Distributed in 94 countries, Mix is the world's leading magazine for the professional recording and sound production technology industry. Mix covers a wide range of topics including: recording, live sound and production, broadcast production, audio for film and video, and music technology.
I’VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME RESEARCHING PAST AUDIO technologies, and I’m frequently amazed at the speed by which history can be discarded. Even a remarkable product such as Sony’s PCM-F1—a revolution in its day—is virtually unknown some 25 years after its debut. So I’m hardly surprised (although truly saddened) by the near-complete lack of documentation on recording by early black artists who were pioneers of the record industry. And when I first heard about Tim Brooks book on the subject Lost Sounds—Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry, 1890-1919, I was delighted to uncover this absolute treasure chronicling these forgotten heroes.
In this exhaustive 656-page book, with some 60 pages of footnotes and cross references, Brooks and co-researcher Dick Spottswood have spotlighted a epochal time in the recording industry, and done so in a highly readable, fascinating style that brings history to life.
One particular highlight is a section on the life and career of George W. Johnson—believed to be the first black artist on commercial recordings. Almost forgotten today, Johnson recorded two of the best selling recordings of the 1890s and achieved such popularity that some of his records were pirated and bootlegged—more than 100 years ago!
In all, the book covers the works of some 40 artists such as Bert Williams, George Walker, Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, W.C. Handy, James Reese Europe, Wilbur Sweatman, Harry T. Burleigh, Roland Hayes, Booker T. Washington and boxing champ Jack Johnson—all who faced enormous hurdles in an era of racist attitudes and blackfaced white performers lampooning black music and musicians.
Lost Sounds—Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry, 1890-1919 is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the roots of recorded music. It’s available in cloth and paperback editions from the University of Illinois Press: Just click here…
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
I FIRST GOT A REAL SWISS ARMY KNIFE back in the early ‘70s, when I spent a lot of time troubleshooting gear. I finally managed to destroy it (it essentially was worn out to the nubs) after it saved my butt about a thousand times, repairing hundreds of pieces of A/V gear, from simple P.A. rigs to elaborate 70mm projection systems with 6-channel Dolby playback. I even filed down the flat screwdriver that stuck out of the side of the knife body at a 90-degree angle so it would fit those reverse-threaded XLR set screws that holds the connector into place. That same attachment also made for a pretty formidable brass-knuckle effect, although that particular usage wasn’t mentioned in any of the official Victorinox literature.
Anyway, it’s too late for Christmas now, but I just heard about a slick new entry in the Swiss Army line—even cooler than the company’s Cyberknife of a couple years back, the one that even included mini Torx drivers for repairing PCs.
Although it’s a whopping $1,200 retail, Wenger Giant Swiss Army Knife™ V1.0 #16999 certainly tops anyone’s gift list—or for those companies looking for the ultimate in tradeshow swag—this one’s the ticket. At an actual size of 8.75×3.25-inches (WxL); and weighing in at 2 pounds, 11 ounces, it’s a bit large for the average pocket. However you get a lot here…
