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Articles by Daniel Seah
Neural DSP issues statement on data breach affecting 3,300 Quad Cortex users
Neural DSP has issued an official statement on a recently uncovered data breach, which affects approximately 3,300 Quad Cortex users. READ MORE: Could the answer to mini pedal slippages be here? The statement was published on 24 April 2023, three days after the company noticed a security vulnerability on the Quad Cortex that “granted exploiters temporary access” to the email account it used to collect reports and logs from users of the popular floor modeller.
NAMM 2023: Eastman’s Juliet LA comes in a striking Celestine Blue finish
NAMM 2023: Eastman has introduced a new version of the Juliet electric guitar it launched at last year’s NAMM – the Juliet LA comes dressed in a striking Celestine Blue Truetone Gloss finish. READ MORE: NAMM 2023: The EHX Lizard Queen designed by Josh Scott is now available, for real Juliet LA keeps the major features of the original with a lightweight one-piece Okoume body that’s “sculpted for maximum comfort and playability” and an original offset body design by head designer Otto D’Ambrosio.
Walrus Audio rumoured to be working on ‘Fundamental’ pedal series
Walrus Audio is allegedly preparing a ‘Fundamental’ pedal series, according to images shared in online discussions. READ MORE: DOD Overdrive Preamp 250, Phasor 201 and Gonkulator review: welcome back, DOD Yesterday (27 March) a Gear Page thread shared an image of the alleged new pedals, supplied by user violentlydave, who claimed to have gotten hold of the image from a previous Reddit discussion thread.
Sure, Positive Grid’s new Spark GO is tiny – but why does it have AI?
Just like cell phones in the 90s, portable guitar amplifiers just keep getting smaller. Positive Grid’s new Spark GO is quite literally pocketable – but not only is it small, it packs AI features too. READ MORE: How a revolutionary new amp got me playing guitar every day again Spark GO is a five-watt pocket amp for guitar and bass, that doubles as a Bluetooth speaker, and triples as an audio interface.
1981 Inventions hints at new pedal, Matt Hoopes “working on something big”
1981 Inventions, the effects company of musician Matt Hoopes that became an overnight success with the acclaimed DRV overdrive pedal, has hinted that it is “working on something big.” READ MORE: JHS claims the Digitech Bad Monkey is “back in production” – but is it really? In an email sent out to newsletter subscribers, Hoopes informed 1981 fans of a final run of DRV pedals “until further notice” – the reason? Something brand new, it seems.
Max Martin on his approach to producing: “I don’t necessarily write a song to create a hit”
Azealia Banks Says She Was 'So F*****g Broke' She Was 'Sleeping In A Storage Space' When People Wouldn't Hire Her Banks went on to admit that she had an active hand in being ostracized, saying that she could be "a little messy." Rapper Azealia Banks reveals the …
Little-known songwriter files copyright suit against The Rolling Stones
Sergio Garcia Fernandez alleges that the Stones’ 2020 single borrowed melodies, chord progressions and more from two of his songs. Photo: Shirlaine Forrest / WireImage A songwriter has reportedly filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against The Rolling Stones, alleging that the band’s single, Living In A Ghost Town, “misappropriated” elements from two of his songs.
Gary Rossington, guitarist and last surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, dies at 71
Gary Rossington, the longest-serving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, whose slide guitar lines helped the rock anthem Free Bird take flight, has died at the age of 71.
Keyztone’s pickup-modelling pedal lets you turn single-coils into humbuckers (and vice versa)
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New 'leaked' images of Marshall Blues Breaker reissue surface despite the company previously denying their existence
New images depicting a Marshall Blues Breaker pedal reissue have surfaced online in an alleged leak, despite the company previously denying their existence. Multiple new Instagram image posts made by @luca.guitars yesterday (14 February) showed the alleged Marshall Blues Breaker Vintage Reissue, in its box, with its manual, on a pedalboard, and with its backplate removed.
Russia reportedly asks Roger Waters to speak about Ukraine arms at UN: “Perhaps he will sing to us, too”
Russia has reportedly asked Roger Waters to speak at a meeting it is calling with the UN Security Council on the matter of weapons being delivered to Ukraine. READ MORE: Roger Waters refutes “incendiary and wildly inaccurate” tweets by David Gilmour and wife According to a report from Reuters, Russian UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia stated, “Let’s see what he will say.
