Thursday night, Judie and I had the chance to listen to Linkin Park through a specially installed JBL sound system at the Hard Rock’s The Joint. The concert was a celebration of the relaunch of Infinity by Harman and a celebration of a partnership between Linkin Park and Harman International. Read on to learn more and see Judie’s amazing pictures.
Ever since I got Amplitube it has become my go-to tuner. Whether I plug in or use the built-in mic on either iPad or iPhone, I always check my tuning in Amplitube before I get started playing – even if I am using another app! Now they have introduced UltraTuner, and it is the best tuner I have ever used!
Since my wife bought me the original iRig a few years ago I have been a huge fan of stuff from IK Multimedia, currently absolutely loving the iRig Keys Pro. Now they are heading in a different direction as IK Multimedia announces iRing at CES 2014. iRing is the first motion-tracking controller for iOS music apps and offers unprecedented control.
For most people ‘playing the piano’ is one of their bucket list items. For many kids – and parents – it means expensive lessons and disruptive trips to teachers, and often a non-stop battle to practice! JoyTunes seeks to make piano learning more fun with their Piano Dust Buster and Piano Mania apps for iPhone and iPad! According to JoyTunes: JoyTune’s Piano Mania and Piano Dust Buster 2.0 mobile apps teach users to play the piano through exciting game-like lessons that only take a few minutes each day. The unique program is so effective that kids can transition their skills…
I’ve recently attended Dell World, the newly private company‘s expo where attendees “gain insights into key industry trends, engage with industry visionaries, exchange ideas and learn how Dell is evolving to deliver the solutions of tomorrow.” Key words used during the conference were “Transform, Connect, Inform, & Protect”; amazingly enough, Dell managed to make the event interesting and fun.
While some folks express concerns about royalty payouts and business models, the reality is that people love Spotify because it allows them to listen to the music they want to when, where and how they want. And today they are announcing ways that even more people can enjoy the service, and an expansion of the free service for tablet users.
My favorite Sonny Rollins album is ‘The Quartets Featuring Jim Hall’, bought on LP in the early 1980s without hearing it – based on recommendations of friends and reputation of guitarist Jim Hall. It remains one of my favorite albums and is one I am listening to today as we mourn the loss of the jazz guitarist at age 83.
While Steely Dan is called rock or classic rock, their music is heavily layered with jazz and fusion elements and played largely by studio jazz players so it is often classified as fusion. As a result there is something for everyone – great pop hooks, rock groove, jazz harmonies, etc. Perfect fodder for an intense Lick Library instructional DVD! Here is the description: Tom Quayle is a leading force in the new breed of fusion guitarists and a respected educator. He goes through each track, in bite-sized pieces, breaking them down to show both the rhythm and solo parts. Tracks…
When I looked at the catalog of recordings from The Who, I mentioned that they were about to launch a ‘super deluxe’ version of their classic rock opera Tommy. Now that it has arrived, and I’ve had a few weeks to listen to it thoroughly, I wanted to check back. My thoughts? It is at once essential, solid, and throw-away.
Just over a year ago I reviewed iRig Keys, the 37-note multiplatform mini-key controller. It remains in constant use by either myself or my son! Now IK Multimedia is introducing iRig Keys Pro, featuring 37 full-size velocity sensitive keys, Lightning, 30-pin and USB cables, for universal compatibility with all models of iPhone, iPad, and Mac/PC. iRig KEYS PRO is a true “plug and play” professional-quality programmable MIDI controller designed specifically for making music on the go with an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC. It features 37 velocity-sensitive full-size keys for 3 full octaves plus one note — allowing…
One of the only annoying things about playing the guitar is tuning. I already use my iPhone as my primary tuning device since it is always with me. The Roadie Tuner on Kickstarter utilizes an iPhone app and pairs with a device via Bluetooth to automatically tune each string for you. The device will be $99 and releases soon.
Sometimes it is easy to be cynical and assume that young people are only seeking the quick and easy path to pop stardom – many are working hard to become the next generation of truly great musicians. Combining passion for the music with hard work and research, here are a few videos by one young guitarist you will definitely remember!
Ironically for someone who is a bit of an audiophile jazz purist, I hopped on the MP3 train way back in the late 90s and have been all-digital ever since. In the early days I used WinAmp … just like everyone else. Now we get word that WinAmp is shutting down before the end of the year.
There’s a saying that impact and influence are not measured by sales. While true for jazz, it also holds in the rock music world. Soft Machine was a creative psychedelic rock group founded by Robert Wyatt and toured with Jimi Hendrix. Wyatt went on to record some tracks while staying with The Experience that document his creative and influential style.
Back in 2010, as The Beatles catalog was about to land on iTunes, I looked through all of their major releases and some solo works. This week we celebrate the release of ‘Tommy: Deluxe Edition’ from The Who, so I thought it would be fun to step through their catalog and look at all of the major releases.
I have already posted the launch announcement and my first impressions, so it is time to close things out. And I really thought that the best way to do it was to highlight the five things I like best, that have kept iLoud at my side since it arrived. I have included a new hands-on video as well.
Earlier today I posted about IK Multimedia’s new iLoud Bluetooth speaker system. This is their entry into the portable speaker market, but with a twist – rather than just releasing yet-another Bluetooth speaker, they designed an audio system with musicians in mind. I have had a chance for a first look, and it is awesome. Check out my first-impressions video!
Over the last few years the Bluetooth speaker market has gone from non-existent to absolutely amazing. At GearFest we listened to a number of speakers that were loud, paired easily, and sounded great. Today IK Multimedia released iLoud, another of the cool products revealed at CES. iLoud brings the musician’s sensibilities and needs to the world of Bluetooth speakers. Here are some of the features: Loud and Clear The iLoud speaker is indeed very loud. In fact, it’s 2 to 3 times louder than comparable size speakers — a blasting 40W RMS of power. But iLoud is extremely clear at…
Every year we get newly discovered classics or hidden gems from artists, and while very often these are out-takes, cutting room floor scraps, and other ‘cash grab’ items … every now and then there is a real gem. ‘Looking For The Next One’ from the saxophone trio of John Surman, Mike Osborne, Alan Skidmore is one such gem.
Over the last week we’ve lost two visionary artists in very different musical genres; two men whose names might not have been household names and who might never have burned up the pop charts, but their impact was broad and far-reaching, and who will be sorely missed. Those men were jazz drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson and rock musician Lou Reed.
A quick search of past posts will reveal how much I love my SONOS system; I use it constantly. Now SONOS has announced the SONOS PLAY:1. The most affordable way to jump into SONOS yet, the PLAY:1 has two custom-designed drivers with dedicated amplifiers. Small but powerful, the $199 PLAY:1 is ready to rock your world. Get it.