional-quality tools that fit in their pocket. All musicians know a creative spark and idea can come at any moment – this expanded feature set supports that creativity wherever inspiration strikes.

PRS announces S2 Special Semi-Hollow Reclaimed Limited Edition guitars

ELFA.COM.AU

Every guitar tells a story, but few speak as powerfully as PRS's latest limited edition offering. Made from reclaimed woods, the S2 Special Semi-Hollow Reclaimed Limited Edition honours both musical heritage and environmental responsibility.

Limited to just 700 pieces worldwide, each of the S2 Special Semi-Hollow Reclaimed guitars features a stunning Peroba Rosa top, sourced from 100-to 150-year-old timber traditionally used as house siding in Brazil.

Available exclusively in Natural finish, the S2 Special Semi-Hollow Reclaimed Limited Edition proves that sustainable guitar making doesn’t require compromise, but instead creates opportunity for something truly special.

Fender wraps its Tone Master FR-12 amp in classic tweed

FENDER.COM/EN-AU

Don't let the retro aesthetic fool you –Fender's Tone Master FR-12 is as powerful as ever. Fender has given its popular Tone Master FR-12 powered speaker a vintage makeover, launching the new FR-12 Tweed.

Built specifically for today’s digital modellers and profilers, the FR-12 Tweed delivers full-range and flat-response sound that faithfully replicates every nuance of your amp simulations. Whether you’re running an Axe-Fx, Kemper, or Neural DSP Quad Cortex, this thing handles it without colouring your carefully crafted tones.

Ernie Ball Ships New Range of Mutes and Dampeners for Guitars and Bass

CMCMUSIC.COM.AU

Ernie Ball is now shipping a range of mutes and dampeners designed for bass and guitar, including the Ernie Ball Mute Noodle, Ernie Ball String Dampener for either Tailpiece, Tremolo or Headstock.

These mutes feature compact rubber caps designed to cover the strings or springs of your guitar, minimizing unwanted spring noise. These mutes are ideal for reducing the unwanted harmonics and overtones produced by most spring tremolos and headstocks.

Small, stylish, and discreet, it reduces unwanted noise and overtones from behind the nut during recording, live performance, or any situation that requires diminishing unwanted string noise or ringing.

New ORIA Mini hardware brings professional room correction to every studio

STUDIOCONNECTIONS.COM.AU

Introducing the ORIA Mini – a dedicated hardware room correction system that sits between your audio interface and speakers, instantly transforming any monitoring setup into a professionally calibrated environment.

You’ve probably been there – spending hours on a mix that sounds perfect in your studio, only to play it in the car or on your headphones and realise something’s way off. The problem isn’t your ears, your skills, or even your monitors. It’s your room. Unwanted reflections and frequency build-ups are colouring what you hear, making it impossible to make accurate mixing decisions.

Partnering with Sonarworks, this little box solves room acoustic problems without the headaches of software-only solutions.

Joe Bonamassa and Seymour Duncan recreate Tommy Bolin's legendary PAFs with a pair of pickups based on the original

AUSTRALISMUSIC.COM.AU

The story behind these pickups is worth telling. Tommy Bolin – the virtuoso guitarist who left his mark on Deep Purple, James Gang, and Billy Cobham’s fusion work before his tragically early death in 1976 – owned a “Bolin Burst” Les Paul that became legendary in its own right.

Following a 10-year search, Joe Bonamassa tracked down and bought the guitar from Brown himself. Recognising something special in those original PAFs, he brought them to the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop for detailed analysis and recreation. The resulting pickups use Alnico 2 magnets to capture that sweet vintage tonality.

Genelec’s 8380A main monitor brings high-end performance to midfield studios

STUDIOCONNECTIONS.COM.AU

Finnish loudspeaker manufacturer

Genelec has built its reputation on truthful sound reproduction and exceptional reliability since 1978. With active monitoring systems found in professional studios worldwide, their commitment to research and development continues with the latest release.

The new 8380A’s performance centres around a 380mm woofer paired with Genelec’s patented MDC (Minimum Diffraction Coaxial) midrange-tweeter assembly. This configuration delivers the kind of dynamics and headroom you’d expect from a much larger system, while still maintaining the precise imaging crucial when mixing.

Markbass

brings back the legendary LMK with modern 58R makeover

CMCMUSIC.COM.AU

The new Markbass LMK 58R combines the classic tone that made the original famous with smart, modern updates.

What makes the Markbass LMK 58R special is the two completely independent channels for maximum flexibility, allowing you to set up different presets for two basses, or blend sounds from one instrument. Each channel has its own gain control and 4-band EQ, with a flat/scooped switch presets for quick tonal changes. The LMK 58R also features an auxiliary input for drum machines or backing tracks.

ELFA.COM.AU

Akai Professional has launched the MPC Live III, the most powerful standalone MPC to date. Building on the success of the Live II, this latest iteration pushes beatmaking and live performance capabilities into new territory –and best of all, with no computer required.

Screen fatigue is real, and plenty of producers are ditching the laptop in favour of hardware. The problem is, most standalone units force you to choose between power and portability. The Live III doesn’t play that game.

MESA/Boogie announces new Mark IIC+ HRG and the return of the 1×12 Vintage Thiele cabinet

AUSTRALISMUSIC.COM.AU

A new take on iconic tone arrives for the first time, paired with the return of a compact classic.

MESA/Boogie has announced the Mark IIC+ HRG amplifier, bringing the legendary HRG format to the IIC+ platform for the first time. Alongside the release, the 1×12 Vintage Thiele Cabinet is returning to the lineup.

What makes it special? It’s the same 100watt platform that inspired the JP-2C signature model, pairing one of the most expressive preamps ever designed with a power section built for maximum girth.

Product News

Universal Audio’s Volt 876: analogue sound for the whole band

CMI.COM.AU

Universal Audio has announced the Volt 876 USB Recording Studio, an eight-channel audio interface perfect for full-band setups. Think of it as the missing link between your mics and your computer.

The Volt 876 delivers professional 32-bit/192kHz audio quality across Mac, PC, iPad and iPhone. Each of the eight channels features a Vintage Mic Preamp mode – Universal Audio’s tube emulation circuitry that adds warmth and presence inspired by the classic 610 console. The onboard 76 Compressors offer presets tailored for vocals, guitars, synths and drums, letting you capture more polished tones during recording rather than fixing things up later on.

Studios 301 opens new space in Surry

Hills

studio in Surry Hills, bringing nearly a century of recording expertise right into the heart of the city's creative precinct.

Designed in collaboration with SDP LA – the team behind studios for Trent Reznor, Zedd, Billie Eilish and Finneas – the space is built for how people make music today. You’ll find it at 5/259 Riley St, the perfect-sized space for songwriting, production, vocal tracking and mixing, handled by some of the country’s best engineers and producers.

DOD releases 250-X: the most versatile iteration of its legendary overdrive pedal

CMI.COM.AU

DOD has released a new version of their well-loved OD250 overdrive preamp pedal, with new specs that’ll win over appreciators of the original. The 250-X keeps everything that made the first iteration a studio and stage staple, while adding three distinct clipping modes that expand its range considerably.

Purists of DOD’s classic OD250 overdrive preamp will appreciate that they haven’t messed with what works. The gain and level controls use the same potentiometer values and tapers as the original, so the feel and response are familiar. True hard-wire bypass and 18V-tolerant circuitry (running on standard 9V DC power) round out the practical updates.

KRK Kreate 5 studio monitors now come in a sleek Latte finish

JANDS.COM.AU

The new finish looks great, but it's the classic KRK sound quality that'll keep you coming back.

KRK has introduced a new Latte finish for its Kreate Series studio monitors, offering a fresh alternative to the brand’s signature black and yellow aesthetic. Available exclusively on the five-inch model, this midcentury modern look brings some visual warmth to your studio without sacrificing the performance KRK’s known for.

All Kreate series models feature Bluetooth connectivity alongside balanced and unbalanced analogue inputs, so they’re flexible enough for everything from everyday listening to mixing work.

Symphony MKII 40th Anniversary Edition released

LINKAUDIO.COM.AU

Honouring 40 years of pioneering digital audio technology, Apogee has announced the Symphony MKII 40th Anniversary Edition. This exclusive release is a testament to innovation and superior sound quality – and only 100 units are available worldwide.

The interface is available in two configurations, both equipped with the highly anticipated Thunderbolt 3 Option Card. Included in the box is a hard-bound anniversary book, an all-purple faceplate with a special commemorative badge, and the front panel is personally signed by Betty Bennet and Bob Clearmountain.

Kim Dracula & Wednesday 13 announce Australian Tour for November

THEPHOENIX.AU

Kim Dracula’s live shows are a sensory overload, blending theatricality, raw energy, and genre-bending chaos. From wielding chainsaws to emerging from coffins, the performances have solidified a reputation as a must-see artist.

Joining KD for this most triumphant homecoming is the absolute legend, Wednesday 13 who returns on the back of a sold out Australian tour in 2023 celebrating his former band Murderdolls.

TOUR DATES

ໞ 21 Nov: Princess Theatre, Brisbane

ໞ 22 Nov: The Metro, Sydney

ໞ 23 Nov: Northcote Theatre, Melbourne

ໞ 26 Nov: UC Hub, Canberra

ໞ 28 Nov: The Gov, Adelaide

ໞ 29 Nov: Magnet House, Perth

Cog announce first new music since 2019 alongside Australian tour dates

OZTIX.COM.AU

Alt-prog legends Cog are back with their first new single in six years and a string of special

shows to close out 2025.

Cog have announced their return with new single “Walk The Line”, the first new music we’ve heard from them in six years, alongside a run of headline shows across Australia this November and December. The trio will also join the Bird’s Robe 15th Birthday Tour for special performances in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

TOUR DATES

ໞ 28 Nov: Tanks Art Centre, Cairns

ໞ 29 Nov: The Warehouse, Townsville

ໞ 30 Nov: Mcguires, Mackay

ໞ 4 Dec: King Street, Newcastle

ໞ 5 Dec: Brightside Outdoors, Brisbane

ໞ 6 Dec: Kings Beach Tavern, Caloundra

ໞ 12 Dec: Max Watts, Melbourne

ໞ 14 Dec: The Metro, Sydney

ໞ 18 Dec: The Gov, Adelaide

ໞ 20 Dec: Great Northern, Byron Bay

ໞ 21 Dec: Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour

Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins and the Cruel Sea headline Red Hot Summer Tour 2026

TICKETMASTER.COM.AU

Red Hot Summer Tour is bringing the heat with Australia's most treasured storyteller Paul Kelly headlining an all-star local lineup this summer.

The renowned outdoor festival is set to celebrate Australian music with Paul Kelly topping the bill, alongside beloved artists Missy Higgins, the Cruel Sea, the Cat Empire, Kasey Chambers and Jess Hitchcock.

TOUR DATES

ໞ 17 Jan: Warrnambool Racecourse, Warrnambool

ໞ 24 Jan: Speers Point Park, Lake Macquarie

ໞ 31 Jan: Westport Park, Port Macquarie

ໞ 1Feb: Broadwater Parklands, Southport

ໞ 8 Feb: Werribee Park, Werribee South

ໞ 14 Feb: Berry Showground, Berry

ໞ 15 Feb: Bella Vista Farm, Bella Vista

ໞ 28 Feb: Gateway Lakes, Wodonga

ໞ 8 Mar: Launceston Country Club, Launceston

ໞ 14 Mar: Bendigo Racecourse, Bendigo

ໞ 21 Mar: Kent Reserve, Victor Harbor

TOOL is heading to Adelaide and Perth for two headline arena shows

FRONTIERTOURING.COM

The progressive metal titans have announced two huge shows for November and December. Before they hit the stage for Good Things Festival, TOOL is heading over to Perth and Adelaide for two indoor arena shows. Across five studio albums, from 1993’s Undertow through to 2019’s Fear Inoculum, they’ve built a catalogue of intricate, hypnotic compositions that refuse to follow conventional rock formulas.

TOUR DATES

ໞ 28 November: Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide

ໞ 2 December: RAC Arena, Perth

ໞ 5-7 December: Good Things Festival

KT Tunstall announces Eye to the Telescope 20th anniversary tour for Australia and New Zealand

DESTROYALLLINES.COM

The Scottish singer-songwriter is returning to Australia and New Zealand in May 2026 for a milestone celebration. KT Tunstall is set to tour her groundbreaking debut album Eye to the Telescope in its entirety, marking 20 years since the record that launched her international career.

TOUR DATES

ໞ 19 May: Astor Theatre, Perth

ໞ 22 May: Princess Theatre, Brisbane

ໞ 23 May: Metro Theatre, Sydney

ໞ 24 May: Northcote Theatre, Melbourne

ໞ 27 May: The Gov, Adelaide

Garbage is playing as good as ever ahead of Good Things Festival

WORDS BY JACOB MCCORMACK

Garbage has been releasing music for three decades now. It was their debut self-titled album featuring classic tracks like “Only Happy When It Rains” and “Stupid Girl” that catapulted them into focus. In May this year, they released their eighth studio album – Let All That We Imagine Be The Light – a 10-track exposé into the impact love can have in a world too often despondent.

All things considered, Garbage has shaped modern music in a way that speaks volumes of the songwriting prowess of Shirley Manson and the instrumental work of Duke Erikson, Butch Vig and Steve Marker. Now, 30 years later, in a post-COVID world, they are returning to Australia to headline Good Things Festival.

The famed alternative music festival will again take place in Brisbane/Meanjin, Melbourne/ Naarm and Sydney/Warrane. The first leg will be at Flemington Racecourse on Friday, December 5, before setting forth to Sydney Showground on Saturday, December 6 and finishing at Brisbane Showgrounds on Sunday, December 7th.

The festival battled through COVID’s effect on live music, only to put on some unforgettable festivals from 2022 to 2024, an ode to the broader alternative music community nationwide. I spoke

with Vig about his awareness of this support and the reality of the band that loves playing in Australia.

“The first festival I ever played down there was Big Day Out,” says Vig. “And it was the most amazing run I think we've ever had because we'd play a show and all the musicians got along so well. We'd party at the hotel, get up at like 7 am and go to the airport.

“We'd all be on the same plane and fly to the next city. And it was like a travelling band of crazy people. It was a blast. Garbage likes playing festivals because we realise we reach a lot of people beyond just our fan base, but you know that we know that Australia likes to rock.”

And that much is true, considering the success of Good Things, as well as the alternative music bands that have come out of Australia. Or in the instance of Garbage, although some people may not know, bands that have been discovered by Australians in music.

“We're going to come down there and I'm telling you, we're going to put the fucking hammer down.”

“People may not be aware, but Garbage was signed to Mushroom Australia before we even met Shirley,” says Vig. “They were the ones, Michael Gudinski and the people at Mushroom, who green-lit Garbage.

“They had belief in me to start a band before we even knew what that band was. I remember flying down there on the first Garbage tour and doing press, and I loved it straight away. I've always loved Australia, and we felt so warmly received there. Australia is very close to our hearts.”

In fact, Australia is such a special place for Garbage that Vig disclosed the exclusive potential of the band playing some headline shows on this impending trip.

“We're trying to sneak in a couple of shows, that's all I can say. We'll see if we can pull that off.”

Although existing merely as a tease at this stage, it seems that with the setbacks the band have had during COVID, and also an injury and subsequent surgery that Manson suddenly endured, Garbage are more eager than ever to play more shows in Australia.

“The process of making our last album was definitely different from any of the other previous

seven albums,” he says. “We had to cancel shows last November and December. We’d planned to come to Australia, but that got cancelled because Shirley had to have a total hip replacement. It was quite daunting for her that the rehabilitation and therapy took a long time.”

It was an old injury that had flared up for Manson, a fall that in 2016 damaged her hip, only to shatter on her in 2024. Despite the devastation, Manson managed to grasp onto a silver lining in the process.

“We were catapulted into a situation out of our control,” she says. “It felt at the time like a curse, but I actually think it was a gift. It gave us a brand-new shift in perspective.”

And what came of it was the album Let All That We Imagine Be The Light, an LP that sifts through the chaos and grief omnipresent in the world to find strength in joy and positivity.

“Let All That We Imagine Be the Light, is a lot more about hope and positivity,” says Vig. “And I think that's been a thread through our recent shows. It's hard to define exactly, but I think that Shirley’s lyrics have spoken to a lot of our fans.

“You know, the world is crazy right now. Not just America, but everywhere. And we, especially Shirley, haven’t been afraid to speak about that. Our fans have a sense of that, and it’s meant there’s been a real sort of community collective at the gigs, and a lot of that comes through in Shirley's lyrics.”

It’s no wonder the band are as sharp as they have ever been with Manson leading the helm in this newfound way. An approach that Vig suggests stems from Manson as the epicentre.

“We're playing about as good as we've ever played in Garbage,” says Vig. “A lot of that comes down to having been around for so long, but we also rely on Shirley. If she's having a great show, we have a killer show, and she's been on point recently. I mean, she's been totally focused.”

And you can expect nothing but a stellar performance from the band in their upcoming Good Things feature, a tour that Vig is particularly excited for.

“Well, every time we've been down to Australia, we have a fucking blast. The people are just so cool. We have a great history with our label there. It was them and Michael Gudinsky who gave us a green light to make Garbage what we wanted it to be when no one else even understood what we were trying to do. We're going to come down there and I'm telling you, we're going to put the fucking hammer down.”

WORDS BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG

You’ve heard all the jokes about why you should never give the drummer a microphone – but in the case of Stewart Copeland, it honestly might just be as entertaining as watching him take to the kit.

The veteran American drummer, who came to prominence in the late ’70s as one third of The Police, has never been backward in coming forward. He’s been brutally and hilariously honest about his time in the band, and about his career at large, which has all led to the creation of Have I Said Too Much?, his first-ever spoken word show.

The veteran American drummer, who came to prominence in the late ’70s as one third of The Police, has never been backward in coming forward. He’s been brutally and hilariously honest about his time in the band, and about his career at large, which has all led to the creation of Have I Said Too Much?, his first-ever spoken word show.

Set to hit Australian shores in January 2026, the tour will see Copeland in conversation with Perth radio presenter Sarah Tout each night –regaling audiences with all kinds of anecdotes about drumming, dysfunctionality and everything in-between.

“I’ve done this tour once before, in England,” says Copeland, on Zoom to Mixdown from his home studio, The Sacred Grove, out of Los Angeles. “It was just kind of an experiment – I do a lot of talking, and someone made the suggestion that the talking could be turned into a show. I gave it a try across some smaller cities and towns across the country – places like Cheltenham and Chipping Norton.

“They were in very cozy theatres, and they proved to be a lot of fun. You really can’t shut me up once I get started, so naming the tour Have I Said Too Much? proved to be perfect.”

