Cosimo Galluzzi
RMH
dirt enthusiast
will byers stan first human second
Jules of Nature
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
art blog(derogatory)
we're not kids anymore.
shark vs the universe
@theartofmadeline
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
blake kathryn
JVL
Discoholic 🪩
Claire Keane
Aqua Utopia｜海の底で記憶を紡ぐ
i don't do bad sauce passes
🪼
todays bird
Three Goblin Art
seen from India
seen from United States
seen from Singapore
seen from Cyprus
seen from United States
seen from Norway
seen from United States
seen from Poland
seen from Greece
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Canada
seen from Netherlands
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Türkiye
seen from Thailand
seen from Belgium
seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from Greece
@uniquesquared
NAMM 2017
A little over a week ago, a few of us here at UniqueSquared ventured out to the wild place called Anaheim, California to attend the 2017 NAMM show.
It was full of enjoyment, meetings and wonderful people watching, but most of all, it was jam packed with gear. Take a look at our photo album from our short trip out there. We could only capture so much of this massive convention, but believe us, it was amazing.
http://imgur.com/a/VIm5R
Top 5 Albums of 2016
Ah, 2016. Like a wayward puck at a hockey game, you caught us totally unaware and left us feeling battered, bruised, and more than a little violated. While 2016 might have been the year we collectively decided that mourning a gorilla was the height of comedy, it wasn’t all bad. Case in point: The music! The radical, game changing, awe inspiring, joy inducing music. And what is a year of music without a smarmy look back at the year that was, formatted for your reading pleasure in an easy to understand top 10 list? I’m Evan with Unique Squared! Join me as I make totally unqualified judgements against a year of albums and use a lifetime of musical snobbery to compile my top 5 albums of 2016.
5. John Carpenter- “Lost Themes II”
If the car from Knight Rider had a baby with a white business suit with shoulder pads, it still wouldn’t be as 80’s as legendary director turned musical magician John Carpenter’s latest album, Lost Themes II. Sure, 80’s revivalism is all the rage these day. Hell, your grandma probably has the Stranger Things soundtrack on vinyl. But John Carpenter, mad mastermind behind legendary movies such as Halloween and They Live, shows all these 80’s aping acts how it’s done.
Appropriately sounding like the soundtrack to a long lost 80’s slasher flick, Lost Themes II is a dark, brooding cacophony of synth and drum machines. But this is more than mere “Hey, remember the 80’s?” cash-in: These are dense, well built songs that wouldn’t sound out of place in the scene where the final girl has a showdown with a masker murderer. Fans of horror flicks and chugging synth grooves must check this album out. Wearing a Michael Myers mask is not required, but it does help.
4. AJJ- The Bible 2
Do you like your songs catchy and crushingly depressing? Then AJJ (or Andrew Jackson Jihad if you aren’t into the whole brevity thing) would be right up your alley. Combining punk folk aesthetics with reflective lyrics that wryly touch on themes of addiction, loneliness, and finding the courage to face tomorrow, all wrapped up in the band’s trademark flippant humor, AJJ has been carving out a niche for themselves in the world of indie rock. But the band’s latest release, The Bible 2, sees the band breaking free of their standard “punk, but with an acoustic guitar” bent, and expanding their sound, all while keeping their soul.
Incorporating fuzzed out guitars, tinkling pianos, and driving synth, The Bible 2 does not sound like your typical AJJ album. But with a fleshed out sound, the band manages to keep the sneering wit that made them famous (On “Terrifyer,” lead singer Sean Bonnette waxes poetic on being “Some days you’re Emilio Estevez/Other days, you’re Charlie Sheen”) while blazing a new trail sonically. If you like your darkly humorous storytelling indie rock with a pinch of pessimism and foot stomping, voice raising sing along hooks, The Bible 2 is not to be missed.
3. Yung Bae- Skyscraper Anonymous
The internet is a wacky place. After the rise of the pseudo-ironic music genre vaporwave, which was built around taking older songs and making them like super slow and adding some drum machines (don’t question it, just go with it), a branch-off genre sprung up. Called “Future Funk,” the genre was built around sampling funk and disco from the 70’s and 80’s, and using these samples to build lush, groovy tracks. In this niche genre, one of the preeminent talents was the California based Yung Bae. But with his first ever album, Skyscraper Anonymous, Yung Bae breaks free of this niche genre of a genre and manages to construct one of the most danceable albums of the year.