Russia reportedly asks Roger Waters to speak about Ukraine arms at UN: “Perhaps he will sing to us, too”
Donald Trump's Lawyers Reportedly Want Him to Blame Melania for Stormy Daniels' Payment to Avoid Felony Charges If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission. You probably haven’t heard the name Stormy Daniels for a while, but that $130,000 hush payment Donald Trump made to the adult-film actress in 2016 is still haunting him.
Anthony 'Top' Topham, founding guitarist of the Yardbirds, dies at 75
Anthony ‘Top’ Topham, the founding guitarist of The Yardbirds, has died at the age of 75. Topham, who adopted the name Sanderson Rasjid after joining the Subud spiritual movement, was reported to have passed away “peacefully” on Monday, 23 January, surrounded by family.
Fender VP hints at bigger future with analogue-digital guitar amps
Boygenius, comprised of Grammy award-winning Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker, has finally unveiled their long-awaited debut album as a trio, named the record. Alongside this highly anticipated announcement, the indie-rock trio also released three tracks off of the album, $20, Emily I’m Sorry, and True Blue, before the full album arrives on 31 March 2023.
Fender drops garage rock-inspired Gold Foil Telecaster, Jazzmaster and Jazz Bass for 2023
Fender has given the Telecaster, Jazzmaster and Jazz Bass the gold foil treatment this year – here’s a look at the three garage rock-inspired instruments. READ MORE: Warm Audio Centavo review – a faithful Klone that you won’t mind gigging According to the Fender website, these instruments were inspired by the “cult classic guitars” played by garage rockers of the 60s. Gold foil pickups tend to be lower-output, but can be surprisingly dynamic, responsive and harmonically rich. It’s priced at £1,219.
BOSS sharpens its Katana offerings with a 100-watt head, 2×12 Waza cabinet and updated Combo
A relative newcomer to the game, PRS has managed to join the likes of Fender and Gibson in the upper echelons of electric guitar legacy. Known for their superb playability, crisp and detailed sound, impeccable build quality and eye-catching finishes, Paul Reed Smith guitars are used all over the world by a wide range of players and are deserved of every bit of praise they get. But how did this one-man operation become one of the biggest names in modern guitar?
BOSS sharpens its Katana offerings with a 100-watt head, 2x12 Waza cabinet and updated Combo
BOSS has expanded its popular Katana amplifier range with a 100-watt head, a Waza 2×12 cabinet and an upgraded Katana-50 MkII EX. READ MORE: Wolfgang Van Halen and Matt Bruck on the future of EVH Gear: “Ed left us buckets and buckets of ideas” The 100-watt head (pictured above) brings with it the sounds and features of the series’ flagship Katana-Artist MkII combo, with five amp characters, five variations and five selectable Air Feel settings, plus a plethora of onboard BOSS effects.
Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, Ronnie Wood share tributes to the late Jeff Beck
Tributes, from some of guitar’s biggest names, have poured in for guitar legend Jeff Beck, who reportedly died earlier this week at the age of 76. The pioneering guitarist, who rose to prominence with 60s blues-rock trailblazers The Yardbirds, reportedly passed away on 10 January 2023 from meningitis. Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page sang praises of Beck’s talents in a tribute shared to Instagram, “Jeff could channel music from the ethereal. His technique unique.
PRS Guitars 2023: Modern Eagle V for Core line-up, New McCarty and DGT models, return of the Sonzera combo, and More
PRS gears up for a guitar-iffic new year. Image: PRS Guitars PRS Guitars has dropped a stacked 2023 announcement to kick off the year, with new and updated electric guitar models across numerous series – here’s what you need to know.
Catalinbread’s Formula 51 is a love letter to the Fender Tweed Champ
Catalinbread has announced the Formula 51 overdrive pedal, which pays homage to the late-50s iteration of the Fender Champ amplifier famously played by Duane Allman, Eric Clapton and Neil Young. READ MORE: The Big Review: Two Notes ReVolt Guitar – the ultimate multi-channel amp in a box?
Josh Scott reveals he was using an amp modeller on the JHS Show: "I'm leaving my tube amp for a Kemper!"