Copeland’s impending return to Australia follows on from his Police bandmate Andy

‘You really can’t shut me up once I get started’: Stewart Copeland still has stories to tell

Summers doing so last year with his own show, entitled A Cracked Lens + A Broken String.

A blend of spoken word, photography and music, Summers’ one-man show is decidedly different to Copeland’s – per admission from the man himself. “Andy is a great storyteller,” says Copeland. “He always had such a great sense of humour, and that really shines through when he’s talking about his photographs.

“We’re very different stylistically, though. My show’s not nearly as fancy. That’s just the difference between drummers and guitarists, isn’t it? Guitarists operate on a much higher level in general. They know what key the songs are in – ‘this is in F sharp minor!’ – and I have no idea what any of that means. That’s why drummers need bassists – to translate for us.”

Although only together for less than a decade, The Police remain one of the highestselling and most successful bands of all time. The trio were often at loggerheads, with each having a musical style that drastically differed. Somehow, however, it all managed to tessellate in a way that created some of the most distinctive, influential rock music of the era.

One of the key differences that Copeland has noted over the years was his free-range, improvisational style in contrast to Sting’s studious, meticulous manner. “We were on different missions,” he says.

“The way he (Sting) would play music, it was all to serve the song. I didn’t know anything about the song – I was just banging stuff, really. Nothing was mapped out – we didn’t even really have time to.

The first album (Outlandos d’Amour) was material we’d toured around the country before recording, but the next two albums (Reggatta de Blanc and Zenyatta Mondatta) were all songs we were recording roughly 20 minutes after we’d first heard them. The other two could redo stuff and layer it 10 times over. My drums were stuck for the rest of my life.”

Copeland is aware of his legacy as an influential drummer. While he remains grateful for the kudos he has been given across his career,

he insists that all of his distinctive traits either came about by instinct or accident. Take, for instance, his use of the bell on the ride cymbal when accenting a chorus on hits like ‘I Can’t Stand Losing You’ and ‘Every Little Thing She Does is Magic’.

“That comes from listening out for the vocals,” he explains. “I never really listened to the lyrics, but I was definitely following the rhythm of the vocals and the melody.” As for his use of late or delayed drum fills? “That was because I didn’t know the song!” he laughs. “It was a combination of their impatience and my laziness. We would only do two or three takes, and that was it.

“They worked with whatever you put down. Look at ‘Wrapped Around Your Finger’, for example. I didn’t know how to play to it, because he’s hardly singing the lyrics. He’s mumbling, so I had no idea what was a chorus and what was a verse. I would make the change into a different vibe, any old place, not necessarily where the actual chorus is.”

If anything, Copeland thinks that his legacy is one that’s been studied too much. He proceeds to share a hilarious anecdote from an online investigation that read far too deeply into something he had considered completely innocuous. “I once saw a clip on YouTube of this team who were analysing the towel I had taped to the side of my snare drum,” says Copeland –his eyes widening at the absurdity of such a sentence.

“’Here’s the same snare drum. Here’s the snare without the towel. Here’s what it sounds like with the towel. Here’s what it sounds like with the towel attached by gaffer tape. They’re doing this whole analysis of a goddamn towel. I hate to break it to them, but the towel was there because I played in shorts and would always bang my knees up. It had nothing to do with the sound. They didn’t even get the right snare!”

Copeland is particularly excited about returning, as it will mark his first time here in 18 years by the time he touches down on Australian soil.

TOUR DATES

ໞ 11 January: Regal Theatre, Perth

ໞ 14 January: The Forum, Melbourne

ໞ 16 January: State Theatre, Sydney

ໞ 17 January: The Tivoli, Brisbane

From Motörhead to Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons:

‘The world is not the same’

WORDS BY PETER HODGSON

No mere mortal could have done this. Stand shoulder to shoulder with Lemmy for three decades, pummelling eardrums into submission, the world over in service of the mighty power of rock and roll.

When Lemmy left us in 2015, he still had plenty left to say. And so did Campbell. The Welsh guitarist wasn’t ready to hang it up. Buoyed by the support of his three lads, he formed Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons. This is a band that keeps those classic Motörhead songs right where they belong, on the stages of the world being played very loud. Finally, for the first time since Motörhead’s trip in 2011, Campbell is coming to Australia.

TOUR DATES

ໞ 6 March: The Triffid, Brisbane

ໞ 7 March: Manning Bar, Sydney

ໞ 8 March: Max Watts, Melbourne,

ໞ 10 March: Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide

ໞ 11 March: The Rosemount, Perth

“It’s the first time we’ve been down there”, Campbell says from his home in Wales. “We are gonna try and mix the set up. We’ve done a few extra Motörhead shows this year because obviously it’s the 50th anniversary of the band. Generally, we go out just playing our own material, and we always throw in two or three Motörhead songs in our set because people won’t let me leave a stage without hearing Ace of Spades and a couple of others. We’ll try and mix it up and make sure everyone’s happy.”

So we can likely expect a balance between Motörhead and Bastard Sons material on this tour, but this is no Motörhead cover band. There’s an energy, a modern heft and wallop that Campbell and Co. impart upon material old and new.

“That’s because my kids are in the band, so we’ve got their influences as well, and their techniques. And they also came to see Motörhead millions of times, and my eldest boy, Todd, he’s our producer, he’s incredible. He has some of

the best ears in the business, and he keeps it exciting. It’s a mixture of like two generations basically, which helps things along and keeps the creativity going.”

It makes sense: these are players who have cut their teeth on the continuing evolution of rock and metal, backing a rock veteran who circled the world many times over playing alongside the bands he’d helped influence. It’s circular and self-perpetuating.

“Todd writes the bulk of the original material,” Campbell says. “He just pips me to it. Any of us could come in with an almost completed song idea or just a riff; there are no rules, really. Then whatever we’ve got to work with, we try and expand on that and keep messing about with it and change the drum patterns or change the bass pattern until we’ve got something we are really happy with. You know, just start with a riff or a beat and just see what everyone’s playing.

“Jamming is a wonderful thing. Lemmy used to love to jam as well. Listen to a lot of the Hawkwind material, some of them extended songs there, they’re just jamming away til one of ‘em nods their head or you do a particular drum fill and you know it’s time to change.”

I tell Campbell that I interviewed Lemmy for this very magazine many years ago, and that he was especially effusive about his love of old rock and roll. Little Richard. Elvis.

“I think Little Richard and Lem are pure essence of rock and roll. You don’t get more rock and roll than them two guys. It is all changing now, isn’t it? The business, unfortunately, it’s not the same anymore. Yeah. The world is not the same.

“As soon as you walk on stage, there’s like 80 phone cameras, people at their phones, they’re not living in the moment anymore. I’d almost like

to say, ‘Okay, there’s one song you can do tonight. When the song comes, then you can film it.

“But also, those videos are gonna sound and look like crap! The sound will be awful because bands are loud. The vision will be awful because there’ll be some guy holding up a pint walking across in the middle of it!”

Of course, the talk turns to guitars. Campbell has played many a fine instrument, including a gorgeous, vaguely Explorer-esque sunburst LAG signature model with Seymour Duncan pickups.

But for now, his main rides are a pair of Gibson USA Slash Les Paul signature models (an Appetite Burst and a Jessica). “They’re just as they came, and the Jessica one is brutal,” he laughs.“It’s non-weight-relieved and it’s really heavy, but it sustains forever.”

Any other fun pieces in the collection?

“Oh, well, you tell me, I’ve got an original 1957 Black Beauty with a Bigsby, one of the ‘Fretless Wonder’ ones. It’s unbelievable. I bought that in Emerald City Music in Seattle about 25 years ago. I got quite a few vintage ones. I’ve probably got all about 120 guitars altogether, but I wouldn’t really get rid of any of ’em. I like them all in some particular way.”

Campbell is a Marshall man through and through, although when touring makes the full stack impractical he turns to a Line 6 Helix floor processor. “I’m the most untechnical person in the world,” he offers.

“My boys helped me up with it. I can’t even put a string on a guitar anymore! I could when I was younger, but if I had to restring a guitar today, it’d probably take me two days. But the Helix sounds great. It’s got my Marshall sounds on there. That’s all I’m going for, that rock and roll sound. And I’m not a heavy metal player. Really. I never was. I don’t think Mötorhead was ever a heavy metal band. We were a rock and roll band that played loud. Lemmy thought the same as well.”

Live 12.3 public beta brings stem separation where it belongs: inside your DAW

WORDS BY ANITA AGATHANGELOU

Since its Berlin debut in 1999, Ableton Live has fundamentally reshaped the way music is made.

This software didn't just offer another way to record and arrange – it introduced an entirely different philosophy, one where studio production and live performance weren't separate activities but two sides of the same creative process. With Session View's non-linear approach, producers were finally freed from the tyranny of the timeline, and it was stable enough to actually perform live with – something that was previously unimaginable. Over two decades later, Live's influence is visible everywhere: in bedroom studios, festival stages, university production courses, and the DNA of nearly every DAW that's followed.

The same musicians who founded Ableton in 1999 still lead it today, and that continuity shows. They've built a global community around Live, Push, Link, Note, and Move—tools designed by people who actually make music. Resources like Learning Music and Learning Synths have made production concepts accessible to thousands

who previously thought they needed a degree to get started. The mission never wavered: eliminate whatever stands between your ideas and the music, whether you're in a bedroom or on a festival stage.

Ableton's now opened up public beta testing for Live 12.3, and this update feels less like ticking boxes and more like fixing things that have been bugging producers for years. The headline feature – stem separation powered by Music. AI algorithms finally brings one of modern production's most requested tools directly into Live, letting Suite and Push Standalone users pull out vocals, drums, bass, and other elements from any audio clip without leaving the DAW.

This isn't Ableton in catch-up mode. Stem separation has become essential for remixes, sample work, creative reprocessing – all of it. But it's always meant leaving your project, bouncing files to external services or launching separate apps. Now it's right there in Arrangement

View, Session View, and the Browser. Drop in a reference track, isolate the drums, and your reverse-engineering production moves in seconds.

For Splice subscribers, Live 12.3 brings the entire Splice library into the Browser. Auditioning samples in context has always been what Splice does best, but all that downloading, importing, and organising can be a bit of a pain. The integration makes it way easier to audition samples in sync and key with your project, keeping you in the zone instead of jumping between apps.

Search with Sound takes things even further. The feature analyses what you're already working with and finds samples that match your track's rhythms and harmonies. All you need to do is drag and drop audio from a clip or time selection, and Splice's algorithm surfaces samples that actually fit. It's the kind of feature that sounds a bit gimmicky until you use it, and then you wonder how you managed without it.

The implications are pretty huge. Instead of spending twenty minutes scrolling through kick drums trying to find one that sits right, you can isolate a section of your track and let the algorithm surface candidates that already work. For anyone working to tight deadlines or just trying to keep momentum going, this removes a massive source of friction.

Live 12.2's Bounce to New Track was useful, but 12.3 makes it even more powerful. Now you can bounce whole Group tracks in place, or just sections, with all your processing baked in. This addresses something that's bugged producers forever: complex Group chains destroy your CPU, but committing them to audio meant losing the ability to adjust things down the line.

Paste Bounced Audio takes the same approach. Grab any clip or selection, paste it as fully rendered audio wherever you need it, and all your effects and processing come along for the ride. Sounds straightforward, but it opens up creative moves you'd normally need workarounds for. Duplicate a vocal, paste it bounced, then destroy the copy with completely different processing for harmonies or call-and-response parts. The original stays pristine while you experiment freely.

These might seem like small wins, but they show Ableton understands how producers actually work. Being able to quickly commit processing to audio while keeping the original intact makes experimentation a little less scary. You can try aggressive resampling or destructive processing without worrying that you'll lose your starting point.

Auto Pan-Tremolo gets a complete overhaul in the new update with a refreshed UI, expanded modulation controls, and easier access to tremolo effects. The device has been part of Live's toolkit for years, but the interface always looked a little dated. This update brings it in line with Live's modern devices, making parameters clearer and modulation routing more intuitive.

What matters more is that Auto Pan-Tremolo is finally coming to Move, Note, and Live Lite. Ableton's been doing this consistently lately –

taking tools that were previously Standard and Suite exclusives and opening them up to everyone. It's a clear statement: creative tools shouldn't be locked behind price tiers.

Iftah's new Generators Pack brings two purposeful MIDI tools: Sting and Patterns. Sting is based on a well-loved acid bassline generator, bringing those classic 303-style melodic patterns that are unpredictable, hypnotic and perfectly imperfect directly into Live's MIDI world. Patterns tackles percussion, delivering instant rhythmic variations that give electronic tracks their pulse and energy.

Both devices follow Ableton's recent approach: focused tools that nail one thing instead of sprawling multi-function devices trying to be everything. Sting doesn't try to be a complete bass production suite; it generates compelling melodic patterns you can route to any instrument. Similarly, Patterns doesn't replace your drum programming; it just speeds up the process of sketching rhythms, which can be notoriously tedious for some producers. This mirrors the broader shift in how Live's been developing over the past few versions.

Instead of adding massive new instruments or completely reimagining the interface, Ableton's been removing friction from specific tasks. The cumulative effect of these smaller additions can actually be more significant than one big headline feature.

Live 12.3 brings improvements to older content as well. The Sequencers Pack from 12.1 now supports reproducible arrangements, addressing what was probably the biggest grumble when it launched. Generative tools are excellent for exploring possibilities, but eventually you need to pin down what's actually working. This update lets you capture and replay specific sequences. No more hoping the algorithm gives you that perfect pattern again.

The Expressive Chords Pack from 12.2 gets a Chord Edit mode that significantly changes how useful it is. You can transpose selected chords within a progression now, experimenting with variations without rebuilding everything from scratch. The 'Learn' function extends this; input your own chord voicings and they’ll become part of the device's memory. Expressive Chords transforms from a preset-only tool into something genuinely adaptable. The pack's harmonic vocabulary becomes a starting point rather than a limitation.

Perhaps most significantly, all built-in instruments, audio effects, and MIDI effects in Live now have an A/B comparison tool. You can set two different parameter states and switch between them instantly to evaluate which works better. This might seem trivial, but anyone who's

spent twenty minutes tweaking a compressor only to realise the original settings were better will immediately get why this matters.

The A/B feature can shift your entire mindset around mixing and sound design. You can try alternatives without the usual commitment anxiety, and just snap back to where you started if it's not working. This removes that barrier that's probably killed more good ideas than bad ones: the fear you're about to wreck something decent while hunting for something great. We've all stared at that compressor, wondering if we should hit undo.

Push 3 users get some of the most significant updates in Live 12.3, with features that expand what's possible with the hardware. The new XYZ layout means you can shape sounds by sliding your finger across the expressive pads while playing, with pressure adding punch-in effects. This transforms the Push from a grid controller into something closer to an instrument, where how you physically play shapes the sound in real time.

Rhythm Generator offers a different take on Drum Racks, built around four vertical sliders for pattern creation. Rather than programming beats the traditional step-by-step way, you're shaping patterns through physical gestures –moving sliders while the rhythm plays beneath your fingers. It's genuinely one of those things that's hard to describe but immediately intuitive in practice. Your movements and the resulting rhythm feel directly connected.

Touch-sensitive step editing approaches

velocity more sensibly. Hold the Accent button and slide across Push 3's expressive pads to adjust velocities note-by-note or in groups. This addresses a longstanding frustration with hardware step sequencers: velocity editing has always meant navigating menus or carefully turning encoders. The touch-sensitive approach means you're directly shaping what you hear.

Push Standalone now supports class-compliant audio interfaces, which is a bigger deal than it might sound. You can expand your inputs and outputs, record through your interface's mic preamps, and even perform alongside DJ mixers, without a laptop. This transforms Push Standalone from a portable idea-catcher into something that could genuinely replace your computer setup.

These Push updates add up to something substantial. Each one moves the hardware away from feeling like a controller and toward feeling like an actual instrument with its own character. The XYZ layout, Rhythm Generator, touch-sensitive editing encourages an approach to music making differently, in ways that spring from the physical hardware rather than trying to replicate clicking around on a screen.

How much Live 12.3 changes your process depends on what kind of music you're making. If you're constantly working with samples and reference tracks, stem separation and Splice integration could completely reshape your approach. MIDI-focused producers get new creative angles through the Push 3 features and Generators Pack. Anyone dealing with CPU-heavy projects can take a deep breath due to smarter bouncing options.

What applies to everyone is the feeling that Ableton's actually paying attention. They're spotting friction points that have built up over the years and systematically smoothing them out.

Current Live 12 owners can jump into the beta programme now to test these features before the full release. Once testing wraps up, Live 12.3 will be free for all Live 12 license holders. Release notes and beta programme access are currently English-only, though full localisation will presumably follow the public release.

For producers wondering whether to dive into the beta, it largely depends on your stability needs. Beta software always carries some risk, but Ableton's testing process has historically been pretty solid. If you're working on huge projects with tight deadlines, waiting for the full release makes sense. If you're between major projects or working on personal stuff, the beta offers early access to genuinely useful tools that'll likely become essential.

Chuck Sics proves the power of DIY with Slipstream

WORDS BY ANITA AGATHANGELOU

There’s something quietly defiant about an artist who shapes every element of their music. Sydney’s Chuck Sics has done just that with his debut EP Slipstream, and the result is a collection of lush, atmospheric tracks that are both expansive and intimate.

A DIY record is no easy feat. For someone who writes, mixes and produces their own music, knowing when a track is finished can feel like an endless puzzle – there's always one more tweak tempting you back to the desk."Mixing a song for me is like constantly noticing little imperfections that bother me that then I have to fix," Sics admits. "I spend day after day making lists of problems to fix and then adding new ones that I notice."

So how does he let go? "I think the rate at which I noticed imperfections with them eventually slowed down long enough for me to be happy to release them. I still notice new things I have a problem with occasionally, but overall I'm pretty happy."

His perspective on the finished work is refreshingly grounded. "There are plenty of things I would do differently now, but when I look at this music as if it's a manifestation of a past self, I feel kinda nice about it. It's like an old photo where you might not love how you look, but you're having a good time, so it's nice."

At the heart of Slipstream sits a drum kit that, by Sics' own admission, sounded "pretty awful to begin with." He decided to sample his friend River's kit – but quickly discovered that polished samples weren't going to cut it.

"I had tried using other samples and found they always sounded too good, and because of that, they sounded unreal," he explains. "So I spent a day recording my own samples and programming them into an instrument on the Logic sampler. I used a cheap microphone in a bad room, so they actually sounded pretty awful to begin with – I had to do a lot to make them sound right."