With 6 EP’s to his name, Yung Bae has had plenty of time to refine his distinct “80’s elevator music meets boom bap rap” sound. Skyscraper Anonymous sees the talented producer constructing feet tapping, head nodding bumpers that wouldn’t sound out of place blaring from a cherry red corvette as it speeds down a palm tree lined road. The album is filled to bursting with thumping bass, blaring horns, snappy drums, and rhythms that compel you to get out of your seat and get on down. Now free of the shackles of Bandcamp, the future looks bright for Yung Bae.
2. Vulfpeck- The Beautiful Game
Vulfpeck constructs grooves so buttery and smooth, you could smear them on toast. Following a string of EP’s, Vulfpeck returns with their special brand of infectious, jam band-inspired funk on their second album, The Beautiful Game. With a small army of squealing horns, groovy bass licks, and soaring guitars, this is an album designed to get you up and dancing.
With their offbeat sense of humor in tow (an entire song is themed around a heavily accented German woman discussing a mystical nightclub the band plays at), the band keeps things light and funky, churning out 12 tracks of foot tapping, head bobbing, shoulder shimmying happiness. It doesn’t rewrite the book, but what The Beautiful Game does, it does so well.
1. Bon Iver- 22, A Million
At the risk of sounding dramatic, listening to 22, A Million for the first time is like ordering onion rings and accidently being given both onion rings and french fries. It’s like the best feeling ever, is what I’m getting at. Indie wunderkind Bon Iver have made their name churning out quiet, guitar plucking indie folk that wouldn’t sound out of place in a quiet coffeehouse, but 22, A Million sees the band take a hard turn into sample based electronica, all while holding onto their folk roots.
Sure, on paper, that might sound like combining peanut butter and mustard, but it is a mix that works oh so well. Over jittery beats featuring samples pulled from the likes of Paolo Nutini and Fionn Regan, lead singer Justin Vernon’s soaring falsetto is twisted and pulled by machines, leading to an album that sounds simultaneously lush and warm, and totally alien. Songs feature snappy titles like “10 d E A T h b R E a s T” and “__45__”, and the album jumps like a caffeniated jackrabbit between quite and roaring noise. There’s no way to sugar coat it: This is a weird album. But while fans of the classic For Emma, Forever Ago might be turned off by the weird new sound Bon Iver has summoned, but ignoring this album is a grave mistake. 22, A Million is an album that simply must be experienced.
Top 10 Lights and Effects for Halloween
Throwing a Halloween party this year? Damn straight you are because you know everyone else can’t do it like you do. So let’s make sure you take it to that next level. We have compiled a list of the best lights to really bring out the party atmosphere for Halloween.
Black Light Bar - $149.99
If there were only two lights you bought for a Halloween party, the blacklight should be one of them. Easiest way to turn costumes into something really creepy, but don’t forget to clean your house beforehand. Black lights uncover almost everything. Don’t be a disgusting host.
See it in Action
BubbleTron - $99
Everyone loves bubbles. Well, not really, but if you don’t you probably hate Halloween anyway. Lighten up the mood from the harassment of witches and ghouls with a lovely shower of bubbles. It will bring you right back to your childhood just before that Clown scares the shit out of you. Bubbles. Feel like a kid again since you can’t go trick or treat anymore.
See it in Action
Color Burst LED - $69.99
If you’re throwing a house party, more than likely one or more of your walls are not that wide. That’s where the Color Burst LED comes to the rescue. It will put a very nice wash of changing color on those walls for less moolah. Let’s not underestimate how far a good wash light can change the mood of a party from lame to fame.
See it in Action
Micro Royal Galaxian Laser - $149.99
Lasers are just frickin’ awesome. They add a very three-dimensional feel to the room without really doing much. Set it up to project on a wall, turn on the sound activated mode and voila! You are set. With the built in microphone this Royal Galaxian will respond to your music in real-time. Be a part of the 21st Century and get some lasers for your damn party.
See it in Action
Hurricane 700 Fog Machine - $64.99
Halloween night is always portrayed with an eerie fog in the movies so why not bring that element to your party? The Hurricane 700 is perfect for homes and small venues. Fog is a necessity for a Halloween party and honestly, every other day of the week. Fog is fun. Plus, if you use this along with a laser, you’re about to witness the best light show you’ve ever seen inside your house. Do yourself a favor and bring the creepy fog your party deserves.
