Musical Instruments

Yamaha has evolved their near-field monitor line through the years—beginning with the “industry standard” NS10’s back in the 1980’s and arriving at the latest HS series today. The HS5’s are small, but they pack a lot of performance and value into their diminutive size. I had the chance to put them through their paces in my studio for a few days and found them to be a small dark horse that defied my expectations.

It’s always been a mystery how Behringer comes out with products that pack so many features but don’t break the bank.   The new U-Phoria line of audio interfaces does just that. With world-class pre-amps from MIDAS, these seem to be a no-brainer.

NAMM is BIG and LOUD. Along the way to giving you a sneak-peak at some gear that Best Buy is going to offer you, my francophone co-hort and I came across a few things that gave us pause, made us stop and look or were just … plain weird.

We dropped by the Fender booth to visit some familiar faces, listen to some guitars and amps and learn about some new products and promotions they’re planning for the coming year.

It wasn’t really until today that I saw something that made me literally stop and backup.    Zildjian is famous for its cymbals and has an artist endorsement list that goes on forever. These cymbals not only look different, but the display also encouraged you to listen to them through headphones.   I just had to see what this was all about.

I’m excited and grateful to Best Buy and Casio for asking me to cover NAMM for the second time!   I’ve been keeping tabs on all the rumours and sneak-peaks that have been popping up and it looks as though there are going to be a lot of interesting things to see and experience this year.   Stick around for the ride – it looks like it’ll be fun!

In June of 2013, Roland announced a revamp of their popular CUBE line of guitar amplifiers. The CUBE line has been around since 1978 and has been the bread and butter of many practice and recording sessions. Randy Rhoads, Joe Walsh and Ritchie Kotzen are some of the artists who have used the amplifiers in the studio and on stage.   Roland has been a solid brand in the music industry for decades. The CUBE line of amplifiers has a great history and has served many guitarists well. Of all the smaller practice amps out there, I have to admit that the offerings from the CUBE line sure look cool. From what I heard from them at NAMM, they also SOUND great too.

In the midst of all the blinking lights and touch-screens, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find some really beautiful workmanship. Not just injection molded plastic and brushed metal, but wood and other natural materials crafted into instruments that I’d be extremely pleased to handle and play.   A stop by the Tanglewood booth prooved to be one of those times.

Yamaha introduces a new category of mixers with their AG line. The AG03 and AG06 are hybrid mixing consoles and USB audio interfaces for web/podcasting, gaming audio, and music production. This new approach to mixers eliminates the need for software by putting all the control at your fingertips. 

Christmas time should be a time of joy and happiness for everyone – including the musician on your list. Let me tell you from experience, that coffee cup with musical symbols and that piano keyboard scarf are NOT what he or she will be happy to see on Christmas morning. Never fear, I’ve got some ideas from the Best Buy selection that will bring a smile to that muse’s face this December.