It touts 85 implements with 110 functions in all including a 2.5″ 60% serrated locking blade; nail file, nail cleaner; corkscrew; adjustable pliers with wire crimper and cutter; removable screwdriver bit adapter; 2.5″ blade for official world scout knife; spring-loaded, locking needle-nose pliers with wire cutter; removable screwdriver bit holder; phillips head screwdriver bit 0; phillips head screwdriver bit 1; phillips head screwdriver bit 2; flat head screwdriver bit 0.5mm x 3.5mm; flat head screwdriver bit 0.6mm x 4.0mm; flat head screwdriver bit 1.0mm x 6.5mm; magnetized recessed bit holder; double-cut wood saw with ruler (inch & cm); bike chain rivet setter, removable 5mm allen wrench, screwdriver for slotted and philips head screws; removable tool for adjusting bike spokes, 10mm hexagonal key for nuts; removable 4mm curved allen wrench with philips head screwdriver; removable 10mm hexagonal key; patented locking philips head screwdriver; universal wrench; 2.4″ springless scissors with serrated, self-sharpening design; 1.65″ clip point utility blade; philips head screwdriver; 2.5″ clip point blade; golf club face cleaner; 2.4″ round tip blade; patented locking screwdriver, cap lifter, can opener; golf shoe spike wrench; golf divot repair tool; 4mm allen wrench; 2.5″ blade; fine metal file with precision screwdriver; double-cut wood saw; cupped cigar cutter with double-honed edges; 12/20-gauge choke tube tool; watch caseback opening tool; snap shackle; mineral crystal magnifier with precision screwdriver; compass, straight edge, ruler (in./cm); telescopic pointer; fish scaler, hook disgorger, line guide; shortix laboratory key; micro tool holder; micro tool adapter; micro scraper–straight; micro scraper–curved; laser pointer with 300 ft. range; metal saw, metal file; flashlight; micro tool holder; philips head screwdriver 1.5mm; screwdriver 1.2mm; screwdriver .8mm; fine fork for watch spring bars; reamer; pin punch 1.2mm; pin punch .8mm; round needle file; removable tool holder with expandable receptacle; removable tool holder; special self-centering screwdriver for gunsights; flat philips head screwdriver; chisel-point reamer; mineral crystal magnifier, fork for watch spring bars, small ruler; extension tool; spring-loaded, locking flat nose-nose pliers with wire cutter; removable screwdriver bit holder; phillips head screwdriver bit 0; phillips head screwdriver bit 1; phillips head screwdriver bit 2; flat head screwdriver bit 0.5mm x 3.5mm; flat head screwdriver bit 0.6mm x 4.0mm; flat head screwdriver bit 1.0mm x 6.5mm; magnetized recessed bit holder; tire tread gauge; fiber optic tool holder; can opener; patented locking screwdriver, cap lifter, wire stripper; reamer/awl; toothpick; tweezers; and of course, a key ring—you won’t lose your keys if this sucker is attached—guaranteed.
Of all these functions, my fave would have to be the “12/20-gauge choke tube tool” (some of use work some pretty tough gigs), but the “shortix laboratory key” sounds intriguing as well…
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
AFTER WAY TOO MANY YEARS, APPLE FINALLY did a real makeover on Logic, its flagship music/audio production software, now offered as the “Logic Studio” bundle of production tools. It’s sort of the Final Cut Studio approach, which includes FCP, Soundtrack Pro 2, Compressor, DVD Studio Pro, Motion and more–pretty much a script to screen package.
And there’s a lot of good news here. Gone is Logic’s clunky look, instead Logic 8 uses a single-screen interface that’s streamlined and fast. The surround mixing is elegant and there’s a vocal comping feature that’s just amazing. Also in the bundle is Soundtrack Pro 2 (the same version from the FCP Studio bundle), Studio Instruments, Studio Effects (with some 80 plug-ins) and Studio Sound Library, with 18,000 Apple Loops and 1,300 sampled instruments. At $499 it’s almost stupid NOT to buy this package—whether you own a Mac or not.
But what really floored me was the not-so-lowly MainStage. Intended to simplify using software instruments onstage, this standalone app provides a live performance rig for guitar/keys/bass. Virtual keys instruments and guitar/amp/effects modeling is nothing new, but what’s the big deal?
First of all, ya gotta wonder why this is in a studio production bundle anyway. Someday, Apple might wise up and include this with its iLife software, but that’s not the point. I was absolutely amazed by the keyboard setups and their ability to do splits. Again, no biggie—I even have left/right-hand organ/bass splits on my vintage ’60s Farfisa organs. Custom splits are nothing new and nearly any decent keyboard controller can store/recall different split presets for different songs. Yet the real trick with MainStage’s split keyboard mode is its ability to do intelligent splits.
