Los Angeles band, Folio first set up shop in late 2004. The four piece band combine alt-rock with classic new wave sounds -- a la The Killers, The Bravery, Interpol and others. The band consists of Brent Meyer (vocals,...
Denmark is home to more than just Lordi -- Danish audio company DK-Technologies has released the new MSD100C Loudness. It's a stand-alone unit designed to handle the issue of perceived loudness of audio signals. It follows...
The Electric Sitar is an intriguing instrument with a very distinct tone, and Mike Conroy just happened to have one lying around. His Rogue Electric Sitar is modeled after Coral Sitars which were popular in the 1960s.
Offsite Link: Visit El Fiendo's official website to hear Mike Conroy's surf punk band.
New York based band Firewater, built around former Cop Shoot Cop bassist Tod A., play what A. calls punk. But when you listen to the music you will find something different -- sometimes subtle, sometimes in your face --...
In part three of Bill Holland's Korg M3 exploration, Bill discovers the various ways you can control parameters on the Korg M3 and claims them for America. The methods are numerous including an X/Y joystick capable of...
With the release of Ableton Live 7, Defective Records Software's Major Malfunction 2.0 becomes available in a very timely fashion. Major Malfunction is an audio plug-in that allows you to control Ableton Live audio in...
The highly anticipated Ableton Live 7 software has become available. Now all the new, convenient features are available for your disposal including multiple automation lanes, more flexible time and tempo controls, an enhanced...
Galbanum is kicking off their plans for their Abstraction sample line with Abstraction 01. It is the first of an upcoming series of downloads of modern samples, loops, hits, and construction kits in all the major formats.
With the holiday season fast approaching, many children who don't know any better will receive their first ever Silvertone guitar. The guitars that now grace the shelves in Wal-Marts and Targets across the country were...
Offsite Link: Visit Silvertone's official website here for more information.
Hellbone, a Swiss industrial/metal band, is the brainchild of Reto Vollenweider. The band formed in late 2006. He describes the music as a "bunch of zombies making noisy experimental electro industrial rock." Vollenweider...
Chicago multi-instrumentalist Mike Conroy's guitar creation in this video deals with a Stratocaster that gets its jollies from looking like a Telecaster. Featuring a Telecaster shaped Warmoth body, Mike Conroy added an...
Offsite Link: Visit Mike Conroy's band Fiendo's official site here
In the last part of Bill Holland's interview with Koop, Oscar and Magnus tell of some of their live sampling secrets. They simply use the on board sampler in Apple Logic and play all of their samples live without any triggering...
SIMS Audio has released and began shipment on the PRIMUS a25, a 25 key MIDI/USB keyboard that also serves as a USB interface. A complete software bundle from Native Instruments is paired with it.
We've seen some strange instruments at Mike Conroy's so far, but he finally shows us a guitar that is only a guitar; the Epiphone Blues Deluxe. Mike has, however, modified his Blues Deluxe quite a bit. It now features...
Wendler Instruments has released the "MagPi" system, an extra passive piezo pickup made for archtop guitars with magnetic pickups. This extra pickup is non-intrusive and can be removed with no ill effect on the guitar.
We're back with the Korg M3, and Bill Holland demonstrates the touch screen X/Y axis control on the M3. First, he makes a beat capable of defeating Sly Stallone in an arm wrestling contest, and then listen to how the effects...
Mike Conroy of Fiendo has a collection of some really odd equipment including this Casio DG-20. Fretting down and playing sends MIDI information to create the desired note rather than detect a note as a MIDI pickup would...
Offsite Link: Visit Casio's official website here for more information.
The eStrap by Ned Steinberger is truly a contender for the coolest guitar strap technology ever. Essentially, the eStrap adds star power to your actual guitar -- or for those who aren't guitar heroes, allows you to control...
Offsite Link: Visit Atlantic Quality Design, Inc's official website here for more information.
Audio Warrior introduces Analogue Synthesizer, a collection of leads, bass, FX, and pads for Native Instruments KONTAKT. It's modeled after seven famous analogue synths that have been setting the course since the 60s and...
In part two of our interview with Swedish duo Koop, Magnus Zingmark and Oscar Simonsson talk about how they use samples tastefully in recordings. Most of their recorded tracks are pretty full with samples, but Koop fills...
At Decibel Festival, Jason Donnelly interviewed Yann Novak, an artist who creates sound art via field recordings with an Edirol R-09. In addition to capturing environmental sounds and experiences with the R-09, Yann also...
The Harmony H165 in this video is nearly 40 years old, but it's sounding as good as ever thanks to the maturing mahogany. Patrick Ogle talks about some of the pros and cons of the H165 (which he bought for less than $200.00).
Dreamchild have spoken to Gearwire about harps, basses, guitars and processors--all the elements used in making their music. The band produce a dark ethereal sound that borders...
Fred Mangan is the owner of Chicago's Electric Guitars by Fred Mangan where many of his own creations line the walls while captivating the imagination.
Fred has his cross-shaped Flying Organ in hand as he talks...
Offsite Link: Visit Fred Mangan's official website here for more information.
Frank Gerace and Cheryl Wanner of Boston's Dreamchild have released three full length CDs -- Gates to the Sea (now out of print), La Fée Verte and Lullabies for the Dead. Previously they took time to talk to Gearwire...
When Mike Griffin came to Gearwire studios to demonstrate Essential Sound Products cables, he brought acoustic guitar virtuoso Andreas Kapsalis with him. Andreas played with his unique two handed hammer-on style through...
The Korg M3 is a powerhouse of a synthesizer workstation. The M3 comes equipped with KARMA software, which is a sequencing program, and Bill shows us one way to use it while focusing on the on board pads.
Boston's Dreamchild (aka Frank Gerace and Cheryl Wanner) have released three full length CDs and have received critical acclaim nationally and internationally for their dark ethereal music.
If you're a Novation Nova, Supernova I, or Supernova II synth user looking for some new sound programs, it might be smart to commit the name of the Mig Music Nova & Supernova Basses, Synths & Pads Sound Collection to memory.
Mike Conroy is a Chicago musician in the surf punk band Fiendo and a multi-instrumentalist. Sometimes, Mike needs to play instruments that are simultaneously amalgamated like the Musiconic Guitorgan, a guitar and organ...
