Archive for November, 2007
Gibson Proudly Presents The Robot Guitar
by admin on Nov.30, 2007, under General
A First Run Limited Edition
On December 7, 2007, Gibson will change the guitar world forever. Again.
True to the spirit of innovation that inspired Gibson to invent the legendary Tune-o-matic bridge, the powerful humbucker, and the revolutionary Digital Les Paul, Gibson proudly presents the Gibson Robot Guitar—the world’s first guitar with robotic technology.
Since the dawn of the instrument, musicians have come to accept the guitar’s imperfections and lack of tonal precision as necessary evils. Onstage and off, guitarists have fought to stay in tune. Every music lover and performer has had to suffer through the show—halting, mood-killing atonal droning of a loudly amped guitar being brought into tune. And in the studio, or at home, imprecise intonation throws the guitar in and out of tune, up and down the neck, as the instrument requires tweaking with each season and at times with each string change.
For as long as the guitar has existed, guitar lovers have had two choices—live with a temperamental and out-of-tune instrument or make frequent trips to the shop for setups. Not anymore.
Introducing the Gibson Robot Guitar. All you have to do is play it.
For more information on the amazing features, virtual tours, videos and more visit www.gibson.com
| Guitar Musician | Gear Musician | Piano Musician |
In Select Stores December 7, 2007First Run Limited Edition, only 10 per store
Super-Producer Brands Open Labs Keyboard With Custom Sounds
by admin on Nov.30, 2007, under General
Url: http://www.guitarmusician.com
Austin, Texas – Open Labs, the leading designer and developer of computer based music production solutions, introduced the Timbaland Special Edition MiKo keyboard workcenter today. Building on the standard features of the MiKo LX, an all-in-one portable studio powered by Windows™ XP that is capable of running virtually any Windows XP compatible software including a variety of DAW software, virtual instruments (VSTi), virtual effects (VST) and other music applications, the Timbaland Special Edition takes this robust instrument to an entirely new level of performance and creativity.
Dressed in an all-new Arctic White Chassis color scheme, the Timbaland Special Edition MiKo will stand out in any crowd. The Timbaland Special Edition MiKo features E-MU™’s new Proteus™ X2 Streaming Sound Module V2.5 with over 7,000 instruments, including the new Ensoniq™ Urban Legends™ Sound Library that contains the sounds from Ensoniq’s ASR™/EPS™/MR™/ASR-X™/ZR™ instruments. These sounds were specifically requested by Timbaland, and are only available in the Timbaland MiKo, an Open Labs exclusive.
- E-MU™ Proteus™ 2000
- E-MU™ Mo’Phatt™
- E-MU™ Modular System™
- Ensoniq™ EPS™ /EPS 16+™
- Ensoniq ASR 10™
- Ensoniq ASR-X™
- Ensoniq ZR76™
- Ensoniq MR61™
- ARP™ 2600™
- ARP™ Axxe™
- Roland™ JD800™
- Roland™ Jupiter 8™
- Roland™ JX-8P™
- Roland™ TB-303 Bass Line™
- Roland™ Juno 60™
- Moog™ Memorymoog™
- Mini™ Moog™
- Moog™ Taurus Pedals™
- Sequential Circuits™ Prophet 10™
- Sequential Circuits™ Prophet 600™
- Elka™ Rhapsody™
- Mellotron™ Mark II™
- Korg™ MS20™
- Solina™
- Oberheim™ OB™ & X™
- Hammond™ B3™
- Rhodes™ Electric Piano™
- Hohner™ Clavinet™
- Yamaha™ CP-70™
- Wurlitzer™ Electric Piano™
Running within the new Proteus X 2.5 environment, these keyboards are reborn inside the Timbaland Special Edition MiKo providing world-class audio quality, choice of instruments, ease of use and represents a value of over $60,000 if the actual keyboards were purchased individually.
When combined with the new Open Labs sound library V4, the Timbaland Edition MiKo contains over 24-gigabytes of premium sounds, constituting 25,027 presets. The street price for the bundled software and sound libraries is $2,967, which includes $487 worth of Open Labs Special Edition plugins, optimized by the software developers for use with the MiKo.