Many of us have experienced the frustration of playing a bass line that as it moves up the scale, will eventually start playing piano notes. But playing left-hand bass/right hand melody parts on a keyboard that can move the split as you play, keeping you in range is pure magic. Evidently MainStage runs some algorithm that tracks your hand movements and moves the split point accordingly. It’s awesome and is probably worth the program’s $499 bundle price. Of course, once your include all the other apps—Logic 8, Soundtrack Pro 2, etc.—this is one amazing bargain.
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
WITH THE AUDIO EDUCATION FOCUS IN THIS MONTH’S MIX, I figured I rant about the learning process. When I was a high school kid back in the Paleolithic 1960s era, I wanted to learn electronics. I experimented a lot (destroying a few radios along the way), assembled Heath and Knight kits, and regularly built DIY projects featured in Radio-Electronics and Popular Electronics magazines. In-between splattering solder on my thumb and digging into these articles to figure out how to adapt the circuits to 220V/50 Hz operation (I was living in Europe at the time), I couldn’t help but notice some ads featuring a stern-faced guy who said, “Get more education or get out of electronics!”
The pitch was to promote a correspondence school’s learn-at-home electronics course. These days I can’t even recall which school it was from, but that man’s message was clear and very relevant. Today’s systems—live or recorded, analog or digital, virtual or actual— are more complex than ever, and keeping up with changing technologies requires continuing education.
However, textbook and in-class training alone aren’t enough — actual hands-on experience can make all the difference in the world. For example, changing a diaphragm on a high-frequency compression driver isn’t exactly rocket science. All you have to do is select the right replacement part (with the proper impedance), remove a few screws, match the polarity of the wires, plop the new one into place, and tighten things down.
However, there’s one detail that shouldn’t be overlooked: the procedure should be done with a nonferrous screwdriver. Unless you’re using a brass or an aluminum screwdriver, the powerful gauss field of the driver’s magnetic structure will yank the tool out of your grasp, attracting it into the center of the driver, instantly shredding the fragile, and very expensive, diaphragm. When it happens in the real-life, non-textbook world, it’s not a pretty sight and hardly a lesson that’s soon forgotten.
Other lessons aren’t so technical. Once, while walking through an audio school, I noticed a leather couch in the back of one of the facility’s control rooms. I asked the instructor if he felt the material was the right choice for a school, where students—carrying a pencil (or even a screwdriver) in their back pockets could damage the upholstery. The instructor replied that if this scenario did occur, it would be better for a student to learn the lesson at school rather than on the job. His reply was simple, but spot-on.
For me, that decades-old message from the mean-looking guy in that electronics magazine still holds true.
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
WALKING AROUND THE AES SHOW LAST WEEK, ya couldn’t miss it. Right out in the middle of the exhibit floor at New York City’s Javits convention center was a huge 30×30-foot pad of astroturf, with a rustic-looking cabin sitting right in the middle of it.
What is it? It’s a copy of Peter Gabriel’s backyard songwriting sanctum, equipped with a Solid State Logic AWS 900+ console /workstation controller, SSL XLogic outboard gear and additional Gear provided by Guitar Center Pro, including a Pto Tools HD rig, Auralex acoustic treatment, Argosy studio furniture and Henick-Lane air conditioning. Mix editor Sarah Jones and I sat down with Gabriel during the show and got his take on this. (Click here to check out the video interview.) Bringing “turnkey” to a whole new level, this “Shed of your Dreams” studio costs under $250K, depending on exact finish, specifications, the exact gear you choose and location—the user only need provide a concrete pad and electrical service.
Evidently the reaction at the show was overwhelmingly positive and from what I hear, several orders were placed. But $$$ aside, the concept of having a cool, prefab studio laid down at your location over a matter of days has a lot of merit.
The building itself is a 240-square-foot Summerwood Cheyenne cabin and it had a great vibe of its own. Gabriel’s own shed is decorated with some amazing (and quite valuable) artwork that’s NOT part of the purchase price. But as an avid art collector myself, I’d have no problem finding stuff from my own to spruce the joint up.