The jig is up; Josh Scott has revealed that the amp we’ve been listening to on the JHS Show was in fact a Kemper, and not the Milkman combo lovingly seated in the foreground during demos. READ MORE: Cause & Effects: How much snake oil are we willing to swallow as effects junkies? Scott’s love for the Kemper was the topic of the latest JHS Show episode, where he confessed that demos heard on the show were recorded with a Kemper Amp Profiler since 2021.
Tom Delonge shows off Fender Custom Shop Starcaster for Blink-182
Tom Delonge, who recently reunited with Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker in Blink-182, has given fans a first-look at a new Fender Custom Shop Starcaster that’s in development. READ MORE: Mark Hoppus says keeping Blink-182’s reunion a secret was a “burden” Delonge called the semi-hollow model the “Blink-182 guitar 2.0” in his Instagram post today (9 December).
Hainbach’s Fluss app is a granular synth and a ‘dream come true” for him
Hainbach’s latest collaboration with Bram Bos has arrived. Fluss is a granular synth and effects processor in app form that’s inspired by experimental composer Iannis Xenakis – Hainbach calls it a “dream come true” synth for him. READ MORE: Behringer Pro-800 finally gets an official 2023 release date Fluss is designed to “take simple sounds and create something beautiful from them” and the app does so with its three-voice granular engine, plus an interesting touch-based take on modulation.
Randy Rhoads Distortion Plus from MXR is coming out in 2023
A Randy Rhoads distortion pedal is set to hit store shelves in 2023, according to an Instagram post from the late guitar great’s sister.
Behringer’s Pro-800 finally has an official 2023 release date
Behringer finally has a release date for its hotly-anticipated Pro-800 polyphonic synth, which was first announced in 2020. READ MORE: Strymon BigSky Plugin review: A beloved reverb pedal stomps into the DAW as a formidable plugin While we got a first taste of the Pro-800’s sound capabilities in an Engineer’s Update shared last year, a new product video from Behringer, released today (8 December), takes fans on a more extensive tour of the instrument.
DigiTech hints at the return of the Whammy, says it's working hard to "get current pedals back out into the world"
Guitarists are still holding their breath for DigiTech and DOD’s first product announcement since being acquired by Cort (Cortek) in April 2022. On social media, the company has assured that it’s been hard at work with development. READ MORE: The Big Review: Manson MB-2 – the ultimate Matt Bellamy signature guitar? DigiTech’s Facebook page has offered some minor hints at what to expect when the famed Whammy-makers make a full-fledged return to product shelves.
Christine McVie passes away at 79: Tributes from Fleetwood Mac, Eagles, and More
The music world is mourning the passing of Fleetwood Mac singer-songwriter Christine McVie, who passed away at 79 yesterday (30 November) The musician’s passing was confirmed in a statement shared to Facebook. “She passed away peacefully at hospital this morning, Wednesday, November 30th 2022, following a short illness,” it read. “We would like everyone to keep Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredible human being, and revered musician who was loved universally”.
“We’re running on the inertia of what it was”: music execs suggest industry's fascination with TikTok is fading
The music industry’s fascination with TikTok could be fading, suggests a Billboard Pro report which found that music execs have been spending much less on the popular social video platform – is a major shift in how labels sign artists to follow? READ MORE: Voice of TikTok’s ‘Jessie’ text-to-speech feature speaks out on her voice being used to say offensive words With the power to seemingly , it’s understandable why companies were quick to jump on the TikTok bandwagon.
8 other listening analysers to check out after Spotify Wrapped 2022
If Spotify Wrapped 2022 hasn’t quenched your thirst for musical self-knowledge, here are eight alternatives that offer more insight into your listening and turn your favourite tracks into Pokémon cards. READ MORE: Beginner’s Guide: Everything you need to know about iOS music-making Instafest The newest kid on the music analysis block turns your top artists into an imaginary festival line-up.
See every US state’s most-searched guitar pedal brands
A new study from Pedal Haven has supposedly discovered the most-searched pedals in the US, and it includes a breakdown of the brands that are most searched for in each state. READ MORE: How to sound good when recording direct at home Said to be based on Google search data, the study crowns Electro-Harmonix as the most-searched pedal brand in the US overall, with the Big Muff makers being top-searched in 28 states.
