QuNeo Multi-touch Software/Hardware Controller

As an avid user of DAWs and software synthesizers, I can personally attest to the power and flexibility they offer to users. This is the stuff I learned on and I swear by it. There is, of course a very substantial segment of musicians and recording engineers who still stand firmly by the hardware units of yesteryear. Many companies such as Akai and Novation have been quite successful at bringing products to market that bridge the gap between analog and digital and make the transition from the former to the latter a lot less painful. There is now a plethora of portable USB powered controllers that boast any number of pads, sliders and buttons that can be tweaked and MIDI-mapped just about any way we see fit.

Keith McMillen Instruments, known for producing a string a very innovative musical devices and controllers, is set to introduce a new controller in March of 2012 called the QuNeo. This device(pronounced kew-nee-o) comes loaded with 16 trigger pads, 9 sliders, two rotary controllers and 17 switches; all of which are velocity and location sensitive. Each sensor on the device also provides light feedback via LEDs which react according to velocity. The tactile functionality also allows users to use pinch and draw gestures on the surfaces, very similarly to the way you would operate a touch screen smartphone. This opens up a myriad of possibilities for expression and precision.

iPad users will appreciate the QuNeo, as it possesses approximately the same dimensions as the Apple tablet, so any iPad accessories like cases and mic stand holders can be used with the QuNeo. The controller also works with USB, MIDI and OSC to facilitate communication with most other devices. The brave coding types out there will appreciate the fact that the unit is open source, as they will be able to use the dev kit and API to bend the code to their will and make the unit behave exactly as they wish. I personally can't wait to see the custom patches and setups that will surely make their way to the forums and user groups once released.

All in all, the QuNeo is shaping up to be the must have controller of the new year. While it is not yet available, the developers are accepting 'pledges' of $10 or more at their Kickstarter web site . Pledging at least $200 nets you a QuNeo plus some other swag before the unit hits stores in March. Several musicians and other industry notables are already endorsing this product and pitching in with pledges of their own. Those attending NAMM in January should be in for a treat when they get to try this thing out for the first time.

For more information on Keith McMillen Instruments, please visit their website at http://www.keithmcmillen.com/

Musicians use both sides of their brains more frequently than average people

Musicians use both sides of their brains more frequently than average people

Interesting article written by Melanie Moran at Vanderbilt University.

The Orange Dark Terror Guitar Head Giveaway

American Musical Supply is giving away the Orange Dark Terror Tube Guitar Amplifier in its December Gear Giveaway. This head is valued at $649 MSRP, and features:

• High Gain Preamp 3 x ECC83/12AX7
• Valve Driven FX Loop 1 x ECC81/12AT7
• Four Stages of Gain
• 15 Watts Class A, Switchable to 7 Watts
• Weighs in at only 15 lbs/ 7kg
• Includes gig bag

 Click here to enter this sweepstakes.

Judge gives Universal Music 24 hours to explain takedown spree

Judge gives Universal Music 24 hours to explain takedown spree

Guitars And More Brought To You By Room Service!

As part of their new amenity program called The Sound Of Your Stay, Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos are taking hospitality to a new level by supplying guests with custom music playlists and instruments.

The program, which rolls out initially to a select few sites, will be offered at all locations sometime in Q1 of 2012. In total, there are three categories of 'The Sound Of Your Stay':

• Tracks - Guests are given a code upon check-in to download a 15-song playlist compiled by celebrity musicians and other Hollywood luminaries. At any given time there will be a total of three playlists to choose from.
• Picks - Fender has partnered with Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos to bring guests this option. Participants will have the option to pick from an assortment of world famous Fender Strats, Telecasters and basses that they can have delivered to their suites complete with a headphone amp and a pair of Ludacris' new 'SOUL' high definition headphones. They will even, upon request, supply you with video lessons courtesy of Hal Leonard. Makes me want to book a stay right now!
• Mix - The third and final tier of service offered is Mix. Opting for this service grants the guest a chance to be Deadmau5(well, something like that) for a night. If a guest has their Mac or PC laptop in tow they can elect to have their choice of Traktor S2 DJ systems and a 30-day demo of Traktor Pro 2 software brought to them by the good folks at Hard Rock. As with the 'Picks' package, this package also comes complete with a pair of SOUL by Ludacris headphones.

 "Music is the soul of the Hard Rock brand, something that truly sets Hard Rock Hotels apart as a travel destination," stated Brian Klein, Head of Global Marketing, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos.  "Our new amenity program, The Sound of Your Stay, is intended to enhance and expand the musical dimension of our guests' experience."

For more information on The Sound Of Your Stay and Hard Rock Hotels, please visit  www.hardrockhotels.com

 

Akai APC40 with FREE Odyssey Flight Zone Case

As part of its 25th Anniversary Celebration, American Musical Supply is offering the Akai APC40 Performance Controller for Ableton Live at its usual price of $299.99, PLUS a high quality Odyssey Flight Zone case free of charge. This is an excellent deal, as the case usually retails for around $129. So if you have been in the market for this amazing controller now is an excellent time to grab one!


Click the image for more information and to purchase.

Cheap Fares with Cheapo Air for the Holidays!

I normally deal with music and musical instruments on this blog but hey, musicians need to travel too right?




The name may be enough to put some off, but Cheapo Air are proving themselves to be a worthy alternative to Travelocity and Orbitz when it comes to booking commercial travel. Now through the end of the year Cheapo Air are offering great prices on last minute bookings PLUS $10 off of your purchase with the supplied coupon code. Check them out and book a flight to visit family and friends over the holidays!