See it in Action
Mini Strobe - $24.99
The strobe light is the quintessential party light. This is the other of two lights you must buy for your party. Black lights are cool and all, but the strobe light is known for it’s outrageous party behavior. If you throw a party and someone doesn’t drop into a seizure, you’re doing it wrong. The strobe light is the first step into the right direction.
See it in Action
SlimPAR 38 - $79.99
Say you want a nice wash light atmosphere going on in your house, but you really don’t want an entire wall of light happening. Go no further than the SlimPAR 38. These suckers fit perfectly into the corners of your room and instantly create a pillar of light. They are very classy and easy to setup. Equipped with a mic, they will also change color to the beat of the music if you so choose.
See it in Action
Now that we covered the minimum essentials of lighting for your Halloween party, let’s get into the serious stuff. The effects and lights that true party people are looking for. These will take you to the next level of party status. Or they will just be over-kill. Depends on how you really want to look at it. We will let you decide. Go big or go home, right?
Hurricane 1800 Fog Machine - $299.99
Let’s say you have a big ass house or you’re a madman that wants to see how much fog it takes to set your smoke alarms off. The Hurricane 1800 is the machine for the job. This thing is pro. You will find these on stages at your local venues and they will pump the hell out of your room and house with fog. Beware, I am not kidding. It’s a beast. Go for it and enjoy. YOLO? Ugh, forget I said that...
See it in Action
COLORstrip - $199.99
Another wonderful wash light, but this one will cover some serious surface area. Got large walls that just look silly with nothing on them? Add a COLORstrip to give it a little flavor. Especially if you have other small lights around the room, this will really make those large walls of your massive crib pop. You bought that big house to host parties, entertain and show-off. Don’t look like a chump with some weak-ass lighting.
See it in Action
Geyser Jr - $299.99
Definitely not a necessity, but if you really want to step up your game, get the Geyser Jr. Let’s say you’re ballin’ out of control with this party and you have a karaoke setup going. You put the Geyser by your singer and BAM! It will be the illest karaoke show you’ve ever seen. This thing shoots up a stream of fog with multi-color lights that fall nothing short of professional. Imagine what it’s like when you see steam shoot up from the sewer grates, but instead of being disgusted, you just say to yourself “That’s dope”. The Geyser Jr will make that happen.
See it in Action
Thank you for reading our blog on the top 10 lights for your Halloween party and really any house party you want to throw if we’re being honest. Check out our entire catalog of party lights for your next shindig over at UniqueSquared.
Blink 182 - California
So there is a new Blink album, huh? A half-bred afterthought of the once respectable music group desperately attempting to hold on to the past 20 years of collaborations. Yes, I heard - unfortunately.
Blink-182 has always had a history of curtailing big releases with small side-projects which can be hit or miss. When Mark and Travis collaborated on a project together outside of Blink-182, they called it +44. Tom has done the same with other side projects including Boxcar Racer and Angels and Airwaves. With so many side groups and solo projects put forth by the incestual trio, it’s a wonder why the name Blink-182 was still applied to what appears to be another side-project dis-including a main member of the group. If Tom is done with Blink, then Blink is over - because the over-produced pop-punk atrocity called California has a sound more remnant of Simple Plan or New Found Glory than any light hearted no holds bar teenaged butt-kicking goodness that the first albums brought.
However, perhaps that is just it. These guys are 40 years old now and seem to have done everything they could to try and not progress with times or even themselves for that matter - persistently shoveling out lyrics that talk about being sad in your bedroom and how girls are so tough to deal with. In the spirit of the new Blink album, I could continue this post by simply copying and pasting the first paragraph again here, as that seems to be the way songwriting was approached in this album - and in parts where the same lyrics are not being repeated over and over, they have been replaced with uninspired “na na na na na’s” which seem to repeat indefinitely.
The one true constant from California is the impeccable drumming (as always) from Mr. Travis Barker. However, the schizophrenic jeckyll and hyde song structure will have you guessing which band you are listening to by track 2 (this is maybe a happy accident for Alkaline Trio fans). A half Blink182 half Alkaline Trio spawn which serves to only perpetuate recycled chord progressions of decades past- when this music was actually fresh and differentiating.
In short, I’ll still be more than happy to build a pool to see some naked dudes, but as the album so perfectly sums itself up - there is something about this Brohemian Rhapsody that I just can’t stick my finger in.
Sincereley,
Keifer Northerland
First Impressions - Dirty Heads Self-Titled Album
Ever since I first heard the single “That’s All I Need’ I have been counting down the days to this new Dirty Heads album. Their first album, Any Port In A Storm, was a gigantic breath of fresh air in what was becoming a stagnant music scene to me.