As an aside, my wife and I collect a variety of styles, but lately have been focusing on illustration art from science fiction. To get an idea of how cool some of this stuff is, you can check out one dealer we occasionally buy from—Worlds of Wonder at www.wow-art.com. Hey, just don’t complain to me next month because you spent all you money there, but even if you don’t, it’s a great source of eye candy—or a way of finding the right artist for your next album cover.
And while I was on the web, I checked out the Summerwood Products site www.summerwood.com (the guys who built the Gabriel shed) and was impressed by the array of designs and possibilities offered. More eye candy to be sure…
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
EVERYTHING SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN THREE’S. I’m not sure if it was my good or bad luck, but all three of the Fender tube amps in my studio have died in the past couple weeks. I’ve got a 1972 Deluxe Reverb, and two 1969 Bassmans—one with a stock 2×15 cab (we use that for bass) and the other set up for guitar with a Fender Showman Tone Ring single-15 cab, with the original JBL D130 woofer and the bizarre—yet cool-sounding—ported design.
The good luck part was that these things have run for decades (some, like the Deluxe—with the original tubes) and almost no maintenance. The bad luck part was that they all finally stopped working. Anyway, I figured it was time to go through these thoroughly, clean ‘em up inside and out and start from scratch—with all new tubes. I called Groove Tubes and they were very helpful with suggestions on exactly what tubes to use. They rate their power tubes with individual distortion ratings, so you can tailor the tunes to the spacific application/musical style/tone you’re looking for. So getting the tubes was the easy part.
I must be getting old, because I had nearly forgotten the weirdness one encounters when disecting old Fender amps, with their arcane (those four long screws) method of hanging the amps upside down—bat style—inside the cabinet. That itself isn’t so weird as trying to figure out who actually has hands with fingers skinny or long enough to hold the nut in place while reassembling the thing. But reassembly wasn’t the problem. The hang-up (pardon the pun) came from the amp assembly getting stuck on part of the sheet metal that shields the top of the amp (under the handle) from stray cosmic radiation from other galaxies. So on one of the Bassman heads, I had to completely remove the front grille and take the amp chassis out the front of the cab. Yuk!
From, there, things were a lot easier, especially when I saw that all the caps looked good. Somehow I was expecting to see sweatly blobs of goo and drippy caps, but these looked fine. But ALL of the pots exhibited noise, so each one got a shot of Caig DeoxIT and came out sweet—no static at all… And besides blowing a ton of dust out, I also hit the tip contact on each jack with a couple light file strokes—just to clear the light corrosion that can build up. Then came a cabinet wipedown and reassembly the retubing, which was all Groove tubes, except for a favorite Mullard 12AX7 that went onto one channel on the “guitar” Bassman. I did have some Groove Tube 12AX7M’s (these are the modern recreations of the vintage Mullards), but since I did have one nice NOS Mullard, it went in anyway.
After a quick bias check (highly recommended) and a couple hours burn-in—probably not necessary, but after spending an afternoon working on the amps, it was Miller time (actually Dos Equis time) at the local taqueria, which provided a nice respite before giving the amps the listening test. All were greatly improved, but the Deluxe Reverb was absolutely amazing, with exceptional tone and sustain. Morale: if an amp’s worth having, it’s worth retubing—definitely.
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
ONE OF THE CHORES OF RUNNING A SMALL LABEL is promotion, and when you don’t have a lot of money, you need to look into all kinds of outlets to get the word out about your artists—ALL KINDS…
Last weekend, I went to The Expo 2007, described as the San Francisco “Bay Area’s grassroots connection fair for independent arts, music and culture.” It was a pastiche of free workshops, music performances, art show and bizarre bazaar—all wrapped up into a one-day event. I was there to help promote Chelle & Friends, a group that does an amazing blend of R&B/spiritual/gospel/jazz vocals that cross genres and decades. As they were among the featured acts, we went along to hawk CDs, t-shirts and merch.