Pearl Throne Thumper

For all you drummers who just can't seem to hear or feel enough kick drum while onstage, Pearl has come to save the day! Pearl Drum and The Guitammer Company entered into a two year development partnership to bring you the Pearl Drum Thumper, powered by ButtKicker. This new tactile monitoring device clamps to any drum throne and transmits the low frequencies of the kick drum directly to the musician's body.

"The response to the Throne Thumper by our artists has been nothing short of amazing," said Terry West, President of Pearl Drums. Drummers such as Mike Mangini of Dream Theater and Eric Singer of KISS have been using the device on tour this year. "The Throne Thumper can be used anywhere electronic or acoustic drums are played and it is especially suited for the house of worship market where the drummer's sound level and the entire stage volume is very controlled," says West.

The Guitammer Company was first to market with this type of device. Their ButtKicker line was introduced about 15 years ago, and many drummers as well as bass players and other musicians have attested to the ability of the devices to make it easier to 'feel' the music they are playing. The Pearl Throne Thumper is priced a bit more competitively with all levels of musicians in mind.

The Pearl Throne Thumper is powered by a 200 watt ButtKicker amp and is available from Amazon for $299.99. Click the image below for more information and to place an order.

Zoom Q3HD Portable HD Audio Video Digital Recorder

Zoom has been bringing us quality, affordable portable recording devices for quite some time now, and this latest model is arguably their best yet. The Q3HD allows you to not only capture pristine, studio quality audio, but it also throws in the ability to shoot high definition video at either 720p(30 or 60 fps) or 1080p(30 fps).


On the video side, the included 2GB SD card allows you to capture up to 45 minutes of 720p video shot at 30fps. Shooting at 60fps obviously diminishes available recording time, so for those who endeavor to shoot for extended periods of time, investing in a high capacity(SDHC) card will be required. The unit supports up to a 32 GB SDHC card, which will yield 7 hours of 720p video. Pretty awesome for such a small machine. The 2.4 inch LCD display should be sufficient for users to mind what they are recording.

As for the audio end, available formats are: 44.1/48/96kHz 16/24-bit WAV (PCM). It is also possible to record in AAC format audio at 320kbps. As an added bonus, a limiter is included for when you need to capture ideas during those loud rehearsal sessions. Your recordings will always be clear and intelligible, no matter how many decibels the band hits.

The Zoom Q3HD is available now from American Musical Supply for just $299. Free shipping and the always appreciated 3 Payment Plan are available as well. Click the image for more information and to purchase.

What a great stocking stuffer for that special someone(or for yourself)!

The Amazing "Rock Ock" 8 Neck Guitar!!

How many guys does it take to play Crossroads an 8 neck guitar? Well.....8 of course! We've all seen double neck guitars before, but builder Dan Neafsey and artist Gerald Huerta(designer of the infamous AC/DC logo) felt that they could do much better than that.



This monster weighs in at a hefty 40 pounds. It features 154 frets and 51 strings distributed across the 8 necks. The range of distinct instruments featured is impressive:

• 6, 7 and 12 string guitars
• Baritone guitar
• Mandolin
• Eukulele
• 4 string bass
• 4 string fretless bass

For those interested in seeing this musical monstrosity in person, it will be on display at the Orlando Science Center in Orlando, Florida through the end of this year.

Gibson Guitar Purchases Stanton Group

As of December 5th, Gibson Guitar owns Florida-based Stanton Group, which encompasses a wide range of new products. The Stanton Group is comprised of:

• Cerwin Vega - a professional and home loudspeaker manufacturer
• KRK Systems - makers of quality studio monitors
• Stanton DJ - makers of turntables and other DJ equipment and accessories

Through this acquisition, Gibson has formed a new division called Gibson Pro Audio, and are poised to further expand their market share. “Right now we have an extremely powerful brand that people recognize, but the musical instrument category is inherently limited because people who (buy) instruments also need to know how to play them,”, says Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. He went further to say that the new audio division “expands our reach to fellow music lovers and allows us to access 20 of 20 consumers instead of the one in 20 we currently hit,”.

Gibson is currently involved in litigation involving alleged violations of international law pertaining to imported woods. Their Nashville facility has been raided twice in as many years. Gibson however flatly denies any involvement with such illegal activity.

A Tribute to Jaco Pastorius

Yesterday would have marked the 60th birthday of bass great Jaco Pastorius. The man was an inspiration not only to bass players, but to musicians in general. His approach to the instrument was truly one of a kind. He proved that the bass could singularly provide rhythm as well as melodic support within a song and not be overbearing. Every note, slide and chord that he played on his numerous recordings was played with a level of panache and soulfulness that had rarely been heard before. We celebrate the life of Jaco and what he contributed to the music industry and to the world.

Here is a clip of Youtuber Les July performing an awesome tribute to Jaco. Be sure to check out Les' Youtube channel @ http://www.youtube.com/lesjuly




The bass Les is playing is a Fender Squier Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz Bass. Surprisingly this bass sells for less than $300! It comes standard with 2 Duncan Designed Single Coil JB pickups, which give the bass a terrific tone. Right now, American Musical Supply is offering this bass for $274.99 with a $25 instant rebate. In my eyes this is a steal for such a good sounding bass. Click the image below for more information.


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