Music

Eruption

Written by

Eddie Van Halen is one of the best there has ever been. This clip is from 1982.

Your first mix is often your best

Written by

Some great advice here. Watch the short video with Bruce Swedien, the engineer that mixed Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” — after 91 mixes, the version that went on the album was mix number 2.

Slayer fires drummer Dave Lombardo

Written by

Dave Lombardo:

“So that you all know the truth, as of the end of the business day on February 14th, I was notified that I would not be drumming for the tour in Australia. I’m saddened, and to be honest I am shocked by the situation.”

Traktor DJ for iPad

Written by

Touch your tracks, loop, scratch, and create stunning mixes in seconds.

The guys at Native Instruments gave me a look at Traktor DJ during my last trip to California and it is amazing. They worked on every little detail to get this app just right.

1982 Edward Van Halen Kramer Frankenstrat

Written by

This video chronicles the reunion between one of the world’s most prized guitars, one of Edward Van Halen’s Diver Down/1984 era Kramer guitars and it’s builder, master guitar builder Paul Unkert.

I want this guitar.

Iconic Ocean Way Studio sold

Written by

Bobby Owsinski:

Ocean Way has a long history in the music world. Starting as one of the first independent recording studios in 1957, the studio was called United (then later United Western) and was originally owned by audio pioneer Bill Putnam (inventor of the UREI line of audio gear) with the backing of superstars of the day Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.

Some of the best albums in the world were recorded at Ocean Way. I visited the studio a couple of times and it is an amazing place — I hope they keep it open, not only for recording, but because of its historic significance.

Toontrack Blues drumkit

Written by

The Blues EZX comes with two complete kits; a 1970s Gretsch and a calfskinned Swedish Levin set from the 1940s. On top of that, it features contemporary Paiste and Sabian crashes, vintage Zildjan A and K series cymbals as well as extras such as a suitcase and a set of calfskinned tambourines.

I love Toontrack’s drums.

FLEXeFX Guitar Pedals

Written by

I met the guy that’s building these during NAMM and I like what he’s doing. Go take a look at his ideas and support the project.

Top 10 recognizable guitar riffs

Written by

Pauline France at Fender.com

There are tons of guitar riffs out there, but only a few have become deeply ingrained and ubiquitous in pop culture. Our Top 10 Instantly Recognizable Guitar Riffs all have something in common: They’re the ones you can’t wait to learn how to play; the ones you catch yourself humming; the ones that are revered worldwide by musicians and non-musicians alike.

There are so many riffs to chose from — Pauline picked some good ones.

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Jeff Healey

Written by

You all know SRV, but you may not know Canadian guitarist Jeff Healey. He was an incredible talent. He was blind and died far too soon. […]

Charis acoustic guitars

Written by

A reader emailed me about these this morning and the workmanship in these handmade guitars looks incredible. I also watched the video clip on Bill Wise, the guy who makes them — definitely worthwhile if you have a few minutes.

Sound City is on iTunes

Written by

Directed by Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) and featuring interviews and performances by the iconic musicians who made their careers in the studio, SOUND CITY tells the story of real rock n’roll history, and celebrates the human element of music, as Grohl gathers some of rock’s greatest artists to collaborate on a new album. Using Sound City’s legendary analog console, together they continue to create musical miracles in a digital world.

This is an absolute must-have movie.

3 Monkeys Amps

Written by

These guys know what guitar amps are all about. You owe it to yourself to have a listen to these, no matter what type of music you like. Personally, I like the Zé Limited Run.

The new Line 6 guitar

Written by

With 29 incredibly detailed Variax instruments—plus the ability to virtually tune down a whole octave without impacting playability or intonation—JTV-89F shatters the limitations of traditional guitars. The Floyd Rose licensed double-locking tremolo system by Graph Tech, high-gain humbucking pickups and lightning-fast fretboard combine to make JTV-89F the perfect instrument for players of heavier, high-gain styles.

A modeling guitar with a Floyd Rose is very interesting.

Blackstar amps

Written by

I saw and heard this new series at NAMM and it was really interesting. They model different power valve responses, which is a really interesting way to shape the tone.

Wooden guitar straps

Written by

I talked to one of the guys doing these straps at NAMM last week and he said everyone had the same look I did when told they were made of wood. He said they were very comfortable though. As you can see, Santana uses one.

Sugarfoot RIP

Written by

Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner, front man of 70s funk group The Ohio Players, passed away over the weekend at age 69.

Ozone 5, Nectar AAX updates

Written by

I stopped by the Izotope booth today and got a demo of all the latest plugins, including Ozone 5, the company’s mastering system. New versions of Ozone 5 and Nectar, Izotope’s vocal suite are available as AAX native plug-ins from their Web site.