“I’ve made the new Timbaland Special Edition MiKo with Tim’s Touch,” said Timbaland, “It’s got everything I need in a single box and when I use it, we make masterpieces.”
“Timbaland is really on top of the world right now. His music is everywhere,” said President of Open Labs, Victor Wong. “To think that he is using our gear to produce these hits is cool, but the fact that he has put a little bit of himself into the MiKo, making it an even better instrument, is incredible. This is all very exciting for us.”
“We are honored that Timbaland asked us to help create his ultimate instrument,” said E-MU’s Senior Product Manager, Ichi Nagai. “We are excited to put together the exclusive Ensoniq Urban Legends Sound Library for Open Labs that contains many of Timbaland’s favorite sounds that he’s used in his work over the years.”
The Timbaland Special Edition MiKo will start shipping on August 15, 2007. The estimated street price is: $3,899 and includes the following:
Timbaland Special Edition MiKo Technical Specifications:
Keyboard:
37-key semi-weighted synth action keyboard (World class Fatar® Technology)
CPU:
Core2 Duo® Dual-core 64-bits (2.1GHz)
Control Surfaces:
Pitch Bend and Modulation Wheels, Trackpad with 2 Buttons, Keyboard (“QWERTY”) Module, Alpha Control Module (5 Faders, 5 Modes Buttons, 3 Transpose Buttons, 5 Directions Buttons and 5 Transport Buttons), DJ Module: Penny and Giles® Cross-Fader, 7 Knobs and 12 Buttons
Memory:
4GB RAM
Expansion Slots:
(3) PCI Slots (2 avail. for upgrades), (3) PCI-E Slots (2 avail. for upgrades), (2) 3.5” Bays: (1) Start Up Drive and (1) Available for Upgrades, (1) 5.25” Dual-Layer DVD-RW burner (8.5GB/disc)
Audio I/O:
(1) High Performance Audio I/O Card with Low Latency including 24-bit/96kHz professional 4-in/6-out : (2) mic/instrument preamp inputs (with Phantom Power 48V), (2) analog line inputs, (6) analog line outputs, S/PDIF digital I/O (coaxial)
Storage:
MiKo LX (1) 250GB, 7200RPM HD; Upgradeable to 1.5 Terabytes
Drive:
High Speed Dual-Layer 8.5GB/Disk CD/DVD Burner
Display:
Internal 15” Color Touch Screen LCD High Resolution (1024 x 768), External VGA port for running Dual Monitors or a Video Projector
Connection:
Midi In/Out, 1) Sustain and (1) Expression ports, 2) USB 2.0 ports, 3) (1) FireWire 400 port, 4) (1) Gigabit (10/100/1000) Ethernet port, 5) (1) Headphone Jack with Volume Control
Software:
Microsoft® Windows® XP Home, Open Labs Custom GUI (Graphic User Interface), Open Labs mFusion®, Open Labs Karsyn®, Open Labs MimiK (optional on SE Model), E-MU Proteus X2 Streaming Sound Module V2.5
PREMIUM Factory Sound Library V4:
25,027 presets (over 24GB of sounds) from over 60 virtual instruments including: including E-MU’s Ensoniq Urban Legends, Mo’Phatt X, Vintage X Pro Collection, Virtuoso X, and X2 Production Library, Truepianos, WusikStation V4, Extra Wusik Sound Libraries (Wusik Sound Magazine 1-13, HQ Strings, Choirs, GM), Purity, Sylenth 1, VB3 OL SE, Mr. Ray22, Mr. Ray73, Mr. Tramp, Organized Trio V3, Realguitar V2.1 OL SE, Discovery V2.10 OL SE, Vertigo V2.6 OL SE, HighLife V1.4, WIVI Trial Edt., Suburban Guitarist, Lollapalooza Lite OL SE, BB303i V2, Synth 1, Addictive Drums Demo, Ticky Clav, Delay Lama, Crystal V2.4, Sun RA, String Theory V1.5, Texture V1.2, Rez V2, Motion V2.8, Plugsound Free, Mini Dizi, Mini Erhu, EPiano Module, Rhodes Module, Bass Module, Rock, SFZ Player Free, Bass Line, UltraSonique V1.1, Syncoder 32-2, Spook Keys, Super Spook Keys, Cubix V1.0.1, Minimal V1.5, Optik V1.4, Pandemonium V2, X-Fortuna, Lazer Blade Free, Protoplasm 21 Free, STS-25 Free, Ph0ne, Rogue, MicroSynt, Artphase V1.5, Mr. Alias V1.02, Blood Bucket V1, Monolisa V1.12, String Synth, PhadiZ, Accordion.