Andrew Huang pits $2,000 Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field against his $10 Flip app as it arrives on Android
Andrew Huang is celebrating the launch of Flip on the Google Play Store with a comparison video that pits the $10 sample-based music app against the $2,000 Teenage Engineering OP-1. READ MORE: Elektron Syntakt’s latest update adds two new melodic machines, SY Swarm and SY Raw Not entirely meant as an ultimate showdown between instruments, the video dives into the features of both, comparing track count, track and bus effects, MIDI handling, automation, sequencers, interfacing and more.
Elektron Syntakt’s latest update adds two new melodic machines, SY Swarm and SY Raw
The melodic SY Raw and SY Swarm are the newest machines to join Syntakt’s arsenal of instruments, in a free 1.2 update from Elektron. READ MORE: Oberheim OB-X8 review: The triumphant return of a monumental synth series The two new machines are SY Swarm and SY Raw. These are both melodic instruments, but deal in different domains. SY Swarm is a digital machine and represents Elektron’s take on a supersaw waveform.
Mesa/Boogie’s Badlander 25 is lightweight, and as heavy metal as Rectifiers go
Mesa/Boogie has announced the Badlander 25 in head and combo configurations, delivering the brand’s signature high-gain tones in a more lightweight amp. READ MORE: “There’s three sides to every story” Dave Mustaine on 40 years of Megadeth, defying doctors, and a reunion with Metallica that almost happened Tonally, the Badlander 25 draws from the well of Rectifier amp design, which favours a tight low-end, aggressive midrange and rich harmonics.
Sequential Trigon-6 is the final analogue synth created by the late Dave Smith
The final creation from late analogue synth pioneer Dave Smith has been announced – here’s everything we know about Sequential’s Trigon-6. READ MORE: Oberheim OB-X8 review: The triumphant return of a monumental synth series The Trigon-6 represents Sequential’s take on the ‘three-oscillator-plus-ladder-filter’ analogue sound more often associated with Moog synth architecture.
Soundpaint 2.0’s Hyper Acoustic Legato could be a big step for realistic sampled instruments
Soundpaint’s 2.0 update introduces Hyper Acoustic Legato (HAL), which the company deems its “biggest leap” so far in sample technology and realism – and all this while the engine itself remains a free download. READ MORE: IK Multimedia Tonex review: The future of tone modelling HAL is presented as a new approach to polyphonic legato on virtual instruments; it aims to achieve greater realism with orchestral tones such as choir, brass and strings.
Kodama offers a first look at its ‘bit masking’ hardware synth, Mask-1
Kodamo gave fans a look at its upcoming Mask-1 polysynth during this year’s SoundMIT 2022 festival. The in-development instrument uses a ‘bit masking’ soundmaking method to create unique sounds. READ MORE: Oberheim OB-X8 review: The triumphant return of a monumental synth series According to Kodamo, Mask-1 splits a sine way into different sections before rearranging them into a final waveform, resulting in complex and harmonically rich waveforms well-suited for resonant filters.
Dave Mustaine teases new Gibson Explorer and US-made Kramer
Dave Mustaine has given fans a sneak preview of his upcoming Gibson Explorer signature range in a recent social media post – what caught the attention of eagle-eyed fans however, was what looks to be a USA-built Kramer in the background. READ MORE: Filter, tremolo, phaser, and more: Gibson’s revived Maestro brand launcehs five new pedals “The third horseman. My ‘Dave Mustaine 24 fret Gibson Explorer.’ One more to go,” wrote the Megadeth mastermind in his Instagram post on Saturday (12 November).
Four Tet goes on Twitter to seek out cracked version of Strymon BigSky plugin
“I bought it but you need to be online to use it and I can’t work like that,” Four Tet wrote in a tweet last week (4 November) hoping followers could point him in the direction of a cracked version of Strymon’s new BigSky plugin. Several users were quick to inform Kieran Hebden AKA Four Tet that the plugin only required him to be online during the activation, and that he could work offline provided he registered the licence to his iLok.
Don Lewis, electronic music pioneer and Roland TR-808 co-developer, dies at 81
Don Lewis, who created the LEO performance and served as a consultant for the Roland TR-808 and several other historic synths, has died at 81. Lewis’ passing was confirmed in a Facebook post yesterday (9 November) which wrote: “On March 26, 1941 / Don Lewis was born into this world / November 6, 2022 / He was born into eternity” At the time of writing, no cause of death has been given.
