Techy Stuff and Recording Gear

[Anderton]

Roland had a new box called Sonic cell, which is an interface and computer-based sound module. One of the big deals is that for live use, you can edit it on your computer, then take it to the gig in edited form without having to bring anything else.

[MikeRivers]

Roland had a new box called Sonic cell, which is an interface and computer-based sound module. One of the big deals is that for live use, you can edit it on your computer, then take it to the gig in edited form without having to bring anything else.I kept trying to get out of the guy who was demonstrating it how this was different from a keyboard synth (or even sound module) in which you could edit sounds and store them. I've been away from that side of music production for a while, so maybe the concept of editing with a computer is new, but sheesh, I had a computer editor/librarian program for my MT-32.

It does serve as a USB audio and MIDI interface, so you can play soft synths on your computer, but as far as I could tell, it doesn't include a host for a soft synth so you can get those sounds live (without a computer) that are derived from a few gigabytes of samples on disk.

What am I (or the Roland guy) missing? 'Splain me, Lucy.

[Anderton]

Supposedly you can indeed play with it away from your computer by storing what you need on a USB stick..with sticks doing 2GB these days for cheap, that makes sense to me.

I guess Roland sees it as similar to the Nord Modular concept - little box you program with computer, then take to gig - but putting samples on the USB stick seems to be the differentiating point.

[Anderton]

Here's something that piqued my interest: a recording system for acoustic guitar with a clamp that goes on the guitar's body. It wasn't set up so you could hear it, but the sE representative said that using the clamp didn't seem to interfere with the guitar's resonance.

By mounting the "mic stand" on the guitar, the mic is always positioned correctly, even you move the guitar. I've attached a bunch of pictures...the first one shows the whole shebang in its case, the second is a close up of the clamp, and the third is mic capsule itself (cardioid polar pattern).

[MikeRivers]

I guess Roland sees it as similar to the Nord Modular concept - little box you program with computer, then take to gig - but putting samples on the USB stick seems to be the differentiating point.So, yeah, it's just like a programmable synth that saves patches - only instead of synthesis, or sample player with a built-in sample set that you can tweak, it's got interchangeable samples.

Or so I thought until I read more about it. It just seems like a decent sounding sound module with an audio interface grafted on. I didn't get that you could save samples to the USB memory stick. What you can do is save a playlist of MIDI tracks and have it work as a stand-alone MIDI file player, good for backing tracks on a gig. Please fill in the details if I'm wrong about this.

Old bottle, new wine.

[MikeRivers]

Here's something that piqued my interest: a recording system for acoustic guitar with a clamp that goes on the guitar's body. It wasn't set up so you could hear it, but the sE representative said that using the clamp didn't seem to interfere with the guitar's resonance. I didn't see sE at the show. Was this one of your "secret meetings" you're always rushing off to?

Looks like a clever idea once you try it and get used to it, but I wonder how someone who loves his guitar (don't we all?) would take to a sound tech coming up to him before the show and saying "Here, let me clamp this on to your guitar. It won't hurt a bit." ;)

[percyexpat]

I've only found the Gearwire videos as a resource to see whats been shown off at NAMM so far but theres a few things that catch me eye. The Roland VP-550 vocals keyboard looks and sounds pretty nice but its a big keyboard for what it does. Bet it'll be pricey too. I don't really understand why they'd limit its features like that but anyway.

Also that Alesis drum pad thing looks sweeeet if the price is right :)

[Anderton]

I didn't see sE at the show. Was this one of your "secret meetings" you're always rushing off to?

sE was indeed not at the show; this product was sort of hidden away in another booth, and I was in the right place at the right time to get photos and a description. Sorry the answer is so prosaic :)

[Anderton]

I've only found the Gearwire videos as a resource to see whats been shown off at NAMM so far but theres a few things that catch me eye. The Roland VP-550 vocals keyboard looks and sounds pretty nice but its a big keyboard for what it does. Bet it'll be pricey too. I don't really understand why they'd limit its features like that but anyway.

Also that Alesis drum pad thing looks sweeeet if the price is right :)

I submitted my first 10 videos yesterday, they should be up soon. I did get footage of the VP-550 because even though it's not really a new product, I liked the demo a lot.

If you're referring to the Alesis Control Pad USB, I think we may have done a video at a previous show...in any event, the drummer in EV2 (the band I'm performing with these days) bought one a couple weeks ago and digs it.

[percyexpat]

I submitted my first 10 videos yesterday, they should be up soon. I did get footage of the VP-550 because even though it's not really a new product, I liked the demo a lot.

If you're referring to the Alesis Control Pad USB, I think we may have done a video at a previous show...in any event, the drummer in EV2 (the band I'm performing with these days) bought one a couple weeks ago and digs it.

Cool! Hopefully they'll be up soon by the time I get home tonight :)

Ooh yes that is the Alesis device I was referring to. Its listed at around 140 pounds here so that places it in Padkontrol territory (I have one of these). I'd be interested in a comparison between those units for drumming usability (drumability??).

The VP-550 did have some very nice sounds but it seems like a one (or two) trick pony. Could find a niche though I guess.