This philosophy of intentional degradation extended across the entire record. "I kind of did that with everything on the record. I was never

happy with how something sounded straight away – I always felt like I had to mess it up in some way."

The breakthrough came during work on "I've Been Thinking". "I had just sampled a whole kit and programmed it into a MIDI instrument, gave it a bit of mixing, and I decided that would be the drum sound for the whole record," Sics recalls. "It felt like the perfect sound for what I was going for, and it really inspired me to make the rest of the songs.

Sics kept this up with a deliberately heavy-handed approach to processing. "I really overcooked everything, somewhat intentionally," he says. "I compressed and saturated everything heaps and often would put a lot of that stuff after things like delay or chorus effects. I wanted everything to sound like it was coming out of the same machine."

While most of the EP tracks evolved gradually, "Slipstream" itself was a last-minute addition that transformed the entire project. "My label said they felt like the EP could use one more song, and I decided on a whim it should be this one," Sics explains. "When that was finished, I felt like it really elevated the whole project, or at least provided it with one more different musical perspective. Everything sounded fresher to me after that was put in there."

Not every track required such evolution. "M.A.D" and "Alone on a Plane" were what Sics calls "flukes" – songs where everything clicked immediately. "Everything just felt right about them to begin with. I think that's why I like those the most, funnily enough."

Possibly the most fascinating insight into Sics' creative process is his synaesthetic relationship with his music. When designing the artwork for Slipstream, he kept gravitating toward

blue, green, and red – until he realised why.

"I was staring at Logic Pro X on a computer screen which had blue audio tracks, green MIDI tracks, and when you hit record on any of those tracks, they go red," he explains. "And those colours are what this music sounds like to me. I'd be curious to see what colour my music sounds like when I've been looking at something else while I'm making it."

It's a reminder that visuals and sound exist in constant dialogue. "I think it's impossible to disconnect the two," Sics notes. "What you see has such an impact on what you hear, so I do wonder what other people see of me and my music and how it affects how they listen to it – I think about it all the time with every artist I see."

Chuck speaks of translating his self-made songs into a live, full-band show. "Something I love about playing these songs with the band is that the music becomes what it was always supposed to be – band music," he says. "Each of them plays stuff their own way, and together we just make a different sound. There are a few intentional adaptations to make things exciting, but what I love most is hearing how each of them puts their spin on things."

For artists considering the full DIY route, Sics offers a balanced perspective born from experience. "I will say that it feels really good to feel self-sufficient in making music. I spent a long time waiting around for other people to help me with stuff, and eventually I decided to learn how to do all the stuff to the best of my ability. It has made me feel very connected to the music, but it can be very frustrating and taxing on your sanity.

If there’s a piece of advice to take on, it’s this: "Be easy on yourself, be hard on yourself, don't slack off and don't burn out."

Gear Rundown: Adam Jones of TOOL

Dissecting the gear behind Adam Jones of TOOL, who has one of the most revered tones in modern metal.

He’s certainly not the most enigmatic member of the band, but there’s no denying that TOOL wouldn’t be anywhere near as cool as they are without the sound of Adam Jones’ guitar.

Since the early ’90s, the soft-spoken guitarist has laid down the shred for the lords of heavy polyrhythms through his distinctive guitar playing, and is often credited with evolving prog-metal guitars beyond crunchy riffs and high-paced solos with his intuitive use of effects, slides, and gadgets.

While we wait for TOOL to land in Australia, let’s dive into the gear of Adam Jones and seek to understand exactly what is going on in the world of TOOL.

Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst

Since the inception of TOOL, Jones has favoured a highly sought-after variant of the Gibson Les Paul decked out in a lavish finish known as Silverburst for the majority of the band’s work live and in the studio.

If urban legend is to be believed, the unique Silverburst finish provides a notable difference in tone due to the weight of the paint used, making it a highly desirable solution for solid rock tones.

Jones reportedly owns three models of the guitar, with his main model hailing from the first production year of 1979 and featuring a custom headstock ornament as well as a Seymour Duncan JB humbucker in the bridge position.

Some have even reported that the secret to Jones’ Silverburst tone comes from a stray nail or screw embedded somewhere in the body.

Gibson Les Paul Classic Custom Ebony

Although he tends to rely upon his various Silverburst models, Jones occasionally uses other guitars in the studio, with this image from the early ’90s showing him using a Gibson Les Paul Classic in an Ebony finish, which was supposedly used on TOOL’s 1993 track ‘Prison Sex’ as well as ‘Parabol’ and ‘Parabola’ from 2001’s Lateralus.

Gibson SG

Jones has told Guitar World that he’s used a Gibson SG for “studio chores” at various times throughout his career, although there are no images or videos on the internet to prove this claim. Classic TOOL.

1976 Marshall Super Bass

For years, Jones has extensively used a hotrodded Marshall Super Bass 100-watt bass head from the mid-’70s, modified with both channels wired together for an insanely hot output and paired with a Mesa Boogie 2×15 bass cabinet.

Speaking to Guitar World about his amp setup, Jones discussed his love for the unpredictability of vintage Marshall amps, saying, “The good thing about the solid-state stuff is if you know what you like, you can go to any store and buy exactly that. But with the tube stuff, you gotta find the amp and hold onto it. I’ve never heard two Marshalls that sound the same.”

Diezel

VH4 100W

In conjunction with his Marshall Super Bass, the Adam Jones guitar rig employs two eardrumrupturing Diezel VH4 100-watt Blueface heads in his setup, which he typically pairs with Mesa Boogie 4×12 guitar cabinets.

Although Jones tends to use these amps in a live setting, he’s certainly no stranger to experimentation in the studio, with his use of a Sunn Beta Lead on the recording of Lateralus and a Roland JC-120 for various effects-driven tracks on 10,000 Days being well documented.

Engineer Joe Baressi, who worked with the band on 10,000 Days, spoke to Mixonline.com about the process used to record Jones’ amplifiers on the album.

“Adam mainly runs three amps,” he said. “He has a Marshall that he loves, a Diezel, and then he was using a Mesa Boogie at one point. I brought in a Bogner Uberschall head and a Rivera Knucklehead Reverb, and several other things. Then we just experimented with combinations of heads and cabinets until it worked for the song.

“Most of the 4×12s were MESA/Boogie cabinets, which are superior for their low end, except for the Marshall head, which went through a Marshall cabinet, and the Rivera went through a Rivera cabinet. I usually used stock micing. For me, that’s a Shure SM57 and a Sennheiser 421 on every cabinet. The third mic could be anything that I felt the sound needed more of.

TOUR DATES

ໞ 28 November: Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide

ໞ 2 December: RAC Arena, Perth

ໞ 5-7 December: Good Things Festival

PROFESS I ON A L DJ PL A YE R

Expanded media support

Cloud and streaming playback, built-in Wi-Fi, NFC touchpoint, and USB Type-C port

Enhanced Hot Cue features with Touch Cue, Smart Cue, and Gate Cue

10.1-inch high-resolution touchscreen

Display up to 16 tracks, copy and paste to the search bar, and reorder tracks on-screen

Evolved reliability and usability

Rebuilt play and cue buttons and an expanded range of jog wheel tension adjustment

Global Tag List

Bring tracks from the cloud, streaming services, a USB drive, and PC/Mac into one playlist

New components and design take the CDJ’s sound to the next level

remaincalm is bringing accessible weirdness to your DAW

WORDS BY ANITA AGATHANGELOU

After 15 years of underground experimentation, Sydneybased plugin developer remaincalm has relaunched with a polished offering that still embraces the weird and wonderful.

Developer Dan first made waves back in 2008 with free plugins for Reaper – the scrappy DAW that was still finding its feet. Those early tools were deliberately bizarre and mysterious, with cryptic names and functions that required experimentation to understand.

Fast forward to 2025, and remaincalm has relaunched with a suite of refined plugins that are still true to Dan’s vision. The flagship release, PARANOIA, is a distortion plugin that’s been 15 years in the making. Alongside it sits GOSSAMER, a chorus effect and a handful of other tools designed for producers looking for something different.

“Launch week went pretty smoothly,” says Dan. “You lose objectivity when you’re squirrelled away working on something for years, so it was great to see good reviews and supportive forum posts when we finally launched.”

The evolution from those early, self-described ‘clunky tools with busted user interfaces’ to the current, polished plugins wasn’t about abandoning the weirdness –rather, it was about becoming more user-friendly. “One of my favourite

guitar pedals is this weird DIY fuzz I picked up in a bulk trade, with no labels or identifying marks,” Dan explains. “It does this amazing sludgy doom thing I can’t get out of any other pedal. I love mysterious audio gear like that, and my older free plugins were designed along the same lines, but you get these huge usability gaps.”

Dan’s solution? Keep the mysterious controls, but add visual feedback so the users can see what’s happening. “In one plugin, our filters still have tuned curves, but now we have a little EQ display so people can see what’s going on.”

Dan's relationship with Reaper goes back to the DAW's early days in 2008. Getting involved with the platform at that stage proved fortuitous – some of those early free plugins ended up integrated into Reaper itself, and they still show up on recommendation lists years later.

"Reaper is an impressive bit of engineering," he says. "It's not perfect for everything, but it's fast, flexible, and being able to integrate it into content pipelines is really powerful. Some of the Reaper integration was just timing and luck, though – I was pretty lucky to get

involved with the platform early, when they were still looking around for effects to include."

remaincalm's philosophy centres on pushing sounds "way beyond what would be considered tasteful or sensible” – a deliberate choice in a world where most plugins aim to be tasteful.

"There's so much brilliant music out there that it can be hard to stand out," Dan explains. "If you want to be really memorable, there are basically two ways to do it: either be the absolute pinnacle of your craft, whether that's amazing melodies or total sonic perfection or whatever; or do something no one else is doing and carve out your own sound or genre. With our stuff, we leaned into supporting the latter."

That doesn't mean the plugins can't do subtle work. "Those settings might be the first 10% of a dial's range – we did a lot of tuning down there," he says. "Some of the choruses in Gossamer are pretty smooth, and Paranoia's default setting is a nice EQ curve with a tiny bit of light crunch that people keep telling us 'feels like hardware'. But whenever I was designing a feature, I asked myself: what's the furthest someone might possibly want to take this? So... a few of the controls can get a bit nuts.”

The journey of PARANOIA spans 15 years of development and refinement. What started as a quick experiment inspired by strange hardware units eventually became a live performance tool and a completely rewritten plugin.

“The initial one was just something I hacked together for fun, inspired by some hardware units that were around at the time,” Dan recalls.

While rewriting PARANOIA, Dan was mixing records, drawing ideas from what he needed from the plugin. “If I needed something

crunchy in a track that the plugin couldn't do, I'd change the algorithm a bit."

Dan emphasises the importance of reliability. “As a producer and musician, I developed clear ideas on what I want out of my studio gear," he says. "It has to sound good, be reliable, and let me get an interesting sound really quickly. And like anyone who's been to a lot of shows, you connect with a lot of people and learn a lot about music, which has been great from my perspective."

The concept of "accessible weirdness" runs throughout remaincalm's philosophy. Dan draws inspiration from classic hardware with unexpected behaviours – like the 1176 limiter's infamous "all buttons in" mode.

"It's a bit obscure, but once you know that trick, it's pretty accessible. You just mash the buttons," he says. "We've tried to weave that sort of thing everywhere. For example, with the Paranoia distortion plugin, if you turn the output gain knob all the way up, the output limiter parameters all change, and the effect turns into a slamming dual-band dynamics processor. Like, if the user is turning the dial all the way up, they probably want 'more', right? We have lots of little tweaks to try and make it feel a bit organic and hardware-y."

With the relaunch successfully executed, Dan's already looking ahead. "We have a lot of very interesting products under development! Right now, it's about a 50/50 mix of products expanding ideas from our previous free releases, and brand new products."

remaincalm’s ethos is refreshing – offering something slightly offkilter, experimental and reliable for producers.

Bring your ideas to life with the new Akai Pro MPC Live III

WORDS BY MIXDOWN STAFF

Akai Professional has launched the MPC Live III, the most powerful standalone MPC to date. Building on the success of the Live II, the latest version pushes beatmaking and live performance capabilities into new territory.

Screen fatigue is real, and plenty of producers are ditching the laptop in favour of hardware. The problem is, most standalone units force you to choose between power and portability. Live III doesn’t play that game.

The MPC has been at the heart of modern music for decades. First released in 1988, the original MPC60 filled a gap in the market, offering musicians an affordable and user-friendly all-inone music production centre that significantly influenced hip-hop and electronic music. From Dr Dre’s work on The Chronic to DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing, and its influence beyond hip hop into Latin music, electronic, and bedroom pop, the MPC has had a huge cultural impact.

Designed for producers who move fast, the new MPC Live III is packed with dynamic production tools, responsive controls, and sounds designed by the industry’s top sample makers. Not to mention – it’s the fastest processor of any MPC to date.

This standalone system gives users all the production, mixing, and performance capabilities you’d expect from next-gen Akai Pro hardware, but now with an MPC3 operating system that unlocks its full potential.

A huge upgrade is the MPCe pads – ultraresponsive 3D-sensing technology that goes way beyond simple aftertouch. These pads track X/Y movements, letting you manipulate one-shot layers, blend samples, and add dynamic note repeats and articulations on a per-pad basis. Also, for the first time in MPC history, Akai has added dedicated 16-step sequencer controls that offer direct, tactile programming that feels intuitive whether you’re sketching ideas or performing live. Running on the new MPC3 OS, the Live III

unlocks exclusive features that weren’t available on previous models. The optional MPC3 Pro Pack (included with the Live III, but sold separately for other MPC3-compatible units) adds heavyweight processing options: AIR Reverb Pro and AIR Visual EQ4 deliver studio-quality sound design while Pro Stems Separation lets you extract individual elements from existing tracks –invaluable for sampling or remixing on the fly. AIR Fabric Select and AIR Utility round out the effects package, giving you professional-grade tools right in the box.

The new Clip Matrix transforms how you approach song arrangement and live performance, offering intuitive clip launching that’ll feel instantly familiar to anyone who’s spent time in Ableton’s Session View. Record and trigger MIDI and audio loops of different lengths in any combination without interrupting your flow. Follow actions, row launch tempo controls, and snapshots add another layer of performance possibilities. Ableton Live set import means you can bring existing projects straight into the MPC environment.

For modular enthusiasts, the enhanced CV Playground feature opens up a whole heap of possibilities for controlling your Eurorack setup directly from the MPC. Eight CV/Gate outputs mean you can sequence external synths and modules without needing a separate MIDI-to-CV converter – a Q-Link envelope follower and LFO sweeten the deal further.

Class-compliant USB-C handles 24 channels of audio and 32 channels of bi-directional MIDI for computer or iOS device connectivity, making the Live III a legitimate audio interface with serious I/O. Two dedicated MIDI ports (both bi-

directional) support connections for up to 32 MIDI devices, so you can build out a comprehensive hardware setup without running into bottlenecks.

The performance touch-strip adds another dimension to real-time control, whether you’re pitching samples, manipulating effects parameters, or adding expression to synth lines during a performance. Combined with the MPCe pads’ enhanced sensitivity, it’s the kind of feature that becomes indispensable once you start incorporating it.

Portability remains a priority. A built-in condenser microphone captures vocals and field recordings without external gear, while discrete ultra-compact stereo monitors deliver studio-quality punch and low end for instant playback. The four-hour rechargeable battery means you can produce anywhere – hotel rooms, the backseat of the car, or even park benches if that’s your thing. Two XLR/TRS combo inputs handle everything from condenser mics to turntables to line-level synths, with six line outputs giving you routing flexibility for external processors or mixers.

Storage won’t be an issue either: 128GB of internal memory comes standard, expandable via SSD or SD card when your sample library inevitably grows beyond that. An 8-core processor (split between four performance cores and four efficiency cores) paired with 8GB of RAM keeps everything running smoothly, even when you’re stacking up to 32 simultaneous plug-in instances across 16 audio tracks. The Super Timestretch algorithm handles tempo and pitch manipulation with desktop-quality results.

Navigation happens through a 7-inch multi-touch display and four touch-capacitive knobs that respond quickly and accurately. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity enable wireless file transfer and collaboration, so you can share projects with collaborators or sample from your phone without cables getting in the way.

iPhone and iPad users can sample directly via USB-C, streamlining the process of pulling material from your iOS devices into your MPC workflow. Ableton Live users will appreciate the dedicated Control Mode for tighter integration with their DAW, though it’s worth noting that the Live III is powerful enough that you might find yourself leaving the laptop behind entirely. Direct sampling from your computer is also supported, making it easy to migrate material from your existing library.

The combination of XLR/combo jack/phono connectivity on those two input channels means you can accommodate virtually any source without adapters or external preamps. Six audio outputs give you flexibility for routing different elements of your mix to external processors, mixers, or separate monitoring systems.

Designed for immediate playability, endless experimentation, and precise recording, the MPC Live III represents the most complete standalone production solution Akai has built. Four times the processing power and memory of its predecessor means this genuinely earns its title as the most powerful MPC yet.

Introducing the Fender® Standard Series starting at $999.

Celebrate 100 years of Shure with these deals

WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE-EDWARDS

There’s few, if any, names as recognisable as Shure. Their iconic handheld microphone design has become emblematic, its likeness even used in emojis and on buttons, the SM58 becoming widely accepted as an icon of sound. 2025 sees the world celebrating 100 years of Shure, and their industry-changing designs with some amazing deals to build your family of Shure products. From now until 1st December, buy and save on mics and in-ear monitors!

FREE PGA48XLR with a Shure BLX system

The BLX system forms part of Shure’s wireless range. Combining world-class audio quality, superior battery life and reliable performance, the BLX system will become a mainstay of your live performances. Featuring vocal systems, wireless headsets, presenter and instrument solutions, the BLX can be used as a sole wireless solution or expanded upon with the addition of more units.

For a limited time, you'll receive a free PGA48XLR with your purchase of a BLX system. The PGA48XLR partners Shure’s world-class

microphone design with an on/off switch, making it perfect for presentations, streaming, talkback and more.

FREE SE215-CL with the Shure MV6 or MV7 Range!

The Shure MV range is built for content creation, streaming and more, and for a limited time you’ll receive a free pair of SE215-CL in-ear monitors with your purchase. The MV6 is a USB gaming microphone, with USB-C connection on board and a headphone output inbuilt to the mic itself for zero latency monitoring, as well Voice Isolation Technology, Auto Level Mode, Digital Popper Stopper and Real-time Denoiser.

The MV7 is a cardioid dynamic microphone intended for use as for podcasting, offering both USB and XLR connection options. Real-time monitoring is again available via the headphone jack on the chassis itself, with control over gain, sonics, dynamics and more being available via the ShurePlus™ MOTIV app. Sound presets are also available to get you up and running quickly and easily.