If you can’t already tell, I have high hopes for this album. I am hoping for a Any Port kind of vibe, but we’ll see how it goes. Sound of Change fell flat on my ears, so fingers crossed as I listen to the new album Dirty Heads.
Other than “That’s All I Need”, this will be my first time hearing the entire album and will document my thoughts as I listen just with my previous Chevelle review.
Track 1 - That’s All I Need - This song has been out for a while now and I have been playing it constantly. Reminds me of the beginning days of The Dirty Heads which makes me very happy. 5/5
Track 2 - The Truth - Love the reggae feel of the song and all the background instruments, but I don’t really like the chorus vocals. Specifically just when they sing, “tell me truth”. The rest of the chorus isn’t too bad. The selective playing of the bass player in the verses really adds another dimension to the song. Not a fan of the rap part. Doesn’t quite fit the song in my opinion. 3/5
Track 3 - Doesn’t Make You Right - This one sort of has a Macklemore feel to it. Not sure how I feel about that. Really like the piano on this one. The pre-chorus is the best part of the song to me so far. The raps in this song are good. I feel like they are getting a little more rhythmic with their lines than in the past. Definitely hear some Beatles influence in this one, especially in the end. 3/5
Track 4 - Feeling Good - This one is hard for me to understand. It gives me a bit of a feel good groove while also making me feel like its depressing. Really hard to explain. I don’t like the background vocals during the chorus, its a bit distracting for me. They kinda clash to my ears. Love the Leslie effected guitar riff. 4/5
Track 5 - Under the Water - So much bass. Love it. This one has a great groove that I can just bob my head without even thinking twice. So far my second favorite on the album. 5/5
Track 6 - Too Cruel - Wasn’t expecting the rap part to be as hard as it was, but it worked and the chorus is a great break-away from the hip hop vocals. That’s the Dirty Heads though. They know how to mix hip-hop and pop with the best of them. And then comes in the filthy rap I was waiting for. That’s the Dirty Heads I remember. 4/5
Track 7 - Oxygen - This intro is very promising. Big fan of reggae organs. Vocals go very well with the style of this song. They are a bit different from the rest. Almost like they purposely changed the way they sing just to fit this song. This is now my next favorite on the album. 5/5
Track 8 - Red Lights - Hmmm, another slow tempo song. I know that’s part of the Dirty Heads, but I am really hoping for a faster song soon. This one is a bit too much like “Oxygen” in my opinion. Not sure putting it right after in the track list was the best idea. 3/5
Track 9 - Smoke & Dream - Is there auto-tune on the vocals? This is not the Dirty Heads I am used to. This is definitely the most different song on the album in my mind. It also feels a bit poorly put together and written. A bit lazy in my mind so far. Oh man, now it kinda went into a trap feel. Was this their attempt at creating a song that was part Justin Bieber and Fetty Wap? I was half expecting Lil’ Wayne to make an appearance in this one. 1/5
Track 10 - Moon Tower - This is more like Dirty Heads. Not sure what was up with that last song. Although, this one is having a hard time keeping my attention. Would be perfect for background music. I am a little nervous for the last song. I hope they end on a high note and not in the gutter. 3/5
Track 11 - Realize It - This is pretty good song to end on. Same simple formula as the rest of the album - verse, chorus, verse - rap, sing, rap - But it works. The instrumentation behind the verses is very interesting. The spacey interlude is a really nice change too. Brings some life to the structure. 4/5
Final Thoughts
Even though I was really hoping for another album like Any Port in a Storm, this one didn’t disappoint me too badly. There was that one song that was just not good, but it was still good. A well mixed album consisting of just enough parts Cabin by the Sea and Any Port.
I hate to say it, but this album will be a great one to just turn on at a party and leave in the background. Great grooves and beats that it would definitely keep the ambiance on a positive note.
Overall I give it a 4/5. I was hoping for more up-tempo songs, but at least there weren’t a ton of just slow acoustic songs. Like I said, a good mix of the first two albums.
Flea Signature ‘61 Jazz Bass
If you ask me, it took way too long for a company like Fender to give a man as incredible and unique as Flea his own signature bass, but that’s none of my business. The funk and soul of Flea’s abilities come to life just by looking at this bass. It has so much character that only a person like Flea could unlock it’s true capabilities.
