Roland Releases TR-8S
The TR-8S Rhythm Performer remixes Roland’s iconic beat heritage to create their most performance-oriented drum machine yet. Roland has gone beyond recreating iconic drum machine models from their past — on the TR-8S, you can create your ideal drum machine of the future by inserting a SD memory card and importing stereo drum samples which […]
Machine Rhythms: Roland CR-78 CompuRhythm
Welcome to Beat Connection, a series dedicated to promoting modern and vintage dance styles the only way we know how…by providing you a musical starting point to help you create that beat. In our previous posts, we took an in-depth look at all the tools available to help you create a beat and we’ve begun […]
Inside Etymotic Research
Recently, I got a chance to visit Etymotic Research headquarters in Elk Grove Village, IL to learn about their product development and testing processes, and a bit of company history. While there, I also got a sneak peek at their latest release, the ER3 earphones. Read on and find out why the company lives up […]
Paul Childers: Playing by his own rules
“Guitar-slinging superhero.” That’s how the venerable Nashville venue Acme Feed & Seed describes singer-songwriter Paul Childers – although you wouldn’t guess it from listening to Childers’ self-released 2017 debut, Naked Poetry. Stacked with soulful R&B influences and horn-fueled arrangements, the album serves its hot guitar licks — like the solo on “My Love of The […]
Experimenting With Pickup Wirings
The Fender Stratocaster has been my main guitar for years now, and despite the trademark five pickup positions that come stock on these guitars, I have always ended up using only one of them. While there are so many tones to explore on this instrument, I always end up falling back on position one, the […]
Eric Johnson on his Thinline Stratocaster
For over 40 years, Eric Johnson has dazzled audiences with his unique style of shredding. Throughout almost his entire career, he’s has used a Fender Stratocaster as his axe of choice. While he’s had his own signature Strat and pickups for some time now, Johnson and Fender have collaborated once again with stunning results. Introduced […]
To DI, or not to DI
If you’ve spent some time on any stage or in any studio, you’ve probably seen or used a DI box before. What is it about these magic boxes that seems to make every engineer’s job easier? Let’s take a look behind the curtain to reveal a little bit of information about DI boxes, as well […]
Gibson’s Modern Flying V Rises
Teased at this year’s CES show, Gibson’s Modern Flying V has surfaced on the company’s website. Available in three lacquer “prism” finishes (ebony, gold and silver) with hardware and pickups to match, the Modern Flying V features a contoured maple top on a mahogany body. A slim C neck is topped with a 22-fret Richlite […]
What is NAMM?
A few weeks ago, I and a few of my fellow zZounds cohorts jumped on a plane to head to the sunny winter wonderland that is Anaheim California for the 2018 NAMM show. If you in any way keep up with music gear, then I’m sure you’ve heard of this event. Be it a slew […]