For a limited time, you’ll receive a pair of SE215-CL with the purchase of a mic from the Shure MV6 or MV7 range. The SE215-CL earphones form part of Shure professional in-ear monitoring solutions, built for professional sound and supreme isolation for both performers and audio professionals. Block up to 37dB of sound

with an ergonomic, low-profile design to boot! These in-ear monitors are the perfect addition to a podcasting or streaming set-up, staying out of the way and providing supreme sound while recording.

Save on selected Shure Wired Mics

As we’ve discussed, Shure have produced some of the most widely used and familiar microphones of all time - many of these are part of special deals to celebrate 100 years of Shure! The SM58, Beta 58A and SM58S all share Shure’s iconic handheld design, built to both isolate the capsule from rumble and movement, as well as provide crystal clear sound.

The SM57 and Beta 57A are both perfect matches for most instruments, bringing together high SPL handling and a wide frequency response. The SM57 is used the world over for loud guitar amps, cracking snares and even vocals, 57s famously used to record Freddy Mercury at times.

If vocals are your forte, the SM7B can’t be beat, hailing from the original SM7 that artists like Michael Jackson used for some of his iconic vocals. The SM7B and SM7dB are perfect for recording various vocal styles, from screamed metal to soft, whisper-quiet pop and everything in between. The SM7dB takes everything great about the SM7B and adds an in-built pre-amp to the high-pass filter switch and mid bump that’s available on the SM7B as well.

Shure’s range of KSM microphones are included in these deals as well, bringing the KSM9HS and KSM137 to you! The KSM9HS is a unique condenser microphone, with two polar patterns available: hypercardioid and the lesser known subcardioid. Subcardioid resembles an obtuse omni polar pattern for a little more rejection behind the capsule, retaining a little of the natural sound surrounding the mic while mostly focused on the source material.

The KSM137 is another studio staple, being a small studio condenser microphone with a cardioid pattern and a foam lined carry case. Perfect for delicate string instruments and wide stereo images like drum overheads, the KSM137 is a mainstay of the studio thanks to its high SPL handling and true-to-source sound. If you’re buying on at this price, there’s never been a better time to buy a pair!

Celebrate 100 years of Shure with any (or all!) of these great deals. A huge upgrade in any regard, the range of Shure products for either streaming and podcasting through to live performance and studio recording offer unparalleled bang for buck, especially with the deals available now to celebrate. Whether you’re starting a podcast or amping up your sound quality, the MV6 and MV7 range is a huge upgrade, especially when paired with a free pair of SE215-CL in-ear monitors. A free PGA48XLR elevates your choice of Shure BLX system, and a list of Shure’s most distinguished and widely used mics are available at special prices until December! There’s never been a better time to upgrade or grow your mic locker.

HOSA Cables In Focus:

WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE-EDWARDS

HOSA Cables are one of the most trusted brands in the music industry. Known worldwide for their robust, stageready design, world-class sound and iconic red packaging, HOSA cables offer everything you need to connect all the bits and pieces on the stage and in the studio.

Colour-coded snakes, gold termination points on cables, robust connectors to be relied on time after time, HOSA have their ear to the ground of both the professional and the amateur music maker. They have something for every budget and every space.

Long analogue looms with different termination types, stages boxes and audio accessories as well as digital solutions like digital cables, data and video cables and more make HOSA a trusted brand. Their products shift from good to better to best with their Essential, PRO and EDGE ranges respectively, offering different types of cabling, isolation and connection depending on your needs and budget.

HOSA was founded by the late Sho Sato in 1984, who started small and built HOSA into one of the most trusted names in the industry. A strong work ethic and passion for people pushed HOSA into the limelight, providing great service as well as some of the best cables around. Beginning by cold-calling retail customers, Sato would travel around to take orders, before returning to his humble workshop and building the cables himself. His daughter, Mayumi Allison, took over the company and continues to expand with one goal in mind: reliable solutions, passion and incredible service above all.

The Essential range offers a huge slew of products for different types of connection. From traditional (and most commonly used) cables like microphone, guitar cables and speaker cables. The range extends to more professional interconnects for interfacing and connecting various pieces of equipment together as well as inserting equipment into consoles, audio interfaces and more. Featuring just about every termination type you could need, from XLR to bantam, RCA to both balanced and unbalanced ¼”, banana plugs, adapters and even wireless Bluetooth solutions, the Essential range helps audio move seamlessly from A to B.

Levelling up to the PRO Series, the range features many of the same products, bolstered by REAN connectors at either end. REAN’s range of connection types expands on HOSA’s world-class cabling, adding robust XLR connection, TRS and TS for balanced and unbalanced connection. The PRO Series add breakout cables and headphone extension to the

range, HOSA clearly understanding the needs of the working professional.

The EDGE series pushes worldclass sound to the fore with highly robust cabling built to totally isolate your signal from the outside world as it sends and receives sound. Offering microphone, instrument and speaker cables, the EDGE series boasts 20 AWG copper for signal, wrapped in polyethylene, PVC, cotton and oxygen free copper braid to serve as a ground, and ensure no crosstalk from the labyrinth of cables that are required to run a stage or studio. The EDGE series features Neutrik connectors in either gold or nickel configurations depending on your budget.

Beyond their range of cabling, HOSA also offer additional audio accessories like adapters, cable testers and cable care products, as well as the aforementioned Bluetooth option in the Drive Bluetooth Audio Interface. The Drive Bluetooth Audio Interface can serve as either a transmitter or a receiver, featuring a ⅛” stereo interconnect and a USB connection, it brings modern connectivity to analogue equipment such as a mixing console. Their range of Audio accessories speaks to their commitment to world-class service and care, offering protective A/V Work Gloves and face masks, as well as cable organisers, cable holders and cable cleaning, de-oxidisers and protection for their world-class products. Their Audio Cable Tester offers many different connection types, easily allowing you to audio on a variety of sources, as well as check their connectivity and continuity.

HOSA’s commitment to world class sound is brought home by their expanding range of additional accessories. They provide solutions to ensure everything is patched, connected, routed and received properly, safely and securely, with a range of cables to suit every connection type and budget. Having arrived on the scene in the mid 80s with the advent of digital audio, HOSA’s range allows connectivity between old-world analogue mixing consoles and modern, cutting-edge digital equipment, with all types of connectors available, and additional adapters available too!

The company’s commitment to service brings us a company that provides solutions for problems we have, as well as the ones they know we’ll run into. Cables testers, Bluetooth adapters and cable care products have them committed to us in the long term, while also having a huge range of Essential, PRO and EDGE cables, adapters and connections for those connectivity issues that arise in the short term. Best of all, they’re built to last gig after gig, no matter how many musicians and performers tangle them. Music is about connection above all, and while HOSA may not be able to help with the emotional end of that, they sure can help with the physical.

Hercules DA753BB 2-Way Low Brass Stand

WORDS BY PETER HODGSON

If you’re reading this, you probably know the thrill of buying a new instrument.

A new vessel into which you can ladle your rage, hopes, thoughts and dreams. Your instrument is ultimately the conduit for you to express your deepest, truest, most intimate feelings about the world and your place in it. Everyone loves a New Instrument Day. It’s exciting, you get that little dopamine hit, and you have now added a whole new room to the beautiful house that is your music.

But sometimes you need to buy a piece of gear that’s not for you: it’s for your instrument. Your guitar, bass, violin, horn, cello, ocarina, that wooden fish thing that goes ‘skkkkkt ’. They all need to feel the joy of a New Gear Day, too. It’s into this category that we place things like noise gates, buffers and tuners: you’re not really buying a pedal for you, you’re buying a pedal for your pedal. It’s the same with instrument stands. They’re not the sexiest products to buy or the easiest to write about, but sometimes you really need to buy some gear for your gear.

Here's the thing about music stands: no matter how many you own, you always need one more. It's like guitar leads, drum keys, picks – they multiply when you're not looking, yet somehow vanish the moment you actually need them. And because they're going to get used constantly, you need stands that won't fall apart on you.

This is where brands like Hercules come in. They make stands that actually last – the kind that'll find use day after day, session after session, year after year, without developing that sad wobble of impending failure. Quality stands aren't glamorous, but they're the unsung heroes that keep your gear safe and your sessions running smoothly.

Hercules follows the grand tradition of hardware companies named for tough, strong stuff. The kind of stuff that stops your instrument from hitting the floor. If you're going to name your company after someone, you might as well aim high. And Hercules – the actual Greek mythological Hercules, the guy who wrestled lions and held up the sky and generally did impossible

things before breakfast – set a pretty high bar. He's basically the patron saint of "incredibly strong and won't let you down," which is exactly what you want from the thing holding your expensive instrument. They took on the whole concept: unmatched strength and serious power. It's why they've become one of the most trusted stand brands out there. Because just like the mythical hero who could handle twelve impossible tasks without breaking a sweat, Hercules stands are built to handle whatever you throw at them – or rather, whatever you gently place on them –without ever letting you down.

The Hercules DA753BB 2-Way Low Brass Stand is a difficult product to write about because let’s face it, it doesn’t make a sound, it doesn’t have any playability to critique, and it’s not pointy and neon and covered in skulls. It’s simply a reliable, roadworthy support for low brass instruments such as tubas, euphoniums and baritones. It’s there to support your instrument while you play, taking the stress off your precious muscles and positioning the instrument right where you need it. It has a detachable tube set so you can adapt it to a wide range of player preferences. It also comes with a carry bag. It has a Power Lock lever to keep it nice and secure, and you can remove the pad if you need to do so to accommodate your instrument. Hercules gear is very tough. Their foldable guitar stands are fantastic. Their guitar wall hangers are even more so. They’re one of those companies that really figured out how to make stands more secure, no matter what they’re for, and have let that knowledge filter into some very specialised instrument stands like this one.

In Focus:

Vintera II Road Worn

WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE-EDWARDS

Trends and fads might come and go, but the Vintera II Road Worn are buying into something that makes sense.

Across fashion, furniture and now musical instruments, there’s a stylised effort for our purchases to feel loved, worn in, thrifted, gifted and, in the case of Fender, Road Worn. We’re no strangers to the Vintera series – Fender’s range of period-correct guitars and basses at incredibly accessible prices.

The Road Worn range all play like a lived-in jumper or a well-loved La-Z-Boy (especially poignant when discussing 1950-19560s American aesthetic), and tie together Fender’s rich history and modern technological advancements. Spanning from the Precision Bass to the Strat, Tele and Jazzmaster we’ll be discussing here, the Fender Vintera II Road Worn series is an homage and tribute to classic designs that’ve stood the test of time, while retaining that played-in, familiar feeling of your favourite guitar.

The fretboard features a 7.25” radius, which might be a little tighter than modern guitars, but stays true to Fender’s roots. This lends the guitar well to classic rock and blues style playing, the double cutaway design offering access to higher frets without the hurdle. The pickups are Fender’s own single-coil Vintage-Style Mid-’60s Pickups, controlled by a master volume, dual tone controls and a five-way switch. The Vintera II Road Worn ’60s Stratocaster also features a tremolo system with Bent Steel Saddles forming the bridge. It’s available in the oh-so ’60s Sonic Blue (inspired by American cars at the time!) and classic Black.

The Vintera II Road Worn ’60s Telecaster is available in the dusty Burgundy Mist Metallic or the iconic Blonde, the latter featuring a maple fretboard and the former with slab rosewood. The fretboard features the same 7.25” radius fretboard (common for the time) and has a wornin Nitrocellulose lacquer finish.

The classic single-cutaway design is all tone with no inhibition, again with Tele-style VintageStyle Mid-’60s Pickups controlled by a single master volume and a master tone control. Tuning stability is aided by the period-correct 3-Saddle Bridge and vintage-style tuning machines, lending the guitar’s classically good looks and tried-andtrue design.

Vintera® II Road Worn® ’50s Jazzmaster®

Finally, and somewhat an oddball of the bunch, is the ‘50s Jazzmaster. Released in the late ’50s and marketed as a total tonal solution for the modern guitar player, the Jazzmaster was possibly too forward-thinking for the time. The 1958 Jazzmaster, immortalised here, was finished in a three-tone sunburst and featured an anodised pickguard. Fender paired that with separate lead and rhythm circuits, both with independent tone and volume controls. It wasn’t until about a decade later that it was adopted by the wave of surf rock (pardon the pun) that defined the ’60s.

The ’50s Jazzmasters weren’t at fault here, and this classic design is available in the Vintera II Road Worn ’50s Jazzmaster, available in either the classic burst or a Fiesta Red, another Fender staple inspired by classic cars of the time!

The ’50s Jazzmaster features a slab rosewood board in either colour, the neck having the same worn-in nitro finish as the rest of the Vintera II Road Worn series. Dual ‘50s style pickups are controlled by switching between either lead or rhythm circuits, the rhythm circuit having jog wheels on the upper horn, while the lead circuit has volume and tone pots in the traditional position on the guitar’s body. This lead circuit is coupled with a pickup selector.

The Road Worn ’60s Stratocaster pushes Leo Fender’s design to the fore. The Strat was initially released in the mid-50s, and this ’60s Stratocaster honours the guitars produced after about a decade of fine-tuning. Comprising an Alder body and maple neck, the Vintera II ’60s Stratocaster is a rock-solid, triple single-coil electric guitar with total tonal controls at your fingertips.

Vintera® II Road Worn® ’60s Telecaster®

Pre-dating the Stratocaster by a few years is the Telecaster, named after a tussle over the original name ‘Broadcaster’ and a short period of nameless ‘Nocaster’ guitars. The Telecaster of today hasn’t differed too much design-wise since the ’50s and ’60s, and for good reason.

The Vintera II Road Worn series borrows from decades of Fender’s most iconic designs, rebuilding them with modern QC and adding desirable (and highly sought after) design features like slab rosewood, nitro finish and vintage fretboard radii, into a really accessible and totally playable package. Real vintage guitars show the wear and tear of years of use and abuse, while a guitar worn-in at the factory retains the charm and feel of a wellloved guitar, but with the confidence that rust, corrosion and faults won’t be present like a secondhand guitar.

The iconic Strat, trailblazing Tele and forward-thinking Jazzmaster make up just a part of the Vintera II series. These are iconic colours and classic design aesthetics that shaped the future (now the present day) of guitar design. The Vintera II series offers Fender’s best designs at a price that’s hard to beat. These limited edition Road Worn finished guitars might just play like your new favourite guitar.

In Focus:

AlphaTheta CDJ-3000X

WORDS BY MIXDOWN STAFF

Gone are the days of hunting through your USB or realising halfway through your set that you forgot to transfer your latest tracks.

The CDJ-3000X has you sorted, completely transforming how DJs access, browse and perform. Building on the CDJ-3000's solid reliability, the new iteration pushes things forward with cloud connectivity, streaming support and enhanced performance features.

This isn't just an upgrade – the "X" actually means something: transformation in media evolution, expanded connectivity across devices and platforms, and reliability and sound quality that genuinely surpasses what came before.

Here's the big change: the CDJ-3000X brings the booth into the streaming age with full cloud storage and music streaming service support. Built-in Wi-Fi does all the work, without LAN cables turning your booth into a mess. This makes setup considerably easier wherever you're playing. It's flexible enough to work with whatever your usual workflow is, too.

NFC connectivity on the front panel is super simple. Hold your phone running the latest rekordbox for iOS or Android over the reader, and you're in. That's it. With just a

USB could fall out, the internet could drop out, and your track will still play right to the end. Proper peace of mind.

The CDJ-3000X makes browsing, selecting and managing tracks way more intuitive. The 10.1-inch high-resolution capacitive touchscreen lets you see up to 16 tracks at once. Better visibility and smoother control mean you'll find what you're after quickly. Reduced loading times for rekordbox CloudDirectPlay means browsing music that's stored online feels just as snappy as going through USB drives.

For the first time on a CDJ, you can edit playlists directly from the unit by reordering tracks. Changes sync automatically across all your devices when using Cloud Library Sync. Rapid searching has become easier, too – you can copy track info and paste it straight into the search bar for quick results.

There's a new USB Type-C port for faster integration with modern devices and computers, while the aluminium top panel brings the premium finish and durability you'd expect from professional gear.

The CDJ-3000X is all about immersion. Its dynamic audio faithfully reproduces every nuance of the original track and enhances the energy of whatever genre is in your set. Alpha-Theta’s previous model was on the high-quality end of sound design, and the CDJ-3000 takes it to the next level.

A new high-performance digitalto-analog converter made by ESS Technology delivers a better signalto-noise, resulting in clearer and more refined sound reproduction. The newly designed power supply unit reduces unwanted noise and pumps up low-frequency power, delivering punchy bass and warm tones that won't tire your ears even during long sessions. You get powerful and high-resolution sound that balances punch with clarity.

Sound tuning was refined through on-site testing, with input from professional sound engineers, ensuring exceptional audio performance whether you're playing intimate basement venues or massive outdoor festivals.

CDJ-3000X and your phone, you can tap into your entire music library from anywhere and get straight into your set.

Full rekordbox for Mac/ Windows Performance mode unlock comes included with no licence needed, while USB-HID control supports Serato DJ Pro (although you'll need Hardware Unlock or a licence for that). Native integration with Beatport Streaming and TIDAL (licences needed for those too) means your entire music world can live in one place. The advancements in online and storage media support make DJ performances more flexible than they've ever been, opening up new creative possibilities across different styles.

The Global Tag List is where everything comes together. You can grab tracks from your USB, cloud storage or streaming services and chuck them all into a single playlist. Tagged tracks from online sources start downloading straight away to keep load times minimal, while comprehensive track caching means once a track loads, the whole file sits in the player's memory. Your

The new Hot Cue workflow helps you analyse track structure in real time and perform more on the fly. Touch Cue lets you listen to any waveform point through your headphones by pressing on the display, with the option to set Hot Cues from wherever you're monitoring. Smart Cue automatically overwrites the current cue point with a called-up Hot Cue's position and colour for smoother cueing, while Gate Cue only plays sound while you're holding down a Hot Cue button. This opens up possibilities for tone play and all sorts of performance techniques.

You can really depend on the CDJ-3000X more than any CDJ that's come before. It's built for exceptional reliability, even in demanding environments. The rebuilt play and cue buttons handle energetic use and withstand over 500,000 additional presses compared to the previous model. That's a hell of a lot of double drops. The jog wheel has a boost too, with an expanded tension adjustment range that allows you to dial in exactly the feel you're after, whether you're scratching hard or delicately nudging the pitch.