Included Accessories:
AC Cord, Start Guide, Owner’s Manual (PDF), Motherboard Manual, 2 Open Labs Sounds and Drivers DVDs, 3 Utility CDs, 3 Reference Maps, 2.5mm Wrench, Additional Screws and Washers for Hard-Drive Upgrade
Power Supply:
500 Watt Power Supply, Whisper Quiet Cooling Fans (Internal Chassis, Processor & Power Supply)
Dimensions:
36”(W) X 20”(D) X 7”(H), Weight (base configuration) 35 lbs.
About Open Labs
Open Labs designs and markets tools for performing and recording musicians at every level of expertise. The company’s products, MiKo and NeKo, are the first keyboards and pro audio production stations to incorporate 64-bit computer processing technology into single-unit tools that can simultaneously play, record, mix, and master high-quality digital audio and effects. Open Labs, formed in 2002, combines decades of expertise in computer technology, keyboard technology, and product design. The company is headquartered in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit the Web site at www.openlabs.com
About E-MU Systems
E-MU Systems is a leading developer of digital audio products to serve musicians and audio professionals. E-MU designs, manufactures and markets software instruments, audio/MIDI interfaces, USB/MIDI controllers and powered reference monitors, many of which make use of proprietary VLSI/Chip technology and E-MU’s advanced software algorithms. Superb audio quality and consistent technical innovation have made its products the choice for quality-minded musicians worldwide. E-MU Systems is based in Scotts Valley, California. For more information visit www.emu.com
Trademark Notice: Open Labs® , MiKo™ mFusion™ MimiK and Karysyn™ are trademarks of Open Labs, Inc. E-Mu, Proteus, Mo’Phatt Ensoniq EPS, Ensoniq EPS 16+, Ensoniq ASR 10, Ensoniq ASR-X, Ensoniq ZR76, and Ensoniq MR61 are trademarks of E-Mu Systems. All other marks used to either identify another entity or its products by their given name. Open Labs makes no claims to the use of these marks for any other purpose.
Check out these great sites for products like the ones listed above:
LEGENDARY GUITARIST BERNIE MARSDEN PICKS ELIXIR® STRINGS
by admin on Nov.26, 2007, under General
London, UK, September 10, 2007 — Legendary guitarist Bernie Marsden, whose brilliant career has seen him perform and record with artists including Whitesnake, Robert Plant, Ringo Starr, Cozy Powell and Deep Purple’s Ian Paice and Jon Lord, is one of the latest in a growing list of professional players to string his guitars with Elixir® Strings.Elixir® Strings, Marsden confides, are now his choice for both electric and acoustic guitars. In addition, he is turning more players on to Elixir® Strings, the pioneer of long-life strings.
“The Elixir strings are working out well,” says Marsden, who in recent years has worked with Plant and Starr, and also released an anthology of his solo work, Blues and Scales: A Snakeman’s Odyssey. “They’re easy strings to work with. That may sound strange, but some strings can be difficult. My guitar tech is a big fan of Elixir. He said it was a good move. If you can keep your guitar tech happy, you know you’re okay.”
Marsden discovered Elixir® Strings at Musikmesse, the annual international musical instrument and recording equipment trade show held in Frankfurt, in 2006. “Elixir is still kind of a new name over here in Europe,” he explains. “I got a couple of sets to try at the trade show, and I liked them. I recommended them to two or three other people—a few of my contemporaries—and they like them too. They really do last a long time.”
