At this year’s NAMM, the commerical audio side of Roland called RSS announced the partnership between their company and Cakewalk. The two companies have teamed up to enable RECORDING of 40 channels of 24bit/96kHz audio from a split of the S4000 Digital Snake by a direct connection to a PC’s gigabit Ethernet port.

They also announced the BETA program where potential users can register to work with an RSS Digital Snake and Cakewalk’s SONAR to provide feedback on the final product release. If you’re interest in becoming part of this cool BETA program, you should visit www. rolandsystemsgroup.com/REACbeta

Eventide is just one of those names you think of when you think of effects. So far, those effects have come for a fairly substantial price. However, at this show Eventide is debuting its first two stomboxes ever, the Timefactor delay box and the Modfactor modulation effect box. Each unit comes with 10 stereo or mono effects that have been developed on Eventide’s mighty Harmonizer platform. Timefactor can produce two independent, 3-second delays at once. They each weigh a solid 2.2 lbs. and feel rugged for heavy use. With three footswitches, 11 knobs and an LED display, the boxes are highly manipulable and can churn out some wild, wacky effects. A USB port on the back of each unit facilitates downloadable software updates from a computer. Timefactor is schedule for March, while Modfactor should ship in May, each for $499.

We’re here with Jonathan Clark, musical director of 9ManVan, who popped over with Erika. Jonathan, what are you looking for this weekend?

Well, I’m here to gig tonight for your party! While I’m here, though, I plan to say hi to my endorsers, catch up with some people I don’t get to see a lot. I also want to check out any new guitars, mics and recording gear. My brother Daniel and I are finishing up my first record. Should be out by the end of March on Perspective Records. We got some good buddies helping out on the record, guys like Christopher Cross, and believe it or not Gary Oldman. He sings his ass off! Not just one of those actors-wannabe-rock stars. We need to meet some mixers while we’re here, and what better place than a Mix blog. Anyone out there have Mike Shipley’s cell? Thanks all. See you at the party tonight! There’s gonna be some special guests sitting in, so come on by. Thanks to Mix, EM and Remix, especially Erika. See ya!

This morning I attended a press conference that announced the fruits of a collaboration between Roland/Boss and Fender Musical Instruments. Three products stood out as outstanding. Two are Boss pedals that capture the sound and the fury of a couple of Fender’s most enduring amplifiers, the ’59 Bassman and the ’65 Deluxe Reverb. They have the typical form factor of other Boss boxes, and the knobs are identical to the controls you’d find on the real Fender amps. From what I could hear in the cacaphonous NAMM environment, both units nailed the sound of the amps they emulate.

But what really got my juices flowing is the Stratocaster VG. The companies involved might not appreciate my making obvious comparisons, but Roland and Fender have taken an American Standard Strat and given it the Line 6 Variax tretment. You can select an assortment of presets that instantly make the Strat sound like a Telecaster, a Strat with dual humbuckers, an acoustic guitar, or whatever, complete with a complement of effects. Best of all, it still looks (and presumably feels) just like a standard Strat. I can sum it up in three words: I want one!