Born from Pioneer Corporation, AlphaTheta is the team behind Pioneer DJ – a brand that's been central to DJ culture for over 30 years. AlphaTheta continues that legacy, driven by the same people, passion and commitment to innovation, engineering excellence, and the power music has to connect and unite people. AlphaTheta is home to a growing ecosystem of products that support creativity and self-expression. The CDJ-3000X sits under the AlphaTheta brand to reflect this mission: engaging music lovers and creators with intuitive tools that make DJing more creative than ever.

The CDJ-3000X represents a fundamental shift in how DJs will work moving forward. By integrating cloud storage, streaming services and wireless connectivity into the booth, AlphaTheta has created a player that acknowledges how people actually consume music now while maintaining that tactile, immediate experience that defines great DJing.

Fed Square welcomes MESS and the Southern Hemisphere's largest synth collection

Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio has entered a new era.

After years of quietly sitting in North Melbourne, MESS has relocated to the heart of the city, in the Atrium at Fed Square. It’s a game-changing move that positions the organisation in the centre of Melbourne's cultural conversation. Studio sessions and workshops are now available at the new address, and the timing couldn't be better: MESS is about to play a starring role in one of 2026's most ambitious live cinema events.

For those unfamiliar, MESS is a not-forprofit organisation housing over 1,000 eclectic and historically significant electronic musical instruments – the largest publicly available collection in the Southern Hemisphere. But calling it simply a collection misses the point entirely. MESS exists to connect people and creativity, providing hands-on access to museum-grade resources while fostering community around the transformative power of music making.

Their philosophy is this: music is for everyone, and life is too short not to make it. MESS offers inspirational and artist-led support designed to unlock the collection and get you directly involved in the creative process. From entry-level workshops to specialised sound design courses, school programmes and member gatherings, each initiative celebrates the diversity of sound and everyone curious about making it.

Beyond educational programmes, MESS hosts live performances and artist residencies. Their biannual multichannel commission series Sonorous has commissioned twenty new octophonic works to date, becoming a highlight of Melbourne's electronic music calendar. The MESS Synthesiser Orchestra (MSO) offers mass

activations of the collection, demonstrating the full potential of their extensive instrument library.

While the creative process is often isolating, MESS invites people to connect, building shared experiences that enrich Melbourne’s electronic music community. The new Fed Square location amplifies this mission considerably, allowing MESS to reach more people than ever before.

MESS's first major outing from their new home comes courtesy of Hear My Eyes, Australia's pioneer live cinema collective. Next February and March, the MESS Synthesiser Ensemble will help reimagine James Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgment Day for its 35th anniversary, giving the sci-fi classic its first-ever live electronic score. Pretty huge.

Belgian electronic artist Peter Van Hoesen is on composition and performance duties, transforming his typically solo live sets into an expansive ensemble piece featuring MESS's rare vintage synthesisers and modular systems. Van Hoesen's immersive, hardware-driven work perfectly echoes Terminator 2's central themes of humanity, technology, and our increasingly blurred relationship with machines.

"What excites me most about the Hear My Eyes concept is the performative aspect – it's one thing to compose a score, but another entirely to bring it to life in front of an audience," Van Hoesen explains. "T2 had a huge impact on me when it was released, and it remains a timeless film. My approach to this project is to create something completely electronic that amplifies the emotion and intensity already present on screen."

Internationally renowned audio-visual artist

Robin Fox completes the lineup with his signature laser artistry. Having previously collaborated with Hear My Eyes on Hellraiser, Fox's visual language transforms cinematic environments into illuminated shows that enhance rather than overwhelm the on-screen action.

"My vision for Terminator 2 is to weave the lasers into the cinematic experience rather than overwhelm it – to make precise, deliberate choices that heighten key moments," Fox reveals. "We've been exploring the motif of 'eyes' throughout the film, finding ways to echo that visually, and there'll be a few immersive moments where the audience really feels pulled into the action."

This focus on vision feels particularly apt given T2's obsession with seeing clearly –from the Terminator's red-tinted HUD to Sarah Connor's prophetic nightmares. Fox's laser work promises to expand these themes into the physical space, creating blurred boundaries between screen and audience.

Released in 1991, T2 remains one of the most influential films ever made. The film is a cultural milestone that redefined science fiction, visual effects, and blockbuster storytelling. Cameron's meditation on humanity and technology resonates even more powerfully in 2025, an era defined by artificial intelligence and questions about what separates human creativity from machine capability.

"Terminator 2 excites everyone: cinephiles, film buffs, mainstream audiences and young viewers discovering it for the first time," says Haydn Green, Artistic Director of Hear My Eyes. "It's both accessible and cerebral with a perfect blend of emotion, intellect and spectacle. Next year's T2 premiere also marks our 52nd HME screening since our inception in 2015, and it feels like a defining moment for us."

The collaboration between Hear My Eyes, Peter Van Hoesen, MESS, and Robin Fox offers something rare: a chance to experience a cultural milestone through an entirely new perspective. Van Hoesen's hardware-driven approach, amplified by MESS's extraordinary instrument collection, promises to create something completely electronic that serves the film's emotional core.

Sounds like something you’re into? MESS offers multiple entry points, including starter passes and memberships for immediate access to the collection. MESS also offers workshops and courses to help unlock the creative potential of over 1,000 instruments. The new Fed Square location makes dropping in easier than ever, too.

Performances of Terminator 2 run from the 26th to 28th of February at Hamer Hall in Melbourne and on 7th March at Sydney's City Recital Hall. Tickets are available now through Arts Centre Melbourne and City Recital Hall websites.

For the Melbourne shows, audiences will witness MESS performing just a short walk from their new Fed Square home – a fitting debut for an organisation entering its most public and ambitious phase yet.

Bryan Adams strips it back in Pompeii with Neumann

WORDS BY ANITA AGATHANGELOU

Standing alone in an ancient Roman amphitheatre with nothing but an acoustic guitar sounds like some sort of fever dream – but it’s what Bryan Adams did in Pompeii this July, following in the footsteps of Pink Floyd's legendary 1971 performance at the same venue.

Forget the band, effects, and in-ear monitoring. Adam’s performance was stripped back to the very bones: voice, guitar, piano, and 2,000-yearold stone walls that have been carrying sound since the Roman Empire.

Welcome to Bare Bones – Adams' strippedback concert series, named after his 2010 acoustic live album, that reveals how his songs were actually written. For front-of-house engineer Stefan Holtz, who's been mixing Adams since 2023, the challenge was clear: make 3,000 people feel like they're sitting in Bryan's living room while he's writing a new song.

"People want to feel as if Bryan were standing right in front of them without a microphone," Holtz explains. "The moment they hear an engineer's hand in it, the magic's gone. The technology has to disappear."

Bare Bones isn’t a typical tour. With only five or six dates this year across Rome, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Scotland and Pompeii, each show focuses on revealing something a little more intimate – Adams at his creative core, sharing the moments where the songs first took shape.

"We bring almost nothing besides the microphones and two guitars," says Holtz. A grand piano, console, and PA are all sourced locally at each venue. It's not as terrifying as it sounds if you're confident about where your signal chain begins.

With over two decades mixing German heavyweights Die Toten Hosen and Westernhagen, plus five years with Die Ärzte,

Holtz's approach is deceptively simple, and refreshingly so. Get the source right, and you can make any desk work. You don’t need mountains of boutique analog gear, complex processing at FOH for a great-sounding show – just a locally rented digital console, and unwavering faith in what’s happening at the capsule.

This is where Neumann comes in. Adam’s relationship with the microphones goes back decades. Until 1993, he used an M 49 in the studio, before switching to a U 87. His live work began with KMS 140, and moved onto a custommodified KMS 104. Early this year brought the next evolution: the KMS 104 Plus.

"We tried it, and Bryan, monitors, and FOH all agreed immediately: this is a real step forward," Holtz recalls. The improved windscreen means fewer pops, and the voicing sits perfectly with Adams's vocal character. After years of working with the same mic design, Adams knows the cardioid pattern instinctively – when to pull back, when to turn his head. It's become an extension of his voice, an instrument in itself.

For Bare Bones, Adams deliberately chose classic wedge monitors over in-ears. This creates intimacy and connection with the audience, but also introduces feedback risks in acoustically live venues like Pompeii's ancient amphitheatre. "It's not always easy in these acoustically precious venues that equally respond to the wedges," Holtz admits. Despite being a simple cardioid (unlike the hypercardioid KMS 105), the KMS 104 Plus handles feedback impressively well. "Bryan's got

serious volume, that's our advantage. I wouldn't want to try this with a delicate voice."

The concert grand piano gets special treatment: four Neumann MCM 114 systems to capture its magic. An ORTF pair near the hammers delivers articulation and sparkle, while two more MSM 114s at the sound holes add warmth and body to the sound.

Beyond their sonic qualities, the MCM system’s practicality is what wins Holtz over. “You’re genuinely fast with MCM. But what really gets me is the modular construction with four separate parts I can swap out independently. If a capsule gets wet, just replace the capsule. If a cable fails, swap the cable. There’s no need for a whole new mic.”

Magnetic mounts make piano positioning more effortless than ever, and their versatility extends far beyond. "With Die Ärzte, I now run nine MCMs on drums. The MCM 114 works beautifully on everything: trombone, tuba, acoustic guitar, accordion. One mic for everything, and it always sounds right."

Adams' acoustic guitar uses a Neumann KM 185. The mic's tight pattern blocks out the stage monitors while mixing with the guitar's pickup to capture both clarity and natural tone.

"Playing Pompeii and not recording it should be illegal," Holtz joked before the show. The recording setup matched the live mix's care and simplicity. Pairs of KMR 81 shotgun microphones and KM 185s at both sides of the stage captured ambience. "They're a notch more neutral than other options," he explains. "Applause sounds like applause, not like frying onions."

To capture the full experience, a KU 100 dummy head was used in front of the stage, not just for posterity, but as an invaluable reference so Adams can hear the concert from a listener's seat. On larger shows with in-ears, this signal also feeds into the monitor mix.

Whenever possible, Holtz extends his trust in Neumann technology to his monitors. Ahead of three 2024 shows at London's Royal Albert Hall, he worked with a full KH loudspeaker system. Though it can't match a concert PA's sheer sound pressure levels, the translation is convincing. "With the big KH 420s and KH 870 subwoofer combo, you get remarkably close to the live experience while maintaining incredible resolution."

This consistent commitment to one manufacturer for critical signal chain components gives Holtz unshakeable confidence in unpredictable scenarios. "It removes so much stress because I can trust my sources, no matter which console turns up or how the PA is configured – all the variables I can't always control."

Looking back at his decisions in Pompeii, Holtz's verdict is straightforward: "We'd do it exactly the same way again."

Sometimes the best production really does come down to less is more – an artist, their instrument, and 2,000 years of acoustic history doing what they do best.

Five unexciting but necessary essentials for your studio

WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE-EDWARDS

The unexciting reality: when it comes to studio essentials, sometimes a hard drive backup system matters more than your dream microphone.

I’ve been rudely reminded and humbled about the fact that, above all, a session and recording studio needs to run smoothly. A vintage tube microphone can sit in its cradle, modern, powerful preamp ready for a vocal, but if they’re not easily connected and accessible, you’ll be stuck reaching around behind a rack. A dark mess of cables will hinder you from plugging them in. Once patched, your artist needs a headphone mix and... your cables are tugging their headphones down. You manage to get through the session and hit save, only to return to the session the following morning to a corrupted hard drive. That expensive tube mic is the least of your worries now!

There’s a handful of unexciting but necessary purchases that I’ve learnt can keep your sessions running, your data safe, and your clients happy.

Headphone extension cables

These are worth their weight in gold (especially so with gold contacts!) A headphone extender is a simple, passive way to send signals further. Generally, a male ¼” TRS connection at one end and a female at the other, these simply plug into a headphone amplifier and allow headphone connection at the other end via the female TRS connector.

While your existing headphone cables might be fine for most use cases, this is the kind of investment that you don’t need until you need them. An increasing number of drummers are using their own IEM-style earphones for recording, and those cables are short! Vocalists distracted by a short cable tugging their head to one side can’t focus on their performance, and you’ll be left with an unsatisfied artist and a lacklustre performance.

Boss LS-2 line selector/mixing pedal

Admittedly, a more fun addition to the list, this little-known pedal is great for creating unique guitar and bass tones. Typically used as a Line Selector, as the name suggests, the LS-2 features two separate loops for different pedals. It also has a handful of modes, including “A+B Mix”, allowing you to use the “A” and “B” controls to blend different amounts of pedals, i.e. drives or distortions, before they sum at the output stage and are sent to your amp. This enables the ability to combine different sounds into something entirely unique, instead of using pedals as they were intended (boring!)

Patchbay

At the top of this piece, I discussed the nightmare of accessing the ins and outs of outboard gear, as well as the ins and outs of our audio interface or converters. A patchbay serves to allow connection to everything in one simple place, more seamlessly allowing you to plug things in and out, as well as audition sounds to make sure you’re on the right track.

A patchbay will be used on every session, and it’ll be a piece you won’t know how you lived without. Be wary of how your gear will be connected to the back of the patchbay, and the cables you’ll need to patchbay it all

together. There are ¼”, XLR (male and female), as well as bantam/TT style patchbays, with an array of connection types available on the back. This is another example where soldering and doing it yourself can come in handy. Cabling is expensive, and there are a lot of patch points per patchbay!

A second set of monitors

Long days in the studio can be really tiresome mentally and physically, but there’s no shortage of critical listening to be done at the start or end of the day. For this reason, taking a break from listening is a great tool for the busy engineer, though for those of us who’ve been in the rabbit-hole of mixing and mastering, you know that you can’t be taking breaks all day.

For this reason, a second set of monitors is a great way to have an extra source to reference your work, as well as reset your ears. Think of these as a palette cleanser for your ears, something quick to adjust your perspective before you dive back into your main monitors. When using them in this way, even low-quality monitors will do the job.

While we’re at it, you’ll need a monitor controller to toggle between two sets of monitors, and a controller with a ‘Dim’ switch is another great way to cleanse your ears as well as reset your perspective! The lower volume of the ‘Dim’ switch will exaggerate the balance of your mix very quickly. Damn, the snare is still too loud...

Hard drive backup system

There’s nothing more terrifying in the digital world than a hard drive failure. If there is something more terrifying, I’m yet to experience it, so it may very well be in the next list of necessary purchases. This fear of drive failure has pushed me to search high and low for a consistent and easy-to-use backup system for my digital files, and personally, I’ve landed at ChronoSync.

My system is as follows: I have a main working drive and a mirrored backup drive of the working drive. For long-term backup, I have a drive that stays at my studio, as well as another backup that comes home – this being mirrored to the studio long-term backup. This means that (except for the moment of recording) my data always exists in two places, with regular long-term backups extending to four places in two locations. In the case of a catastrophe at home or the studio, my data is still saved somewhere.

What attracted me to ChronoSync was the ability to easily mirror drives very quickly; a day’s work on a USB-C SSD backs up in seconds. While I don’t have a cloud-based backup system, they’re also available and widely, though keep in mind that the more space you use, the more money you’ll pay— though this isn’t too different from buying new drives every year or two!

Now I’m off to back up my drives. Writing about this all so confidently has me feeling paranoid!

WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE-EDWARDS

The importance of room sounds in a home studio recording

The sound of a room adds to the character of a recording, and that doesn’t have to be compromised when working in a home studio. While your bedroom, spare room or otherwise might be a compromised acoustic space, it’s still a unique space that can be harnessed with a little know-how.

Here, we’ll discuss both recording the space itself as well as digitally adding ambience and depth to your home studio recordings. Our reasoning here is that, usually, home studio recordings are very dead, often being recorded under doonas, in cupboards or other overly treated spaces because of the imperfect and unpredictable acoustic quality of home studios— we get it! However, a little liveliness can breathe life back into your recordings.

Digitally, we have a world of reverb plugins available, and while expansive, shimmering reverbs that sound like the echo of a canyon are fun, there are also some great room sounds available. A great option in the digital world is to select a single reverb to be used as an auxiliary, or to use 2-3 reverbs for your entire mix.

With a single reverb, you can send as much or as little of each signal in your mix to it, adding more or less depending on your preferences. Having multiple signals sent to the same source removes a bit of separation from the reverb itself, but it does a better job of mimicking the bleed and ambience of a real room. Even a single reverb per instrument, i.e. drums, can help glue everything together a bit more, and give a better sense of identity than multiple reverbs for each source.

Another great way to add space to a mix is to use three dedicated reverbs for short, medium and long reverb, for close, mid and far sounds respectively. For example, you might use a long reverb time and longer pre-delay for your ‘Long’

reverb, and sending things like drums to this will help them feel further back in the mix. Something further away in the room will both take an extra moment to reverberate to the walls (pre-delay) as well as the reverb being longer as it echoes through the space (reverb time).

A guitar might be a bit further forward, so this would be sent to your mid reverb, and a vocal might be your short. Don’t forget that there’s a secret fourth tool for this, in that some sources can have no reverb! If the whole band has a little reverb and the lead vocal or guitar solo has none, that source will feel much closer to you than the others, making for a very in-your-face sound.

Another surefire way to add character and space to your recordings is to just record it! While this’ll eat up an extra microphone and preamp with every recording, it can be great to just have an extra ambient mic recording while you record other things. It doesn’t need to be a world-class room sound; simply the extra ambience, distance and space captured by the mic, when compared to the main source mic, can add a sense of the real world to your recordings. Stereo pairs are great, but this will work just fine in a mono context, these being a great sound to blend in as is or process to your heart’s content (maybe a 100% wet reverb?) These roomy mics can be great to stereo-fy a mono signal, or to process heavy-handedly in parallel with your main source that remains clean and dry. An ambient mic on every track can give a sense of space, even if that ‘space’ is your bedroom!

One final trick is re-amping your home studio recordings. This takes a little extra know-how and a bit more gear, but a finished and mixed song can be played through a speaker into a room, the room itself being mic’d up as if the ‘band’ (your mix) were playing in it. This recorded sound, mono or stereo, can then be blended back into the space to reinject some reality into your mix. Keep in mind that when you’re recording a signal that’s being played back in the same room, you can create a feedback loop pretty quickly! So mute or unmute any tracks before they take off.

The name of the game in all of this is character. Sterile, dry home studio recordings are sometimes unavoidable, and until the first cheque clears from a #1 smash hit, a lot of us are stuck producing, creating, writing and mixing in whatever space we have available – and that’s okay!

Using the space itself will give your music identity and character, even if it’s imperfect acoustically. Some of the best recordings of all time sound the way they do because of the spaces they were made in, warts and all, and that’s what I implore you to do. Digital reverbs are a great way to bring a sense of reality to dry home studio recordings by using roomy reverbs and short, medium and long auxiliaries to limit yourself to one ‘space’. Re-amping your sounds into a real room can also give a sense of space, and even blended at a low level, add depth, body and a sense of the real world to your music.