Marsden’s discovery of Elixir® Strings came at an opportune moment in his long and varied career. “If you’d have said to me five years ago that I’d be working with Robert Plant, I would have said, ‘Oh really?’ Yet that’s what happened last year, and we’re going to do something again this year. Now I’ve played with Ringo Starr as well.
“It’s a nice situation,” he adds. “I’m becoming more of an elder statesman in the game these days, but it doesn’t seem to stop. Also, when you play so many years as a pro, I think I know what not to play now, rather than what to play. You can’t tell that to a 25 year-old, because they don’t understand you. I know I didn’t!”
About Elixir® Strings
Elixir® Strings is the pioneer in coated string technology and is available in two string ‘flavors.’ Ultra-thin NANOWEB® Coating provides the bright tone and punch of uncoated strings, yet keeps their lively tone three to five times longer than ordinary strings. The thin coating is nearly undetectable – providing the feel of traditional strings. Elixir® Strings with original POLYWEB® Coating also sound great three to five times longer than ordinary strings, have a balanced tone with smooth response, feel comfortably smooth, and reduce finger squeak. Elixir® Strings are available in a full range of gauges for acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, banjo, and mandolin. Today, Elixir® Strings are installed as original equipment by a growing list of discriminating electric guitar and bass manufacturers including Ibanez, Tom Anderson Guitarworks, Brian Moore Guitars, Carvin, Melancon Guitars as well as premium acoustic guitar luthiers such as Taylor Guitars, Santa Cruz Guitar Company, Alvarez-Yairi, Lakewood Guitars, RainSong Graphite Guitars, Carvin, and Goodall Guitars. Elixir® Strings are endorsed by popular artists such as Melissa Etheridge, Train, Dave Mason, Michael W. Smith, Jim Messina, Christopher Cross, Bob Seger, and Drowning Pool.
Elixir® Strings are manufactured by W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc., the company widely known for such innovations as GORE-TEX® fabrics.
Fender Clinics Hit Great White North!
by admin on Nov.13, 2007, under General
On, you huskies! Fearless Fender clinicians, musicians and sound magicians Greg Koch (guitar), Reggie Hamilton (bass) and Tom Brechtlein (drums) are mushing it up to Canada in mid-November to rock the provinces with a weeklong slew of free in-store product workshops designed to bring the Fender love to the denizens of the world’s second-largest nation.
Co-sponsored by Fender and the Hal Leonard Corp., the five clinics feature virtuosic messieurs Koch, Hamilton and Brechtlein in spirited group and individual performances that extol the sonic virtues of Fender’s latest and greatest guitar, bass and amplifier product offerings, including the VG Stratocaster® guitar, American Vintage Hot Rod series guitars, Super-Sonic™ amp, Reggie Hamilton Jazz Bass® guitar and Pro Series bass amps.
Guitar Musician | Piano Musician | Gear Musician
Clinic attendees can also enter a drawing for a Fender VG Stratocaster; the winner’s name will be drawn at the end of the tour. To attend, simply register by contacting the individual retailers listed below.
Tuesday, Nov. 13
Long & McQuade
North Vancouver, B.C.
www.long-mcquade.com
Wednesday, Nov. 16
Long & McQuade
Burlington, Ontario
www.long-mcquade.com
Thursday, Nov. 17
Long & McQuade
Markham, Ontario
www.long-mcquade.com
Friday, Nov. 18
Long & McQuade
Ottawa, Ontario
www.long-mcquade.com
Sunday, Nov. 20
Music Stop
Halifax, Nova Scotia
www.musicstop.com
Les Paul-Signed Les Paul to Be Raffled Off for Charity
by admin on Nov.09, 2007, under General
Sean McDevitt | 11.06.2007
www.gibson.com
Guitar Musician | Gear Musician | Piano Musician
The holder of a single lucky raffle ticket will own something that for many guitar aficionados is simply beyond imagination: a beautiful 2005 Gibson Les Paul Standard that’s signed by none other than Les Paul himself. To honor his late daughter and raise scholarship funds, Earl Hurrey of The National Association for Music Education’s is giving you a chance to win his autographed Les Paul Standard.
