Gene Simmons Accepts No Substitute
There is no one mightier than the God of Thunder himself, Gene Simmons. Check out the latest promotional videos coming out in 2012. Both videos feature the rock star himself telling you exactly why you need to own his signature model basses. Gene accepts no substitute. Should you?

Watch the Gene Simmons AXE-2 video

Watch the Gene Simmons Punisher-2 video

BOSS RC-30 Loop Station

Live looping has become an increasingly popular means of creative expression for musicians everywhere, and BOSS’ portable, affordable, and simple-to-use Loop Station products have played a pivotal role in the rise of this new type of performing. Now, powered by BOSS’ proprietary ESC2 DSP chip, the RC-30 and RC-3 Loop Stations offer looping musicians the most powerful and best-sounding tools yet available for recording and manipulating audio loops live and in the studio.

The RC-30 is housed in BOSS’ popular Twin Pedal chassis, just like the RC-20XL it replaces. New features include true stereo inputs and outputs, plus up to three hours of onboard stereo recording and loop storage, a marked upgrade to its predecessor’s mono I/O and 16 minutes of mono recording. Additionally, the RC-30 has a new dual phrase loop feature that lets users create and play two completely independent stereo loop phrases in perfect sync.

Included in the RC-30 is the LOOP FX feature that lets users process their loop recordings in real time, plus 99 memories for onboard loop storage and an LED memory indicator. In addition, a USB 2.0 port lets users swap and manage WAV audio loops with a computer. Holdover features from the RC-20XL include a mic input with phantom power, an AUX IN jack for connecting a portable music player, and a key selection of onboard rhythms, which now include real audio drum loops.

Cort’s CR250 Rocks the U.K.

The good people over at Play Music Pickup magazine took the CR250 for a spin. They raved on about the sound quality, playability and price. Although it may look like many other guitars on the market today, the Cort CR250 blows the competition away and we’re sure you’ll agree. Be sure to visit Paul Bothner Music today and test drive one for yourself. Besides being built to perfection, these guitars come equipped with pickups that deliver the utmost in versatility. http://www.playmusicpickup.co.uk/

Check out this guitar and more on our site or click the link for the official Cort site…

http://cortguitars.com/_webapp_3832384/CR250

Check out a video clip…

http://vimeo.com/29227755

The Fantom-G Experience

By Kyle Petersen

Roland’s Fantom-X was a fantastic machine. Its many features included a color-screen, 1024 awesome sounds, dynamic pads, a sampler, mic / stereo input and a really powerful 16-track sequencer which later was joined by the audio-track recording expansion upgrade, allowing you to record up to two hours of audio directly into the machine.

Very impressive specs.

The Fantom-G8′s features border on being ridiculous. As a keyboard player and producer, I wanted a keyboard that will deliver on the live side as well as in studio and the G delivers.

The new Fantom has twice the amount of sounds as its predecessor and all of these are fully customizable. In Live mode you can have up to 8 edited sounds layered or split across the keyboard (with its own mixer I might add…) so there is no problem with creating some insane performances. Also, in the Favorites screen you can have up to 16 customized patches per bank. There are 16 banks so ya, that’s 256 custom sounds setup in order and all at the touch of the dynamic pads for instant recall. In this mode you can even have your notes (text) saved into the bank to remind you of key changes, arrangements of songs etc.

Then there is the sequencing side. You have 128 midi / instrument tracks at your disposal PLUS an additional 24 tracks for audio recording. There are two separate mixers for the instruments and audio tracks.

The sound is captured via one of the Fantom-G’s many inputs. Your choices are the stereo in, a separate guitar or bass input as well as a mic input with phantom power! What’s even cooler is that each input has its own gain control. This Fantom has built-in multi-FX for your various inputs and proper FX routing. Roland has added pedal and amp simulations for the guitars and loads of FX for vocals. In Studio (project) mode you can have up to 22 FX inserts.

In terms of the playability of the Fantom-G, I think it is unmatched. Even in the non-weighted G6 and G7, the sensitivity is incredible and the tone of the stereo samples change according to the amount of force being exerted on the keys. Even the after-touch can distinguish between 127 different levels of applied pressure. That’ s crazy.