Mixdown’s Guide to: Creating spooky Halloween music

WORDS BY MIXDOWN STAFF

For most of you, Halloween just means a bunch of snotty nosed kids knocking on your door while the sun is still up, looking for a handout.

But for the horror genre enthusiasts, of which there are plenty about, the name John Carpenter needs no introduction. With films like the Halloween series, Assault on Precinct 13, Big Trouble in Little China and Escape From New York, Carpenter not only defined a cinematic genre, but also sculpted a soundtrack for that genre quite unlike anything else before it, spawning decades of Halloween music with it. The main element that stands out in all of John Carpenter’s compositions is the relative simplicity that works so well. Even though he uses many layers to build his sound, each one is quite simple, but at the same time quite unique, creating a mysterious layering effect that sets the mood for his films and sets the scene for rewatching his masterpieces at this time of year, with their Halloween music.

Without a doubt, the main title theme to Halloween would have to be Carpenter’s most well-known work, yet it is also one of his simplest. This is the same with other horror and suspense classics. Think about Jaws: essentially just four notes on a piano was all that was needed there to scare the living heck out of every beach-goer for generations. As with Jaws and Halloween, the main driving force behind this is the instantly recognisable piano line that continues to repeat itself through the whole piece. Carpenter gives this momentum by the piercing synthesised hi hat sound that runs from beginning to end. Variation is supplied with the use of three different synth pads with various LFO settings to give additional depth. The string sounds are typical of those used so often by Carpenter, and a real sign of the times. With a high rate LFO to give them an eerie shimmer, the strings swell up to a crescendo fortifying the suspense he creates with his music.

The theme music for The Fog brings in a monstrous sounding church organ to the beginning of the track. This is then replaced by a piano that is echoed by a number of synthesised piano sounds, many of these reminiscent of the DX style sounds created by Yamaha. But it must be noted that Carpenter composed and produced this soundtrack several years before Yamaha even released any of their DX range of synths, so he really was a pioneer at the time. It is quite unnerving how much anticipation, fear and terror he is able to achieve with just a piano sound. With the addition of a simple synth pad and some (albeit terrible sounding) strings, he is able to create a thick atmosphere to compliment the mood of the film. It just goes

to show that you do not necessarily need the latest and greatest synthesiser or keyboard to get results. In fact, all of his soundtracks could easily be replicated with a typical Yamaha beginner’s keyboard like a PSRE-453. You don’t need to spend big money to make horror, as the production of many films has proven.

Carpenter uses simple effects: slight de-tuning and odd timing for an uneasy feeling. The instrument isn’t always the main source of the sound, sometimes a little unique addition can be the magic sauce to a creepy, spooky sound!

The main title theme to Assault on Precinct 13, several years prior to The Fog, has Carpenter digging around with synthesised bass lines that are quite simple, but offset by the screaming synth strings and analogue drum machine programming. Even though it is based on a few repeating bars, the main theme was somewhat of a breakthrough for its time when most film scores were relying on funk oriented scores with big brass sounds, guitars and full orchestration. Carpenter broke from the mould by using synthesisers to create his sound. The recent resurgence of analogue synthesisers and drum modules in the market makes it possible to recreate these sounds authentically and with not much of a budget either.

The soundtrack to Assault on Precinct 13, one of Carpenter’s first, has been acclaimed as one of his greatest. He is able to, with the use of synthesisers, evoke all number of emotions within the audience, capturing the fear and desperation of the characters within the film. It is considered an avant-garde piece, reinventing the rules of classic film scoring as well as the use of so-called ‘electronic’ sounds. The first bars of the main title theme have been an influence on many of the hip-hop and techno sounds of the 90’s and can still be heard in instrumentation today. Jump forward 20 or 30 years from when these films were first created and you can see Hollywood, perhaps starved for new ideas, rehashing many of these classic films in modern interpretations. It seems that no horror film, or soundtrack, is going to remain sacred and all are up for re-release with CGI and more bloodletting.

But if you want to create some real terror at Halloween, go back to the simple elements. Use a slightly detuned piano or a shrill synthesised string pad, and let emotion drive the terror, not effects. Three or four notes might be all you need to create a classic. Which notes to choose remains a mystery...

Five unique ways to use a condenser microphone

WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE-EDWARDS

The condenser microphone is a tool that every recording studio engineer needs in their arsenal.

Brighter than dynamic microphones and bolder than ribbons, the condenser microphone usually has multiple polar patterns available as well! Thanks to the inbuilt preamplifier, powered by phantom power, the condenser has a huge frequency response, and is particularly dynamic in the top end, making it a great choice for lead vocals, cymbals and overheads, acoustic instruments and rooms.

However, the character of a recording is more than the sources the mics are pointed at. The sound of a drum kit isn’t just the sum of mics pointed directly at snares, toms, and placed inside kick drums; it’s the space between the drums, the reflections from the ceiling and the rumble of the room. The sound of a big Marshall stack isn’t a single microphone placed an inch from one of the speaker cones, no, it’s the sum of all four (or eight, or 12...) speakers aimed directly at you, shaking the space. Capturing unique parts of a space or room is child’s play for a condenser microphone, with its true-to-source sound, so here’s a handful of ideas for your next session.

Floor mics

Full disclosure with this one: they’re a tripping hazard! Seriously, some bright tape won’t go astray, and you’ll need it to stop them rolling around. Floor mics are a great way to fill in the gaps between an entire drum kit. Usually with a stereo pair, condenser mics can be fixed to the floor, usually on a rug, with the capsules aimed directly down. I’ve had good results with a spaced pair, and even better results with that spaced pair taped to the edge of a rug with the capsules hanging off the edge over wooden floor boards.

While you’d think these would be full tilt low end, thumping and rocking, the reflections from the floor are of a brighter character; splashy, alive, sometimes trashy and great to blend into a handful of source mics. The side address nature of condensers makes them a great option for this, and you can experiment with capsule angle and position, as well as taping them to different surfaces!

Behind guitar cabinets

A similar idea to the floor mics, placing a mic behind a guitar cabinet helps to pick up more of the amplifier’s impact on the room rather than the speaker’s tone itself. The back of the cabinet, both for open-back and closed-back designs, pushes out a lot more low-end than the front of the cabinet, where the speakers are mounted.

Be aware that for some cabinets, there can be a lot of low-end, so this may require quite a bit of EQing to get it right. Tucked in beneath a main

guitar track and your guitar sounds will be bolstered, pumping and resonant. This is also a great sound to automate in and out of a mix for bigger guitars!

Keep in mind that as the speakers in front of the amp push out, the opposite will be happening behind the amp, so be sure to check phase as you would a top and bottom mic of a snare drum!

Mono room, trash mic and wurst mic

Speaking of snare drums, they can be one of the most difficult things to get right in a mix. The snare’s tone is so much more than a spot mic, and it’s the sum of the overheads, rooms and more that add crack, depth and body to a snare drum.

Another thing that can help a snare is some help in the centre of the stereo image, like a mono room or trash mic, and a condenser can be great for this for a few reasons. Firstly, the big dynamic range of a condenser captures both low-end body and high-end crack, and secondly, the wide range of frequencies captured by a condenser gives you more freedom to shape and sculpt after the fact.

A mono room mic placed in front of the kick drum can help to tie together the kick and snare into one cohesive sound, mixed into the centre of the drums at a low level amongst other drum mics.

Similarly, a trash mic is a great way to tie together spot mics, placed either in front of the kit, between the kick and snare, over the drummer’s shoulder— anywhere really! Trash mics are generally distorted and heavily compressed, adding depth and heft to a drum sound.

Stereo guitars

A single guitar can feel a little lonely and sparse when panned stereo or left in the centre of a mix, and a condenser mic can help! Quite often, when recording acoustic guitar, I’ll leave an extra condenser in the corner of the room, away from the player, to capture the sound of the room. This is a great tool to pan to the opposite side of the main mic/s, giving the guitar stereo width. Better yet, a pair of stereo room mics can give a mono guitar a sense of space, making for a more cohesive and ‘finished’ sounding recording.

Bottom miking toms

Finally, and something used extensively in days gone by, condenser mics are a great way to add body and punch to your toms by miking the bottom skin of the tom. The drum strikes the top skin, giving it attack, while the tone resonates through the body of the tom and adds musicality, definition and heft, especially on a big, deep floor tom!

Condensers are a great choice as their SPL isn’t as high as the top skin, and the mic will capture a wider range of sound that, again, you can treat further in the mix.

Warm Audio’s WA-47jr has been around for the best part of a decade now, enjoying immense popularity as a low-cost alternative to their more premium WA-47. In a move that should be music to the ears of creators everywhere, the JR series has been expanded to include the WA-87jr, as well as Studio Essentials (SE) versions of both the 47 and 87 with the same capsule and body but a streamlined feature set.

For the uninitiated, Warm Audio’s WA-47jr and WA-87jr are based on a pair of incredibly famous Neumann microphones: the U47-FET and the U87.

The U87 was introduced in 1967 and has become something of a gold standard for vocal microphones. Its incredibly distinctive sonic signature - smooth and classy, with a flattering top-end bump - is synonymous with “expensive” sounding vocal performances.

The U47-FET was released in 1972 as the successor to the legendary U47 valve microphone. When Neumann ran out of the custom steel VF14 tubes that were no small part of the U47’s impressive performance, they paired the same K-47 capsule and output transformer with a vastly simplified solid-state circuit. A bolder, more strident-sounding mic with a huge, clear bottom end, as well as much higher SPL-handling capabilities, the U47-FET was a natural fit for loud and/or bright sources like brass, guitar and bass cabs, and kick drums.

Warm Audio is a Texas-based company that makes boutique-quality recording equipment at prices that are attainable for aspiring musicians and producers. They're certainly not the only company out there trying to democratise good studio gear, but few can claim to do so with such success and consistency. Unlike some other lower-cost brands, Warm Audio make no sacrifices with their build quality; they spec industry-standard, premium components in their designs, keeping costs down by mass-manufacturing overseas and keeping markups to a minimum. Every piece then passes through a rigorous Texas-based quality control process before hitting the market.

Perhaps the first thing to note about these four microphones is that they’re not exact replicas of the Neumanns from which they borrow their nomenclature. You can spend any amount of money you like on boutique, hand-built “clones” of classic pieces, which purport to capture that vintage magic by sourcing esoteric original components and crafting to exacting tolerances. Warm Audio themselves already make clones of these micsthe WA-47fet and a WA-87.

With the JR series, they instead take the route of defining the sonic signature and characteristics of the U47-fet and U87 through extensive listening, and then completely redesigning and simplifying the circuit from the ground up to try and recreate a little of “that” special sound, using industry-standard components instead of custom-made parts to drive down the cost. Although they utilise the same capsules as their more premium counterparts, the JR series microphones do away with the output transformer altogether.

The WA-47jr and WA-87jr both have switchable polar patterns (cardioid, figure-8, omni), as well as a switchable 10dB pad and a hi-pass filter at 70Hz. The SE models differ only in that they are fixed cardioid and lack the pad and hi-pass filter.

BRAND: Warm Audio

PRODUCT: Jr Series

DISTRIBUTOR: Studio Connections

RRP: $380 – $550

REVIEW BY: Jarrah Saunders

You’ll instantly note the lack of a luxury wooden case or plush velvet mic sock. I took this as evidence that they’re looking to cut costs in the right places. All models ship with a padded pouch and a solid mic mount; the non-SE models also include a Neumann-style elastic suspension shock mount.

In terms of feel and appearance, these mics are solid and classy enough; they have a pleasing weight to them, and the switches don't feel as cheap as those on some other budget mics. They have a couple of subtle design nods to the vintage models they were inspired by - the satin nickel finish, the flattened grill of the 87, and the cylindrical one of the 47 with the ring around the top. That said, they could be accused of lacking a little of the cachet associated with their pricier counterparts.

Not to put too fine a point on it, these mics sound great - and not just “great for the price”. I dropped them straight into a session, recording acoustic guitar and vocals. The WA-87jr on vocals did the classic U87 thing, lending that expensive-sounding sheen and a pleasingly forward presence without ever sounding harsh or thin. For this particular combination of guitar and performer, I found the WA-87jr a little harsh and spiky on guitar, especially in cardioid. In omni mode, things opened up nicely, and in the right context, I could certainly see it as a viable option for guitar duty. I swapped in the WA-47jr SE and was instantly impressed; a flatter, more open-voiced mic, it was a much better fit for this performance, producing a lovely, balanced recording with a tight bottom end and just the right amount of sparkle up top.

When stripped of all context, this is a great-sounding range of microphones with a comprehensive feature set at an attractive price. But when you put “47” and “87” into the model names, you’re inviting comparison to some of the greatest mics of all time. The JR series won’t be winning any shoot-outs against the more expensive clones out there - they certainly don’t sound exactly like Neumanns. That said, they do a pretty similar sort of thing; you might need to take a little extra care with your positioning or do a little bit extra in terms of processing, but you can certainly get in the ballpark. You could make a credible case for the JR series being a cheap way for a budding engineer to add a U47/87-style mic to their sonic palette and develop a feel for the best ways to employ them.

Your opinion on these microphones is very likely going to depend on the priors you bring in with you. If you’re coming in hoping to pick up a Neumann clone with a faithfully-reproduced circuit and an aesthetic similarity to the original thing, the JR series probably isn’t for you. However, if you’re in the market for a well-built, versatile workhorse condenser for under $500, which also happens to sound pretty similar to some bonafide classics, I’d recommend these mics wholeheartedly.

BRAND: Audient

PRODUCT: ORIA Mini

DISTRIBUTOR: Studio Connections

RRP: $479 for the package

REVIEW BY: Peter Hodgson

If your studio space doesn't sound right, your music isn't going to sound right. It's one of those frustrating facts of life. You think your mix absolutely slaps until you take it out of your studio and into the car, pop on some headphones, or listen on a different system. Suddenly you find that you were mixing according to how your space sounds, not how your tracks sound. To put it bluntly, when you can't rely on your monitors and room, you're letting your own music down. You're letting your audience down. You're probably even making the baby Jesus cry. Happy now?

But help is at hand! Audient has collaborated with Sonarworks to create the ORIA Mini, a room correction system designed to remove that 'how does this really sound?' anxiety from your head. Whether you're a music creator, a producer, a studio owner, a content creator, a voice actor, a podcaster – any time you need to prepare audio to go out into the big wide world to fend for itself, you're gonna need to trust your gear as much as you trust your ears.

Unlike some room correction systems which involve a plugin on your DAW doing the hard work, the ORIA Mini system uses onboard hardware DSP to work its magic in between your interface and speakers. This means you can get your monitors crackin' even if your computer isn't turned on – say if you wanted to use your studio speakers as FRFR cabs to dial in a digital modeller, or if you just want to plug in a keyboard or synth without having to boot up a whole system.

The included microphone means ORIA Mini already knows exactly what the frequency curve of the mic is and can calculate around it and help you accurately measure the acoustic imperfections in your music space. It then corrects the imbalance directly onboard the unit via its DSP to make sure you're not straining your system. Save that valuable RAM for more effects. Hehe.

The hardware unit features 32-bit converters, 127dB dynamic range and support for up to 2.1 speaker systems, so you can integrate your subwoofer within your system. You can load up to four unique calibration profiles onto the hardware and switch between them instantly for faster workflow or if you have multiple spaces to look after. And with Sonarworks, users can even create profiles to simulate typical playback environments. You can carry out the car test right there in your studio. Or simulate your tracks playing on a tweaker's phone on the tram.

Audient's Andrew Allen says "We understand whilst room correction

has such a positive impact on your ability to achieve great mixes it is also complicated! It is for that reason that ORIA Mini is designed to be a set and forget box – offering consistent, reliable performance with ultra-low latency, doing its job quietly in the background with zero fuss. No crashes, no CPU strain – just high resolution, consistently accurate monitoring whether you’re mixing in your DAW or simply streaming music via Spotify."

I fired up the ORIA Mini with my setup, which includes an IK Multimedia AXE I/O interface and PreSonus Eris monitors. My space, to be blunt, isn't great. I share the room with my wife's sewing and crafts workshop and there are a lot of reflective and absorptive surfaces to interrupt the flow. I can never tell what my tracks sound like until I get to experience the thrill of disappointment at the end. Oh well. But ORIA Mini took my space, figured out the weird inconsistencies and bass traps, and just generally made sense of what I couldn't make sense of myself, within about half an hour. I'm currently going through a big seven-string guitar phase, doubled with a 5-string bass dialled very precisely and quite loud. That's a really tricky thing to mix at the best of times and frankly I was having a hard time quite nailing it. Using ORIA Mini felt like removing a blanket from my speakers and finally hearing what they are really doing. It's ironic that it achieves this by changing the sound presented to the speakers, but it sure does work.

It would be great if this system could work across 5.1 and beyond as well, but that's really the only thing I can think of that would improve this unit. If you record a lot or even if you're just really, really particular with your music, this is going to help you bring it to life in an easy, unobtrusive way.

Gear heads, get ready. Markbass has teamed up once again with the legendary Andrew Gouché for the next chapter in their signature series. Known as the ‘Godfather of Gospel Bass, Gouché has laid down iconic grooves for Prince, Chaka Khan, and countless greats.

The Little AG 58R is the newest evolution of his signature head, part of Markbass’s modern 58R series (their lighter, eco-friendly redesign). Gouché worked closely with Markbass to nail his signature sound, and they succeeded. But can it deliver your unique sound? Absolutely yes.

There’s nothing little about the Markbass Little AG 58R, other than its size. My first impression when picking up the box was just how light it felt, weighing in at just 2.17kg. I could easily carry the compact head in one hand, which I really appreciate when hauling gear. Naturally, I became curious about how this bass head would contend in a full band setup. Could something this portable really deliver the goods?

So, I got my band together to put it through its paces. After taking this baby out for a couple of test drives and dialling in my preferred settings for our indie rock sound, I was impressed by how the clarity and punch cut through the mix effortlessly.

Right out of the box, the Little AG 58R makes a statement. Featuring all the connections and controls on the front panel, this design immediately sets it apart from traditional bass heads. All wrapped in a sleek black and yellow bumblebee aesthetic. At 27.6 x 25.6 x 8.3 cm, it slides nicely into your gig bag alongside pedals and cables.

What really grabbed my attention were the knobs, which are all programmable by Hz, giving it a very scientific feel and serious nerd-out potential. This approach rewards players who know their frequencies. To put this in context, most bass heads use broad, musical labels like ‘Bass,’ ‘Mid,’ and ‘Treble’ that are easy to understand and very plug-and-play.

