Reviews
Compact mixer The latest in the ZED range is a flexible and easy-to-use mixer, with good onboard effects and even more inputs than its name might suggest.
Hand-wired, valve guitar amps Blackstar Amplification look set to make a rapid transition from boutique manufacturer to worldwide brand, judging by the performance of these hand-wired, Class-A, two-channel combo amplifiers from their Artisan Series.
New releases • Mellotron: The Machine And The Musicians That Revolutionised Rock
• Stuff Good Piano Players Should Know
• Antonio Sanchez: Hudson Music Master Series
Speaker management system The DriveRack PX is the latest in the successful line of DriveRack speaker management processors from Dbx, and is intended primarily for use with powered loudspeaker systems.
Hybrid electric guitar Epiphone's latest lightweight Les Paul is a new addition to the hybrid market, offering electric and pseudo-acoustic sounds from one traditional-looking instrument.
PA system This highly capable, compact PA rig is designed so that you can use any combination of the components together, allowing the system to be suited to the requirements of the day. It's powerful enough to handle most small to medium-sized venues, yet is priced to be within reach of the typical gigging band.
Performance keyboard Does the new workstation from synth legends Kurzweil deliver what it promises?
Electro-acoustic guitar Family-owned Canadian manufacturer of high-end acoustics Larrivée combine clever construction and great aesthetics with the Fishman Aura Pro Imaging pickup system to bring you this stunning guitar from their Rosewood Deluxe Series.
Multi-purpose mixer How can Peavey equip such an attractively priced mixer with so many features, including dual programmable effects, feedback suppression, and direct-to-USB recording and playback? We take a look at the 24-channel model from Peavey's FX series.
Bass amp + cabinet With their indestructible build ethos, hi-fi approach to amp technology and innovative speaker designs, PJB have built quite a reputation in the bass amp world. We take a look at the M300 amp and one of the new Neo-Power cabs, the 8B.
Electronic drum kit Filled to the rims with many new features, the Roland TD-9KX heralds the next generation of electronic kits.
Acoustic instrument pickup Manufacturers of high-quality acoustic amplification solutions, Schertler offer a range of options suitable for acoustic guitar, including the new A-Dyn-Set, which comprises the A-Dyn contact microphone and A-Pre preamp.
Sound Advice
Tech Notes In previous instalments of Tech Notes, we have looked at some aspects of loudspeaker drivers, crossovers and amplifiers, but in many ways the most critical element of a loudspeaker design is the cabinet that holds everything together.
| | People + Opinion
Singer-songwriter She may have seven solo albums under her belt, not to mention Oscar and Grammy nominations, but Aimee Mann has spent much of her career in an endless round of creative battles with the music business. We talk to the singer-songwriter about her latest album, writing for films, and running her own record company.
Guitar virtuoso Since winning a magazine's 'Guitarist Of The Year' competition back in 1991, Dave Kilminster has been riding a veritable virtuoso rollercoaster, playing with some of the greatest musicians on the planet, culminating in his current role as lead guitarist for Roger Waters. We chew the fat with him about wearing Gilmour's shoes, why practice always makes perfect and the importance of good posture.
Unsigned + Signed Another diary entry from our anonymous Signed and Unsigned musicians.
Stage Gear Our monthly look at who's using what gear on stage.
Leader PM Editor Dave Lockwood looks back over the mag's first year.
Splash the cash! If you have any spare cash, the credit crunch might be a good time to pick up a bargain...
Vox Guitars Probably the best column in the world... Transcribed by Gary Cooper.
Tech That This month, we turn our attention to the drums and chat to top drum tech, Simon Jayes. As well as being the founder and manager of one of London's busiest drum companies, Simon has also somehow found time over the last few years to trot the globe with UK rock band Feeder and a slew of other top acts.
Technique
Projection In previous issues, we've looked at the basic types of stage lighting instruments available and how they work. But what if we're after something a bit more exciting? If so, then projection is an effective way of manipulating the light, allowing for a little more creativity.
DPA headset mics in action Another Candlelight Opera production for PM's intrepid PA correspondent provides the perfect opportunity to check out a set of DPA 4066F headband microphones in a demanding application.
An American tour diary No tour bus. No big rig. Just one man and his guitar, in a rental car, making his way across America from motel to motel. Welcome to the final instalment of our US tour diary.
Music Business
Deal Or No Deal? With music being consumed in a greater variety of ways than ever before, is the traditional business model still valid?
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