It was everything I expected—more or less. It was a very San Francisco event, more from the diversity of experiences offered, from the publishers selling underground picto-novels and photo essays on extreme piercings and body fluids—not for the squeamish—to painters, sculpturers, radio stations, a couple small record labels (us included) and several arts groups/schools, including the Women’s Audio Mission. A worthy non-profit organization, the San Francisco-based Women’s Audio Mission is dedicated to the advancement of women in the recording arts, with access to audio technology, and training in its use to record sound for music, radio, film, television and the Internet for women and girls.
In the long-cherished local tradition of hippie-dippiedom, the turnout for the event was sparse. It was well-underpromoted—signage at the site was almost nonexistent, so even finding the place if you were looking for it was difficult. At the same time, there was a huge, packed home-improvement show in the Gift Center pavillion across the street. I’m sure that some of those attendees could have been persuaded to check out the cool art/music festival just 50 yards away—if for only to pay the modest $2 admission and kick back, have a beer and listen to some music during their lunch break—had they known about it.
But attendance aside, there was a bright side here. Yeah, we moved enough CDs and merch to make it worthwhile, picked up a couple of future gig bookings, and I even had a chance to check out some of the other acts, which leaned toward punk-folk, some blues and a few I will never have the words to describe. One interesting act in the latter category was the Hobo Gobbelins, a “troglodyte jug band” that offered an intriguing blend of eerie vocals and instruments (banjo/dobro/accordion/tuba/fiddle/ukelele/washboard) and green/black face painting with some delightfully fun—and yeah, pretty dark—songs about rats, eating brains, decapitations and such. I bet they’ve got Halloween gigs booked up through the next millennium! But they were a fun diversion: Somebody needs to sign these guys—they’ve cornered the market on the hillbilly gobelin genre. Only in San Francisco…
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
WITH THE PLASA SHOW ON THIS WEEK IN LONDON, it seems somehow appropriate to talk about touring and I just finished reading Tour Book: How To Get YOUR Music on the Road, a new book by U.K. tour manager/live engineer Andy Reynolds. Yeah I know what you’re thinking… I’ve probably see a least of dozen books like this and they all sucked, usually filled with “helpful” hints (by someone who’s never toured), like “make sure to pack some extra guitar strings, batteries and drum sticks before you go on the road”—yuk!
But this one’s different. Reynolds actually KNOWS what he’s talking about, and the 464-page book focuses on the independent artist that’s surviving on gig merch, and trying to make ends meet by traveling by bus or van. It’s loaded with practical advice, hints, and tips on putting on a live show, including rehearsal, equipment, travel, accommodations, show booking and promotion, sound checks, contracts, taxation, working abroad and marketing.
It also deals with the mundane—yet essential small points that really make or break a gig, such as making sure the promoter/venue guarantees you parking space with an AC power drop for your RV/bus/van. Often it’s these little details that make all the difference, especially when you’re loading out at 3:00 am.
Tour Book: How To Get YOUR Music on the Road is also kept interesting with numerous vignettes and real-life scenarios, such as dealing with bandmembers issues, such as the problematic drummer that gets arrested while on the road. The show must go, on, so what do you do…??? At $29.99,this book will surely do a lot more for career than a custom guitar strap—and it’s probably cheaper, too.
The book published by Thomson Course Technology. For more details (and a 10% online discount), visit www.courseptr.com.
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
HERE WE ARE AND AES IS JUST A MONTH AWAY! It doesn’t seem so long ago when we were at AES (at least the San Francisco show) and now AES is upon us once again. If you haven’t done so already, now–or at least 21 days before the show to get those advance-purchase fares–is a good time to lock in those cheap plane tickets. Or if you’re really lucky to live within a manageable distance—train tickets.
Or to steal the lyrics from a song about another U.S. city, “GONNA TAKE A BUS. GONNA TAKE A TRAIN. EVEN IF I GOTTA WALK, GONNA GET THERE JUST THE SAME…
New York AES is the place to be if you’re an audio pro. By all indications, the show’s gonna be great, with hundreds of exhibitors hawking the latest hoo-hahs and a great selection of workshops, papers and events to keep you way busy on October 5, 6, 7 and 8th.