Last, but definitely not least is sampling. The Fantom-G is constantly recording what you are doing. Even when just playing freely in Single mode, it captures the last minute or so of what you played. All you do then is hit the Skipback Sampling button and your idea is turned into a sample ready for use in a new project. The sampler allows you to record up to 2 hours of audio when expanded.

The Fantom-G has too many features to put into this article but I will try and squeeze in just a few more. Ok, deep breath… on the Fantom-G you also have the following awesome features: A mastering suite, D-beam controller, USB interface, USB flash-drive port (for saving your work on the fly), 16 different dynamic pad modes, a massive 65k color screen, phrase inserts, 4 outputs, two expansion slots and even a choice of screensavers.

While the Fantom-G does not have a built-in CD writer, it really does have everything else and it’s still R30 000 cheaper than the Korg Oasys. Viva Fantom-G!

Pop in at our Paul Bothner Plumstead to experience the Fantom-G first hand.

 

Want to see what’s in store soon in the Cort range? Want to see how a Cort guitar is made? Cort gave unique access to a video crew from the United States to their two state-of-the-art production facilities. Included is a look at how one of their electric guitars are made, plus one in their acoustic guitar factory. Also check out the 2 minute version. See new gear and the tour by logging onto this url http://cortguitars.com/CampaignProcess.aspx?A=View&VID=9744555&KID=124873

Plectrum design

Thickness & stiffness

The stiffness of a plectrum affects both playability and tone and generally, the thicker a plectrum is, the stiffer it will be, and the faster attack and brighter the tone it will produce. Stiffer plectra will also feel more unforgiving (particularly for rhythm playing), but help the player develop a lighter, more dexterous picking technique. Some players like a thinner plectrum, but will control the stiffness as they play, squeezing it to curve the surface, making it stiffer for playing single note lines while allowing it to flex for rhythm playing.

Shape

The shape can affect the tone. Narrower plectrums produce a thinner, sharper tone with more attack, while wider plectrums give a smoother, warmer tone. Some unusual edge shaping can influence the tone too – such as with the serrated edge of a Sharkfin.

Size

Size is an important aspect of how the plectrum feels to the player. Larger plectra are easy to hold (and harder to lose!), but can feel a bit cumbersome if too large.

Edge

A bevelled edge on a thick plectrum makes it move over the strings easier but softens the attack. There are some plectra with rounded “stylus” tips which make picking in any direction sound and feel the same.

Surface

Many companies offer different grips (from raised lettering to perforations) that make it easier to hold on when your hands start to sweat. A rough surface at the edges of your plectrum will give a more percussive sound.

Materials

Plastic – The most common plectra these days are made of various types of plastic; nylon, delrin and tortex are three of the most common.

Celluloid – The world’s first plastic, was at one time the main material used for plectra. The flammable character of celluloid as well as a tendency to shrink and warp has led to its being largely replaced by other more stable plastics. Only two manufacturers remain, which has led to scarcity and rising prices, so it is mostly only used for some faux tortoiseshell these days.

Tortoiseshell – Used to be quite common but since a ban on their manufacture and distribution in the mid-70’s they are virtually impossible to locate. This is certainly better for the tortoises involved – although many older players lament their disappearance. Tortoiseshell plectra were noted for their high stiffness to thickness ratio, their exceptional durability (imagine using the same plectrum for years!) and their rich complex tone. They were also quite easy to reshape by sanding and filing.

Metal – Some players prefer the brash, bright sound that metal plectra offer. They can be made of copper, stainless steel, aluminium or even a coin (both Brian May of Queen and Billy Gibbons of ZZ-Top use coins)!

Other materials – Stone, Felt, wood, graphite and even exotic space-age materials have been used for plectra. They can offer unique tones or playability, but are rarer and tend to be expensive.

Selecting a Plectrum

The key to finding the right plectrum is experimentation. At first you should try as many different models as you can, making a mental note of which features you like on which plectrum and narrow it down until you get to the one you like the best. While most of us have a favourite plectrum that we prefer using, it’s usually a good idea to keep a few different models on hand as sometimes different styles of playing require a different plectrum choice and it can also be useful to keep a few handy for jamming partners.