But the Little AG 58R gives you five specific Hz control points: 65Hz (sub-bass), 100Hz (lows), 500Hz (punch and definition), 1.4kHz (attack and clarity), and 6kHz for those brighter tones. This level of control meant I could nail that sharp tweed sound I’m always chasing on flatwound strings. The Markbass Little AG sounds warm and musical without being muddy. Each note has definition and presence. I could clearly hear what I was playing rather than just feeling low-end rumble.

The gain and master controls deserve special mention. They’re generously sized dials that make balancing a fuzzy tube-style drive with your master volume an absolute breeze. You’re not likely to accidentally bump your EQ settings mid-set, which is exactly the kind of thoughtful design that gigging musicians appreciate. There’s even a clip light (doubt you’d ever hit it with this much headroom, but convenient insurance if your input runs too hot).

If it’s power you’re looking for, the 1000W delivers more than enough headroom for bigger stages. The extra wattage means less chance of

BRAND: Markbass

PRODUCT: Little AG 58R

DISTRIBUTOR: CMC Music

RRP: $2395

REVIEW BY: Tamara Issa

distortion at higher volumes and noticeably better clarity across different bass styles. It was just as easily adaptable to our smaller rehearsal space, and I found it cut through our full band sound effortlessly. The solid-state design runs incredibly cool and quiet throughout long sessions. For the amount of control you’re getting, it’s an impressively tidy package.

The limiter control is where you really shape the character of your overall sound. Max it out and you get that modern, tight amp response – everything controlled and pristine. Leave it at zero and you’re letting that classic thuddy crunch colour the notes. The huge range in between lets you find your own balance, meaning I could set it and forget it rather than constantly tweaking between songs.

The mute switch sits conveniently on the front panel and can be triggered via the optional dual footswitch (which also controls your EQ on/off). Nice touch: a little ring light flashes around the input to guide you in the dark or show if you’re already connected – small details that make a real difference at 2am load-out.

The send options are a welcome standard. You can pass your signal pre- or post-EQ with a small toggle switch, sending via XLR and 1/4-inch simultaneously, a nice touch for sound engineers and shoegazers. The independent line out volume control means you’re not fighting with the house sound, and everything just works.

I even tried running an alternate EQ pedal (Fishman Platinum Pro EQ) through the effects loop to compare the range and add extra control across the frequency spectrum. It’s a bit overkill, honestly, but the Little AG handled the added compressor and boost with zero issues. A testament to how well this amp handles complex signal chains.

This isn’t a one-trick pony. It’s a genuinely versatile tool that works for bedroom players, weekend warriors, and touring pros. Whether you’re playing small venues or larger stages, the Little AG 58R has the headroom and tonal flexibility to deliver.

The standout feature? That front-panel design with surgical Hz-based EQ. Having tactile controls at your fingertips fundamentally changes how you interact with your amp, especially live. If you’re serious about your bass tone and want an amp that flexes with you, the Markbass Little AG 58R deserves your attention.

BRAND: Gretsch

PRODUCT: Synchromatic Nashville

DISTRIBUTOR: Fender Music Australia

RRP: $2299

REVIEW BY: Christopher Hockey

The brand new Synchromatic collection aims to put top of the line Gretsch sound and style firmly within reach of the average player, and that’s exactly what has been achieved with this guitar. The Gretsch Synchromatic Nashville is an uncompromising example of all the incredible features that make Gretsch guitars so unique, without the scary price tag.

The 6120 was first produced in the mid-1950s with the endorsement of legendary virtuoso Chet Atkins and was enthusiastically embraced by rockabilly icons Eddie Cochran and Duane Eddy. Today, it remains the definitive rockabilly guitar, its legacy having been cemented by players like Brian Setzer of The Stray Cats, Chris Cheney of The Living End and Poison Ivy of The Cramps. The Synchromatic Nashville takes that legacy and puts it firmly within reach of the average player, not compromising on quality despite a very modest price tag. Boasting upgraded materials and components, enhanced bracing and authentic aesthetic features, the Synchromatic guitars deliver an authentic Gretsch experience for players who can’t necessarily afford to reach for the top shelf, and that’s a beautiful thing.

Featuring a 2.5” deep laminated maple body with Semi-Arc bracing design, the Nashville’s elegant Cadillac Green body is the perfect size for a hollow body – big enough to mean business and compact enough so as not to be too cumbersome. The colour itself is a beautiful blue-green with a subtle sparkle that looks perfect with the guitar’s gold hardware. A lovely cream binding completes the look, along with oversized F-holes that give the Nashville a classic flair. Gretsch always brings the heat when it comes to aesthetics.

The Nashville’s single cutaway is a nice shape and provides decent fret access despite the chunky body style, making it a very easy guitar to play. This, combined with the neck’s soft C shape, makes for a very slick feel that’ll have you zipping up the fretboard like Setzer in no time. The neck itself is constructed with maple, a reliable tonewood that we all know and love, and has a nicely balanced scale length of 24.6”.

Its ebony fretboard has a radius of 12” and is inlaid with the pearloid Neo-Classic thumbnail fret markers that are so intrinsic to the Gretsch aesthetic. The inclusion of a real ebony fretboard as well as a genuine bone nut goes to show that Gretsch certainly isn’t skimping on materials for the Synchromatic collection.

The beautifully ornamental and yet functional gold hardware includes two Hi Fidelity Filter’Tron pickups, a master volume with a treble bleed circuit, a master tone, individual pickup volume controls for the bridge and neck, a three-position pickup toggle switch and, of course, a timelessly cool B60 V-Cutout Bigsby vibrato tailpiece. The gold Adjusto-Matic bridge is as reliable as ever, secured with an ebony base.

Matched with delicate gold strap buttons and tuning pegs, this thing is loaded with more gold than Fort Knox. The Gretsch Filter’Tron pickup

was introduced in 1957 at the summer NAMM show in Chicago. Filter’Tron pickups feature dual coils and are designed to filter out the electronic hum normally associated with single-coil pickups, while adding a warmer tone and a significant increase in output and sustain. Since then, they have become known for their detailed, brilliant and delicate high fidelity sound, producing an incredibly honest, wide-ranging and bright tone that exists in a category all of its own.

The sound of the Synchromatic Nashville is no different. It has the crisp, detailed high end you expect from a Gretsch, as well as a tough, woody midrange and a soft, warm low end. In the bridge pickup, the Nashville sounds bright, sparkly and cutting without ever sounding shrill. From clean country picking to stiff, crackling Malcolm Young rhythm tones, this position is perfect for snappy Rockabilly and raucous rock and roll, depending on how much gain you’re using.

In the neck position, the Nashville sounds smooth and warm but never muddy, with the loose, blooming low end associated with hollow body guitars. Perfect for rolled off jazzy tones with enough clarity to still poke through a mix, Filter’Trons can really do it all while retaining a very individual sonic character. The middle position provides a versatile middle ground, with enough bite to get nasty if need be, while holding onto a decent amount of low-end power.

All in all, the Synchromatic Nashville is everything you want in a 6120. The classic 50s look, the gorgeous colour, opulent gold hardware and that timeless Bisgby will have you head over heels at first sight, but it’s the build quality and the high fidelity sound that will have you putting your money down.

The warm, airy sound of a hollow body combined with the defined, snappy and crystalline Filter’tron pickups is a match made in heaven and works together to create an incredibly balanced and versatile guitar. In saying that, the 6120 is and always will be inherently linked to the rockabilly genre, so if that’s your game, this one is really a no-brainer. Plugged into a Fender amp on the brink of overdrive, and combined with a healthy dose of slapback echo, you are right there.

With a super comfortable neck and a manageable price point, this is a 6120 that everybody can enjoy, no matter your skill or experience level. Certainly not limited to country or rockabilly music, the Nashville has the sonic dexterity to be a true all-rounder. Complete with a very nice deluxe hard case, the Synchoromatic Nashville is simply a fantastic guitar.

When the legendary Chet Atkins signed off on the 6120 design back in the 1950s, I’m sure he had no idea that seventy years later, people would still be falling in love with it. But like music itself, it’s clear that some things, the right things, just never go out of style.

BRAND: Martin

PRODUCT: D -JRE Street Master Dreadnought Junior

DISTRIBUTOR: Electric Factory

RRP: $1699

REVIEW BY: Michael Vince Moin

Okay, full disclosure: I already own a Martin acoustic. And she’s my baby. When I bought it, I was just about ready to give up: I had trialled and played half a dozen guitars at my local guitar shop, much to the chagrin of those poor store employees, with none of the guitars really speaking, or dare I say, singing to me. That is until I played my Martin. It was perhaps only the 2nd or 3rd time I had ever even played a Martin guitar. And certainly the first time I had played one intently. That’s the thing: when you’re in the market for a new guitar, I guess you listen a little more closely. And I did listen closely, and she sang so sweetly, and I bought it five minutes later. This was five years ago, but anyone who has bought a new guitar knows what I’m talking about - it’s an intuition that strikes like lightning when you find ‘the one’ and it’s a feeling that you have to know to trust and follow.

My baby Martin is now broken in, worn, scratched, chipped and has all the other idiosyncrasies that accompany your gig guitar #1. Naturally, then, there was a bit of apprehension about reviewing the new Martin D-JRE Street Master Dreadnought Junior Acoustic. I was a little scared I would fall in love all over again.

Fresh out the box and its accompanying softshell case, it looks damn good. The roadworn satin finish on the body of the guitar is such an aesthetic delight without feeling overdone. The simplistic, semi-holographic inlays only add to the nostalgia of the guitar. It definitely has ‘a look’ - but still looks and feels brand new. The tuning pegs have a matte-chrome finish that contrasts with the roadworn finish of the body elegantly. Martin has nailed it in this regard: the Dreadnought Junior looks really great for a guitar at this price point.

Aesthetics are one thing, but how does it sound? Acoustically, it sounds awesome, and at this point I wouldn’t expect anything less from Martin. The sapele body and spruce bracing have a lot to do with it. It is incredibly bright and bold-sounding with a true and clear midrange punch. I expected this, but I was pretty blown away by its sound. This is the kind of brightness that will age ever so sweetly in the 1-3 years after purchase. In standard tuning, there isn’t as much low end coming through as you would get from a full-sized Dreadnought. I guess that’s just the physics of it. But wait: tune down to D, or C, and you’re in business. This guitar sounded incredible to me when I was tuned down a couple of steps, as that bright and punchy clarity remained present like a sun-soaked, Midwest dream. Are you a palm muter? Truly, I don’t think I’ve heard a guitar sound as good as when I was palm muting the Dreadnought Jr. And that’s on tea. Seriously, this guitar sounds absolutely amazing with a little muting.

It must be mentioned, too, that the Martin E1 pickup that’s inbuilt to the Junior is probably the best-sounding acoustic pickup I’ve ever played through. I plugged the guitar into a Fender Twin and it absolutely cauterised me. It sounded so good being played through an amp with the pickup’s tone sitting at about halfway. The Martin E1 offers such a beautiful harmonic

saturation that ever so subtly makes the guitar feel like it has an inbuilt drive pedal. It was an absolute joy to play the Junior through a big amp. The inbuilt tuner controls are also located on the pickup. Let’s talk about the tuner. I’ve not seen a tuner in a cooler or more convenient location on an acoustic guitar before. It genuinely made me wonder why tuners haven't been implemented in this position from day dot across all acoustics. The tuner is hidden on the underside of the body just below the high E string, meaning only the player can see it and allows for tuning on stage to be far more controlled and less awkward. This is a novel and incredible feature of the guitar.

The guitar is incredibly light and feels great to play. The full-scale neck is thin with the perfect amount of rounding and spacing between frets. It offers a level of comfort in playability that is unmatched in similarly sized guitars, thanks to its gently bevelled fingerboard. I did fall in love with another Martin when playing the Dreadnought Junior, and while I’ve come to expect the absolute best in sound quality, innovation and playability from the company, playing this guitar reaffirmed entirely why that expectation consistently stands as true. I’ve always found it interesting that Martin is headquartered in Nazareth, PA. These are guitars that offer something biblical, and there is absolutely no exception to the rule with the new Dreadnought Junior E Streetmaster.

BRAND: Gretsch

PRODUCT: Synchromatic Falcon

DISTRIBUTOR: Fender Music Australia

RRP: $2699

REVIEW BY: Christopher Hockey

The new Gretsch Synchromatic Falcon aims to provide a top-notch Falcon with upgraded materials and components at a mid-level price point, bridging the gap between an entry-level and top-shelf model.

The result is a stunning guitar that delivers everything one could wish for in a Gretsch, from its dazzling looks to its unmistakable and monumental sound. Taking the mystique and beauty of the venerable Falcon design and placing it firmly in 2025 is no mean feat. Honouring the history of a beloved instrument whilst catering to the needs of modern players is a tricky balance to strike, but Gretsch has nailed it with this guitar.

Originally unveiled in 1954, the Falcon was dubbed by Gretsch ‘the guitar of the future’ as well as ‘the finest guitar we know how to make’. Gretsch, however, initially had no plans to manufacture the model. It was supposed to be a showpiece, much like GM’s Motorama “Dream Cars” of the day, but that quickly changed when the immense demand for the guitar became swiftly apparent. Since then, the Falcon has been immortalised by players such as Neil Young, Roy Orbison, Malcolm Young and John Frusciante, who famously used the guitar extensively on Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Californication.

Combining the full-bodied tone of a humbucker with the top-end twang of a single coil, the Falcon’s Filter’Tron pickups are a perfect match for the warm, airy sound of its large hollow body. This massive

yet balanced sound, along with the obvious beauty of the guitar itself, is why the Falcon remains one of the most revered guitars on the planet.

The Synchromatic Falcon arrived in a gorgeous Deluxe hard case with a lovely blue velvet lining. At first glance, the Falcon’s black and gold colour scheme is stunning, with every golden detail sparkling in the light like the contents of a treasure chest.

The Falcon’s body is lined with a textured, sparkling gold binding that ties everything together, and upon its control knobs are tiny red gemstones that almost seem to glow. On the gold plexi pickguard is the iconic Falcon logo, spreading its menacing wings in mid-flight as if to say “don’t mess with me”. This is one serious piece of kit.

The Synchromatic Falcon features a 2.5” deep laminated maple body with Semi-Arc bracing. A modified version of the classic Gretsch Trestle Bracing design, this bracing pattern features two ’feet’ under the bridge while eliminating the additional feet near the neck block that traditional Trestle Bracing has. This results in a ‘best of both worlds’ tone that provides the huge, resonant tone of Parallel Bracing, with the classic ‘snap’ and feedback-busting sustain of 1959 Trestle Bracing.

The Falcon’s maple neck feels incredibly comfortable and has a nicely balanced soft C shape. It has a nice, long 25.5” scale length that feels just right on a larger body style, and its ebony fretboard

has a fairly flat 12” radius, which is particularly suited for lead guitar. The neck is also bound in a stunning gold sparkle and is adorned with Gretsch’s classic pearloid thumbnail inlays, 22 medium jumbo frets and a genuine bone nut. The headstock is loaded with gold Grover Rotomatic machine heads, which I have always found to be reminiscent of the shapes found in Aztec art.

This Falcon, like most Gretschs, is loaded with a very versatile control layout featuring a master volume with a treble bleed circuit, a master tone, individual volume controls for the bridge and neck pickups and a three-position pickup toggle switch.

In addition to this, the AdjustoMatic bridge is secured with an ebony base for optimal stability and, of course, what Falcon would be complete without the iconic B60 Bigsby Vibrato arm? The directmounted Hi-Fidelity Filter’Tron pickups found on the Synchromatic Falcon feature Alnico 5 magnets and deliver the sought-after chime, articulation and balance that vintage Filter’Trons are known for. With enough twang for country and enough meat on its bones for hard rock, the Filter’Trons can do it all and sound better than ever in this model.

The bridge position has all the chime and crunch you could ever wish for, and plugged into an overdriven Fender amp, you will be wailing like Neil Young in no time. The neck position is smoother and jazzier but still has enough bite

to cut through a mix and sounds absolutely delightful set clean with some reverb and a good amount of bottom end.

Both pickups are well matched, and there isn’t that nasty volume jump between the neck and bridge you get in some guitars. The middle position is particularly useful thanks to the combination of separate volume controls for each pickup as well as a master volume. This means you can create a blend of the two pickups to taste with the individual controls, and then control your overall volume with the master. This layout creates a myriad of tonal possibilities, making this guitar very versatile indeed. The Falcon’s Bigsby vibrato is also extremely effective and, having been masterfully set up, does well not to knock the guitar out of tune even with vigorous use.

Overall, the Synchromatic Falcon is an excellent rendition of a timeless model, with a reasonable midrange price point. It does absolutely everything you want a Falcon to do and looks absolutely stunning with its chic black finish and gold appointments. The Falcon is a big hollow body guitar with a big sound, but thanks to its extremely articulate Filter’Tron pickups, it produces an incredibly bright, detailed and honest tone.

Whilst the Synchromatic Falcon may not be the most exotic iteration of Gretsch’s beloved bird, it is most definitely in full flight here, and as menacing as ever.

Swamp Ash was one of the first woods to be used in solid-body electric guitar production. It’s light, it’s pretty, and it’s known for a clear high end and slightly dipped midrange. Most guitar companies flirt with Swamp Ash from time to time, but Paul Reed Smith seems to really have fun with it across the model range, from the more affordable SE series on up. The Swamp Ash Special from PRS’s Core range is a decidedly modern guitar that uses this traditional tonewood in a very showy fashion across a range of finishes that emphasise its grain and contrast.

But let’s back up a bit because Swamp Ash isn’t the only notable thing about this guitar.

The ‘Special’ designation lets you know that this guitar has a humbucker/single/humbucker pickup configuration. But in this case, PRS marketing refers to it as a humbucker/“single”/humbucker, the quotation marks drawing attention to the use of a noiseless NF single-voiced humbucker.

When combined with the fiveway pickup selector switch and individual coil split mini switches for each humbucker, you’ve got a total of 12 possible pickup selections available on this instrument. That gorgeous Swamp Ash body - and the review unit’s Jasper Smokeburst finish certainly serves that beautiful grain on a silver platter - features PRS’s ‘Violin’ carve, giving it a three-dimensionality that serves ergonomic purposes as well as aesthetic ones.

BRAND: Paul Reed Smith

PRODUCT: JASB Swamp Ash Special

DISTRIBUTOR: Electric Factory

RRP: Enquire for pricing

REVIEW BY: Peter Hodgson

The 22-fret bolt-on neck features a rosewood fingerboard, PRS’s Pattern Regular neck shape, and elegantly designed bird outline fretboard inlays. At the top of the headstock, you’ll find PRS Phase III locking tuners with lightweight wing buttons, one of PRS’s more recent features aimed at promoting the smooth transfer of vibrational energy. They also look cool.