But the magic of AES isn’t necessarily the show itself, but a gathering of the tribes and often the best place to find the real action is late night, at the bar of the Marriott Marquis or any of the dozen other official AES hotels. In fact the number of products on the show floor that are directly attributed to sketches made on rum-soaked cocktail napkins from last year’s AES is just as staggering as the comical gait that many attendees have when exiting the bars at closing time.
If you’re really smart, call the Iridium Jazz Club (212/582-2121) and snag a couple tickets for one of Les Paul’s shows, Monday night October 8th. Les is really an American icon and in a day when the word “living legend” is bandied around to apply to nearly anyone, Les is the genuine article. The shows start at either 8 or 10 pm, but it’s best to get there early to get good seats, as there are no reserved seats and it’s first come, first serve. Check it out at www.iridiumjazzclub.com.
If you’re really, really smart, bring something for Les to sign after the show. He’s usually pretty nice about such things, unless you walk in carrying a Strat. In that case, you’re on your own, and you certainly don’t want to mar your New York experience by needing to drag yourself into an emergency room to have a (Fender) guitar neck extricated from one of your body cavities. My advice? Leave the Strat at home, bring a CD, LP or your ‘58 gold top Les Paul guitar to get signed. And watch out, because Les sometimes “forgets” to return your pen after he autographs something. In any case, a performance by the Les Paul Trio is a wonderful and unforgettable experience that’s well worth the $45 ticket price. Don’t miss it!
And if you really need a great reason to attend NYC AES, just say the words “Ray’s Pizza” three times and you’ll be magically whisked to the doors of the Javits Center. But if that fails for some reason, just grab a cab… from anywhere. And for more info about the AES show, visit www.aes.org. You’ll be glad you did!
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
THERE OUTTA BE A TRADESHOW FOR TRADESHOWS, where all these organizers can all meet and coordinate their dates for the upcoming year. Just about anybody who goes to a lot of audio tradeshows can remember those years when Musikmesse overlapped NAB, etc. And it never seems to end—next month’s IBC (the big European broadcasting show) overlaps PLASA (the big U.K. live sound show). Whether you’re attending or exhibiting, such intertwined schedules can really complicate your life.
But sometimes, there is some good news. Over the weekend, InfoComm and NSCA announced that they would combine their expos into a single event next year (June 18-20) in Las Vegas. Both organizations should be applauded for this move, which should really reinforce (no pun intended) and help build show attendance and the depth of the workshops/ancillary activities surrounding the expo itself. Faced with two similar (but certainly NOT identical) events, many showgoers–and many exhibitors as well–simply selected one or the other each year, leading to two competing events just a few months apart. After years of complaints about the situation from exhibitors and visitors, both organizations decided to take action and work together for a common good. Bravo!
And after a three-year absence, Summer NAMM is returning to Nashville in 2008. Indianapolis and Austin are great towns, but the only place where Summer NAMM seems to work these days is Nashville. As with other cities where Summer NAMM has been held—such as Austin, New Orleans, Chicago, Atlanta, Atlantic City—Nashville is also a great music town. But Nashville is a major recording center—another plus, with a great downtown convention center with affordable nearby lodging and is in the center of a huge population circle within a one-day’s driving radius, making it convenient as well. So far, so good. Unfortunately, Summer NAMM 2008 is June 20-22, and this timing overlap with the new, powerful, merged NSCA/InfoComm will create some tough decisions for a fair number of pro audio exhibitors in picking which show to attend/support.
The very real issue of overlapping tradeshows actually hurts everyone in the industry, especially in today’s tough business climate. So far, we have two steps forward, and one step behind. Maybe someday, in that perfect world where all these organizations do a little more coordination, this wouldn’t happen. The solution could be that “tradeshow for tradeshows” where all this occurs, but until that day…
When not working on Mix stuff, George Petersen records and performs with the SF Bay Area-based rock band ARIEL. Click here www.jenpet.com and check ‘em out.