The raffle is a fundraiser for the Caitlin Merie Hurrey Memorial Scholarship Fund, named in honor of Caitlin Merie Hurrey, who was nine years old and in the fourth grade at Huntingtown Elementary School in Maryland when she died in an automobile accident on October 31, 1995. The fund, which honors Caitlin’s love of music and education, supports four scholarships annually.
The guitar is being raffled by Caitlin’s father, Earl Hurrey, who is the deputy executive director for business development of Reston, Virginia-based MENC: The National Association for Music Education. Hurrey calls the autographed Les Paul “one of my most prized possessions” and is raffling the guitar this year to mark what would have been Caitlin’s 21st birthday. He hopes to raise $25,000 for the scholarship fund by selling 1,000 raffle tickets for $25 each.
“I’d like to raffle this guitar rather then auction it because I would like all guitar players, regardless of income, to have the opportunity to win it,” Hurrey explains. “It will be a very special guitar for a deserving guitar player, and Caitlin would have wanted it that way.”
The guitar, a Heritage Cherry Sunburst design with a ’50s-style neck, is autographed on its pickguard. It was given to Hurrey by Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz just months after Les Paul’s 90th birthday concert, which took place in June 2005 at Carnegie Hall in New York.
“I had mentioned to Henry that I had been taking guitar lessons as a lifelong dream,” Hurrey recalls, “and that attending the concert gave me great incentive to work even harder at learning to play the guitar. Shortly after our conversation, I received the guitar as a gift from Henry. He said, ‘If you’re going to learn guitar, you might as well learn on the best guitar in the world.’”
The instrument is currently housed in a decorative display case on a wall in Hurrey’s home.
The Caitlin Fund was approved by MENC as part of MENC’s Fund for the Advancement of Music Education. It’s a 501(c) (3) charitable fund that supports the greater good of music education. All donations to the Caitlin Fund are 100% tax deductible.
For contest rules and regulations, click here.
For more articles like this one or gear by Gibson.com visit their site or these ones;
Fargo Sting Operation Leaves Ozzy, Fans Feeling Stung
by admin on Nov.02, 2007, under General
Here is a great article I found at Rolling Stone.com by Daniel Kreps! Check it out:
This week, Ozzy Osbourne is angry. Yesterday, the former Black Sabbath frontman focused his fury on illegal downloaders. Now, the Ozz is “outraged” at a sheriff in Fargo, North Dakota, for using an Osbourne/Rob Zombie concert on Monday to attract and then arrest fans on outstanding warrants. In a statement, Ozzy insists he had no knowledge of the sting operation Fargo sheriff Paul D. Laney masterminded without permission. As we told you Wednesday, Laney and several other area task forces scheduled a fake pre-concert party, then mailed out invitations to some of Fargo’s least finest. When the invitees showed up (the charges ranged from failure to pay child support to unpaid parking tickets to drug charges), they were greeted with handcuffs and those arrest warrants. After the successful (and let’s face it, comical if you weren’t busted) sting operation netted forty perps, Laney held a congratulatory press conference, which especially irked Ozzy. “Instead of holding a press conference to pat himself on the back,” says Osbourne, “Sheriff Laney should be apologizing to me for using my name in connection with these arrests.”
Ozzy should be mad; he’s having a hard enough time selling copies of Black Rain, now these fan have to pay their fines and buy CDs? “Sheriff Laney went out of his way to tarnish my reputation by implying that I somehow attract a criminal element, which is certainly not true. My audiences are good hard-working people who have been hugely supportive of my music for nearly four decades,” Ozzy continued. Despite Laney’s sting operation, Ozzy insists he holds no grudges against Fargo, and hopes to return to the city under “more favorable circumstances.”
Daniel Kreps
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