The neck is finished in Satin Nitro that feels like there’s no finish at all, while the body is high-gloss Nitro. It’s very shiny. PRS’s patented tremolo is used here, and it’s one of my favourite non-locking units for many reasons, chief of which is that the walls on either side of the bridge prevent lateral movement of the saddles, protecting you from tuning drift or weird oscillations and helping the saddles to sit nice and flat.

The pickups consist of 58/15 LT humbuckers and the Narrowfield middle pickup. These are all vintageinspired pickups, with the ‘LT’ standing for ‘low turn.’ This means there are fewer windings on the pickup coils compared to a hotter humbucker, and that means clearer treble, tighter bass, and more detail in your phrasing.

The finish options are Black Doghair Smokeburst, Jasper Smokeburst, McCarty Tobacco Sunburst, Scarlet Smokeburst, Vintage Natural and White Doghair Smokeburst. They all look great, but the Black Doghair Smokeburst is really calling to me – this week. Last week I was all about the Scarlet.

PRS has a habit of doing that to you. I’m glad I’m just reviewing and not buying because they make it a very tough choice. And then you realise there’s the option of a maple fingerboard and the agonising decision begins all over again!

Alright, time to play. I plugged the Swamp Ash Special into my IK Multimedia TONEX Pedal, which has plenty of really great models for clean and dirty sounds, including a Dumble, a Fender Bassman and Deluxe Reverb, and some nice Vox models. I also plugged into my Marshall DSL50 and an Ibanez TSA15 Tube Screamer 15watt combo amp with a Celestion Seventy 80 speaker.

I know it’s a cliche to refer to a low-output pickup as ‘articulate’, but dammit, that’s what it is. This guitar is all about detail. If you’re a player who employs a wide dynamic range and lots of little fretting-hand phrasing tricks to really wring out some expressiveness from your guitar, you’re going to love this instrument. The guitar itself responds differently depending on how hard you pick, of course, but the pickup conspires with the guitar’s natural dynamism to really present your playing to the audience in its full range. That’s another way of saying if you’re a good player, you’re going to retain more of what makes you sound good. If your technique isn’t quite together, you’re going to hear every half-fretted note or timid pick attack.

There are plenty of PRS models with hotter pickups for players who

don’t need the absolute clarity of this one, but really, the upshot is, if you’re a virtuoso player or even just a very confident one who knows their own style, you have twelve whole ways to adorn it via those pickup switches.

The hum bucking modes have a bright, lively bounce that pairs really nicely with the single-voiced Narrowfield pickup, and I particularly favour the neck humbucker for expressive lead lines. Flip to single coil mode for either pickup and you’ll get a lower-output, zippier, edgier voice. But a whole different kind of magic happens when you start combining either outer pickup in either of their modes with the Narrowfield. Here you can fine-tune the amount of depth, clarity and body of your sound.

Pile on the gain, and you suddenly have a more aggressive, powerful instrument that retains. It has rich harmonic overtones and plays very nicely with overdrive pedals. This is one of the most versatile guitars in the PRS lineup. It’s dedicated to the nuanced, accomplished player who knows what they like about their style and wants to make sure theaudience gets to hear it as intended. But it’s not just a guitar for your audience. It’s a guitar for you.

It’s comfortable to play, it’s built to an impeccable standard, and even just looking at it is going to inspire you.

BRAND: Fender

PRODUCT: Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazzmaster

DISTRIBUTOR: Fender Music Australia

RRP: $849

REVIEW BY: Christopher Hockey

The Classic Vibe series has long been loved for producing extremely affordable versions of timeless Fender models inspired by specific eras in the brand’s long and storied history. The Classic Vibe ’60s Jazzmaster specifically is now available in one of the most classic ’60s colours in the brand’s catalogue, Tahitian Coral, a colour that just screams ‘surf’ and takes you right back to the brand’s glory days in the early ’60s.

From Fender themselves, the Classic Vibe ’60s Jazzmaster is a faithful and striking homage to the iconic Fender favourite, producing undeniable Jazzmaster tone courtesy of its dual Fender designed alnico single-coil pickups. Player-friendly features include a slim, comfortable “C”-shaped neck profile with an easy-playing 9.5″-radius fingerboard and narrow-tall frets, a vintage-style tremolo system for expressive string bending effects, and a floating bridge with barrel saddles for solid string stability. This throwback Squier model also features 1960s-inspired headstock markings, rich-looking nickel-plated hardware and a slick vintage-tint gloss neck finish for an oldschool vibe.’

Tahitian Coral is a gorgeous pink colour with a strong orange undertone. Like many classic guitar colours, it is derived from the automotive industry, having been first produced for a 1958 Chrysler. It’s a colour that is very much associated with Fender’s heyday in the early ’60s, a time in which surf bands were readily adopting the Jazzmaster as their weapon of choice. On this model, it looks fantastic against a Tortoise Shell pickguard and Laurel fretboard and is about as bright and vibrant as it gets. It’s certainly an eye catcher.

The Jazzmaster was first introduced in 1958, famously missing the mark with its intended audience of jazz musicians and instead striking gold with surf bands, and ultimately a vast array of alternative, indie and shoegaze groups further down the line. Today it is known as the ultimate ‘left of the dial’ guitar, having been used by such iconic alternative artists as Elvis Costello, Thurston Moore, J Mascis, Robert Smith and MJ Lenderman.

The Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazzmaster is a super affordable throwback to those early iconic Jazzmasters, stripped back to its simplest form and made to be as accessible as possible for new players with a limited budget. In saying that, it plays great and sounds fantastic and J Mascis himself is known for playing a Squier version of the iconic guitar.

The Classic Vibe Jazzmaster features a Poplar body with a gloss polyurethane finish and a maple neck with a lovely light brown laurel fretboard. Despite its low price tag this model features some authentic throwback components such as vintage Kluson-style machine heads, narrow tall frets and a retro headstock design. It also features modern upgrades to improve playability like a more manageable 9.5” radius that tends to fret out less than the original 7.25”.

Aside from feeling great in the hands and having a smooth playability far exceeding expectations, this CV ’60s Jazzmaster really does capture the

vintage Jazzmaster tone. Featuring two Fenderdesigned wide range, soapbar style single coil pickups, the unique sound of a Jazzmaster has been accurately captured by this very accessible iteration.

Bright like other single coils but not as thinsounding, Jazzmaster pickups have wider coils than a Strat or Tele and therefore pick up a broader range of frequencies. Whilst not quite as beefy as a P90, they are definitely warmer and thicker than the average single coil and provide a very versatile range of tones that are applicable to almost any genre.

Also included in this entry-level model is the infamously elaborate and yet beloved Jazzmaster circuitry. Intimidating to some but endlessly useful to those in the know, the circuitry of a Jazzmaster, including this one, is somewhat of a marvel. The Jazzmaster has two entirely separate tone circuits. The lead circuit has standard controls for a Fender guitar: a single master volume and tone control on the lower bout, and a three-position pickup selector toggle switch. The darker-sounding rhythm circuit has its own separate volume and tone control wheels found on the upper horn.

The lead circuit is fairly simple. Activated by setting the upper horn slide switch in the down position, the master volume, tone and three-way pickup selector switch work as one would expect. The rhythm circuit, activated by setting the upper horn slide switch in the up position, is controlled by two inside wheels on the upper horn next to the slider switch, which function as passive tone and volume controls. When in the rhythm setting, only the neck pickup is operational and the bridge is deactivated. The pickup selector switch and lower-bout volume and tone controls also become non-functional in this setting.

As a result, there are two ways to set a Jazzmaster so that only your neck pickup is heard, but the interesting thing is that each method provides a different sound. The rhythm circuit’s neck pickup tone is noticeably darker than the lead circuit’s neck pickup tone. This is due to different potentiometers being used in each of the circuits. Functionally, this is a bit like having a third pickup, adding to the versatile range of tones already provided by the Jazzmaster, were it only to have a lead circuit.

Also included in this model is the extra-long vibrato arm so crucial to the dive bombs of surf rock and the sonic mayhem of shoegaze. The iconic bridge setup of a Jazzmaster is also crucial to the ‘behind the bridge’ playing that has made this model an essential noise-making tool for bands like my Bloody Valentine and even Queens of the Stone Age, specifically in the hands of Troy Van Leeuwen.

In short, the Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazzmaster is a super affordable version of a ’60s Jazzmaster that does a great job of capturing the essence of the iconic guitar. With its new and retro Tahitian Coral paint job, it looks better than ever and has never more effectively embodied the spirit of the 1960s. An excellent choice for a first electric guitar for somebody with a penchant for alternative music, this would also make a fine addition to any guitar collection lacking a bit of noise and flair.

The Squier Classic Vibe series is back with a new array of vibrant, vintage colours and updated specs, providing an exciting array of instruments for a very low price. Included in the new range is the Classic Vibe ‘50s Hard Tail Stratocaster, which captures the Strat in one of its earliest and most beloved incarnations, now more accessible than ever.

The original Stratocaster was introduced in 1954 with its famous vibrato arm, but in 1955 a Hard Tail model was introduced for players looking for a simpler option with better intonation and tuning stability. Since then, it has remained one of the most popular and beloved electric guitars in the world, having been made iconic by players like Buddy Holly, David Gilmour, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and countless others.

Shell Pink is one of the rarest colours from Fender’s early days, with virtually zero Shell Pink Stratocasters from the era still floating around. It became an official custom colour in 1960 and, like almost all original Fender colours, was inspired by a car, in this case a 1950s Desoto. Given its rarity, to have a ‘50s style Strat in this lovely colour, particularly one so affordable, is really cool.

The CV ‘50s Strat is constructed with a poplar body and a maple neck and features '50s-inspired styling that is beautifully simple. The vintage-tinted neck is a great match with the shell pink body colour and gives it an authentic old-school appearance. Some other

BRAND: Fender

PRODUCT: Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster HT

DISTRIBUTOR: Fender Music Australia

RRP: $849

REVIEW BY: Christopher Hockey

‘50s features immediately obvious to the eye are vintage Kluson-style tuners and spaghetti-style headstock markings, evidence of some muchappreciated attention to detail. The nickel hardware has a warm, radiant appearance that adds to the vintage charm, all in all making this a very nice-looking guitar.

The CV ‘50s Strat feels extremely comfortable, with its famous contours and curves meaning it doesn’t poke into your ribs like other guitars I could mention, and its C-shaped neck feels just right. The maple has a nice grain and is silky smooth to the touch, making the neck super slinky and playable.

Loaded with three Fenderdesigned alnico pickups, all the Strat tones you know and love are readily accessible in this guitar. Unlike the original ‘50s Stratocaster, which featured a three-way pickup selector, this model has the more modern and now far more common 5 way switch. Early on in the piece, players like Hendrix discovered the ‘in between sounds’ now covered by the five-way switch by sticking a toothpick in the selector to wedge it in between positions. This produced the lovely ‘out of phase’ tones found in positions 2 and 4. Whilst a threeway switch would have been more period correct for this guitar, I highly doubt anyone is complaining.

In the bridge position, the CV Strat sounds chimey and bell-like with a generous amount of cutting midrange and shimmering treble. When set clean, it’s bright, snappy and clear, perfect for jangly sounds, and when overdriven, it howls

like only a Strat can, perfect for screaming solos.

In the second position, the bridge and middle pickups are combined to create a funky tone often described as ‘quacky’. Luckily, this model’s modern five-way switch means you can leave your toothpicks at home and enjoy all the funky Nile Rodgers sounds you can muster.

The often overlooked middle position in this guitar retains some of that quack but rolls it back to a more natural sound that is focused and subtle. Whether set clean or dirty, this pickup has enough highend bite to be heard without ever sounding sharp and is particularly popular with slide players for its even response. I also find it to be a good spot for some overdriven rhythm work.

In the fourth position, this Strat rocks that familiar out-of-phase sound used by so many famous players to achieve a smooth and strangely hollow tone. From beautiful spanky cleans to rich and harmonically dense distortion sounds, this position has become a beloved part of what makes a Strat a Strat.

Finally, the neck pickup in this pretty-in-pink stunner is as lush, warm and bluesy as it gets. Generous lows and mellow highs make this Strat’s fifth position perfect for jazzy chord work when set clean, as well as smooth, singing sustain when distorted or even just compressed. For a budget model, the CV Strat nails these tones really nicely and with its new shell pink

paint job, looks mighty fine doing it. What’s more, it plays great and its hard tail bridge provides great resonance and rock solid tuning. Definitely a ‘gigable’ instrument. This would make an excellent first electric guitar for somebody with a taste for all things retro. It’s clean, it’s simple, it’s very affordable and has a distinctive ‘50s flair. Whilst it may not have the bells and whistles that some more modern guitars have to offer, that only lends itself more to the simplicity that appeals to new players.

Whilst not a fully fledged Fender, this Strat, like all of the Classic Vibe series, is popular for a reason. The vintage aesthetics, reliable build quality and solid sound make it an absolute bargain, as does its lovely new paint job. With a period correct colour as well as nice details like Kluson style tuners, which you don’t often see on a lower end model, this would make a really nice addition to any arsenal.

From Buddy Holly to Steve Lacy, the Stratocaster has been an icon for over seventy years now. We all know what it is, we all know what it does, and some of us will swear by them for our whole lives. What this model specifically achieves, however, is that it allows new players without much of a budget to own a new Strat that captures the vibe of the original. To own a clean and simple ‘50s style instrument that can become their own, helping them to become something themselves. The next Buddy Holly may be just around the corner.

My Rig: Winter McQuinn

Your latest record, Where Are We Now? sounds both like an homage and a modern reinterpretation of so many classic ’70s records. The songwriting is clear, lovely and direct, and in achieving such a distinct sound for this record, I wanted to ask you about your recording approach.

I recorded this album in my little home studio dubbed the cave (due to its small space and dark lighting). Some additional parts were done remotely in other people’s home setups;. the flute and guitar solo on “Always Looking”, the solo on “Walkin’ Through That Door” and a few other things.

The idea of recording it all in my home studio was a concept and challenge I wanted to set myself. It was born in tandem with the collaboration notion behind the record, as it was easy to invite people around for a session in my space and go from there.

Are you working with tape, vintage gear or modern tools emulating the ’70s sound? How important is imperfection in getting the sound you’re after?

I have a pretty rudimentary setup and am no vintage gear overlord. A lot of this record was done on my Fostex R8 tape machine and then just good old Logic Pro. I think the “‘70s sound” really just comes from the songwriting and live element for me, rather than an emphasis on gear or plugins that emulate that era.

I think the imperfection in the sound is more coming from me trying to capture the feeling of excitement and flow state I get into when I’m

composing/producing stuff I really like. I’d rather capture a fraction of that feeling and have the song’s tempo be slightly cooked or a bit out of tune, vs. a really polished sound. I’m making human music after all!

Are there artists, bands, or producers from that era who shape your approach? What draws you to the sounds and aesthetics of the ’70s?

So many great artists and producers from that era, and also from the now era!

What originally drew me into that vintage realm was the ingenuity, warmth and live vibe of those classic records. They were all quite beautiful and playful in both their songwriting and production techniques, as they were really figuring it out as they went and then honing in on what they liked. I think playfulness and experimentation are also happening in today’s era with the accessibility of recording. Taking the live focus of the old days with the convenience of modern recording is a real ethos for me.

The guitars all sound so lovely. What guitars did you favour on this record, and how did you achieve the beautiful sound you did?

Thank you! My memory is a bit foggy. I would have used the trusty Ibanez ‘Nespaul’ guitar that is my partner’s Acacia’s, which was gifted by Paul Maybury years ago. That thing is a beast for lowend crunch and is so solid.

I also used my Univox Hi Flier for some of the whammy and bendy moments, as it was easier to bend the shit out of the notes. Another one was, again, Acacia’s Fender Duosonic. I also used my mum’s 1970 Takamine acoustic, which is super trusty and beautifully warm. I also borrowed my

friend Pat’s Fender 12 acoustic 12 string – love those things.

In terms of recording the guitars, I’m pretty cowboy and haphazard in my approach; if it sounds good, it’s going on. I don’t really measure mic placement or anything like that. Whatever feels good and is achievable within an hour will do for me.

What’s Winter McQuinn’s favourite mic?

Right now, these relatively new ones I got after finishing this record. They are two sE4400s and they’re dreamy as.

Favourite plugin? Are there any digital methods of recording you utilise to degrade or harshen your sound?

Not really! Exploring plugins is definitely something I’d like to get into. If I need to degrade or harshen the sound, I will run the track through the Fostex, then back into Logic. Or I will get whoever’s mixing the track to do some magic.

The record has a definite sound and vibe, complemented by your direct and purposeful songwriting. How do you balance authenticity with originality?

To me, any song that ends up on a finished album has to feel authentic to me. I can’t really write lyrics from a character’s perspective, and so I guess in that way, all songs that I’ve written the lyrics for will feel authentic as they’re all from my lived experience.

I don’t really worry too much about originality. Anyone making music now has grown up with the entire history of music being readily available to consume; chances are, you’ve been inspired by something that’s already happened. I think putting your own spin on things is great, and I’m not interested in trying to be a caricature, but at the end of the day, if I’ve had fun and enjoy the song, I don’t care about originality.

What role does capturing “the moment” play in your recording sessions?

A big role! It’s what I love most about selfrecording. Being able to work out an idea and immediately capture is such a magical thing; I really love it. On the flipside, when a song is taking ages and not really working, and I’m desperately trying to either recreate the moment or find it, I get so depressed and it ruins my day/night.

Taking breaks is important; sometimes the search for the moment or the “flow state” becomes less of a wormhole of exploration and more of a wormhole of throwing paint at a wall and getting upset when you don’t like the artwork. It’s good sometimes to just let things be, and to recognise that maybe you should get your friend who’s a trained pianist or flute player to do the piano or flute part rather than trying to do it all yourself.

VINTAGE-INSPIRED TONE WITH MODERN CLARITY

The PRS SE NF 53 is a fresh take on classic design, packed with modern power and precision.

Featuring a swamp ash body, bolt-on maple neck & 25.5” scale length, it delivers the punchy feel of a true player’s guitar.

Finished with signature bird inlays & gig bag included.

The secret weapon lies in its Narrowfield DD “S” pickups, articulate, dynamic and noiseless, offering rich lows, clear highs & effortless gain handling.

A steel plate-style bridge with brass saddles enhances tone and sustain, while PRS winged tuners ensure reliable performance.