Eventide H90 features 10 brand-new effects and low-latency pitch shifting
Eventide has announced a successor to the H9 multi-effects pedal with the H90 Harmonizer. Its major features include 10 new effects and a low-latency technology for better polyphonic pitch shifting. READ MORE: Filter, tremolo, phaser and more: Gibson’s revived Maestro brand launches five new pedals The H90 is larger than its predecessor and comes with a revised control layout.
MacOS Ventura is here - music producers, don’t rush to upgrade
A new version of MacOS is here, and with it developers scrambling to get their software up to compatibility – it bears repeating: if you need to continue using your plugins, hold off on that Ventura upgrade for a few more weeks. READ MORE: IK Multimedia Tonex review: The future of tone modelling Pro Tools Expert has launched a rolling hub to keep track of major software developers and their progress in getting software to support MacOS 13. See the full hub here.
Covet's tour van stolen in Oakland mere days ahead of tour
Days before heading out on tour, math rockers Covet have shared that their van was stolen. READ MORE: Sunn O))) x EarthQuaker Devices Life Pedal V3 review: the ultimate drone-doom pedal? Band leader Yvette Young posted to Instagram yesterday (8 November), informing fans of their situation. “I can’t believe i’m writing this 4 days before tour in this predicament,” she wrote.
Peter Frampton on how schoolmate David Bowie influenced his musical journey: “The Kon-Rads made a huge impression on me”
Peter Frampton has spoken about how an early friendship with David Bowie led to some of his early musical experiences, when the two were students at Bromley Technical School, where Frampton’s father taught art.
Ted Nugent’s latest album was nearly named after “fucking cute” compliment he got from Donald Trump
Playing the Star Spangled Banner at one of Trump’s campaign rallies has left enough of a mark on Ted Nugent for him to consider naming his last album after a “fucking cute” compliment he received from the former President.
“AI is a big topic right now”: Behringer says its DAW is still “far out” from release, VSTs to arrive before
With over 50 synths in development, Behringer has its work cut out for the foreseeable future. In a recent livestream, the brand told fans to not hold their breath about the DAW it announced in 2020 dropping anytime soon. READ MORE: Best new mixing plugins, effects and VST instruments out this week On 16 October, Behringer held a livestream Q&A on Facebook to update customers on the status of its synths in development, the progress of its free DAW, and more.
Morley’s all-analogue multi-effects pedal is an all-star mix of the brand’s best circuits
Morley has entered the multi-fx market with the AFX-1 Analog Multi-Effects pedal. READ MORE: Vangoa VPPD-S Power Pedalboard review – a low-profile ’board with a built-in power supply, could this be the perfect compact solution? There’s no DSP to be found here, as the AFX-1 is authentically analogue with a fare of effects that include a switchless optical wah, distortion, stereo chorus, and echo.
Oddity3 faithfully emulates the ARP Odyssey with a Vintage knob for flavour
Oddity3, the latest version of GForce Software’s far-reaching ARP Odyssey emulation, has arrived, bringing with it nifty new effects, handy performance controls and a Vintage control for even more authenticity.
Watch: JJ Rosa plays Pandora and Give It Up on Harmony Home Sessions
In partnership with Music Matters 2022. JJ Rosa has made an appearance on Harmony Home Sessions for a stripped-back performance of two songs, Pandora and Give It Up. READ MORE: Vangoa VPPD-S Power Pedalboard review – a low-profile ’board with a built-in power supply, could this be the perfect compact solution?
Remute’s latest album, Generations, is for the Sega Dreamcast
Remute has returned with another album for game consoles with Generations for the Sega Dreamcast. READ MORE: How to monitor accurately in a bedroom studio The album arrives after Remute’s two other releases in 2022 for the Nintendo 64 and Gameboy Advance. This time, Generations is released on a special CD for Dreamcast systems, which you could technically listen to on a regular CD player though you would be missing out on some special visuals.
Boss Slicer effect returns as the compact SL-2 Slicer pedal
The slicer effect first introduced by Boss in the SL-20 dual pedal has returned in a more compact form with the SL-2. READ MORE: The Big Review: Fender American Vintage II 1972 Telecaster Thinline – the semi-hollow Tele gets ‘proper’ Wide Range pickups at last A favourite amongst musicians with a flair for the experimental, the Slicer effect chops up incoming signals and endows each particle with a fleshy attack for percussive, musical results.
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