Flea is undoubtedly deserving of this honor and I couldn’t be happier about it. After watching the video that introduces the new Jazz Bass, you really get a grasp of the down-to-earth, compassionate person that is known to the world simply as Flea.
Flea was given his Shell Pink ‘61 Jazz Bass as a gift from a fan and has said “it’s truly the greatest bass i’ve ever played”. He used it exclusively on Stadium Arcadium and The Getaway. Fender have done an amazing job recreating all the scuff marks and chipped paint, as well as the shell pink color which is extremely rare all to itself. To top it all off, there is custom Flea artwork on the neck plate.
Flea has influenced an unimaginable amount of people around the world to pick up an instrument and play. Music is a universal language and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are no strangers to every corner of the Earth. They have gone through huge ups and downs as a band and have come through stronger than ever.
Their new album, The Getaway, reminds me just how inventive RHCP can be and shows that they are not going anywhere. Music is in their blood and they are ready to bleed themselves dry before hangin’ up the towel.
First Impressions - Chevelle “The North Corridor”
Chevelle is a band I like. I really liked them during the Vena Sera era, but I kind of lost touch with them in the albums following. Don’t get me wrong, there were some strong songs on Sci-Fi Crimes and Hats Off to the Bull, but La Gárgola fell short for me. None of their albums really touch on the quality of production and song writing that I got from Vena Sera, in my opinion. It was such a hard hitting record and they didn’t seem to even try to come close to that again. I have high hopes for The North Corridor.
I have not listened to the album yet, in fact, I had no idea they even released a new album until yesterday. I was saving it just for the purpose of this blog.
I will be writing my thoughts as I listen to the songs for the first time. If you care at all, here are my own shitty thoughts on the new Chevelle album.
Track 1 - Door to Door Cannibals - Starts out strong with that patented Chevelle guitar riffing tone and the bass is heavy like Vena Sera. Extremely reminiscent of old Chevelle. There is no doubt they are really sticking to their roots. Solid beginning to what I hope to be a great album. I hear aspects of “Still Running” and “Hats Off to the Bull”, two songs I really dig from Chevelle so there is no doubt I like this song. 4/5
Track 2 - Enemies - Eh. I personally am not a fan of the double time drum beat, that last throughout the whole damn song, but that’s my problem. Song drives hard, but lacks anything really interesting to me. I could do without this one. The addition of the radio EQ’d talking vocals also seemed like an afterthought just to add something different to the song. Next. 1/5
Track 3 - Joyride (Omen) - Reminds me of “The Fad” off Vena Sera. But then there is a lot of guitar going on in the pre-chorus which is a bit discomforting, but it’s a good lead up to the chorus that hits really hard. Pete must have gotten a new wah pedal, it’s been in every song so far. Doesn’t disappoint with the bridge of this song either. 4/5
Track 4 - Rivers - Intro tricked me. Love the syncopation in the second half of the verses. Not a big fan that they went back into the intro/verse feel, was hoping it would be a one off, unique thing that started the song out. More wah. Good breakdown. 3/5
Track 5 - Last Days - This song is really interesting. Has that patented Chevelle guitar riff going on in the chorus, but Pete’s vocals are Deftones-esque. This song is going to grow on me. More wah. 5/5
Track 6 - Young Wicked - Starts out with wah. He loves that pedal. So do I. The sync between all the instruments in latter part of the verse is great. More wah. Children yelling came out of nowhere, not sure I really like that. The wah is all over this song. Wonder if this was the first song he wrote when he got the new wah pedal? That’s besides the point. Heavy song, has great rhythmic elements throughout. 4/5
Track 7 - Warhol’s Showbiz - Starts out weak to me, but grows into this huge chorus that really takes the song to a new level. Another one that creates distraction with guitar until the heavy-ass chorus comes in to melt your face off. The single note semi-feedback really keeps me from focusing on the vocals in the verses. Of course, more wah in the breakdown. It’s all over the place. The bass is killer in this song as well. 4/5
Track 8 - Punchline - This might be the most non-Chevelle sounding song I have heard Chevelle write. I am pretty sure it starts out with a distorted didgeridoo, similar to Incubus’ “Redefine”. Then they throw in some electronic drums with a very 30 Seconds to Mars type beat, Pete’s vocals are much lower than normal, this is all so much to take in but I love it. It only gets better too. Even more experimentation happens throughout. Eastern world instruments, droning vocals, nice harmonies. Would barely know this is Chevelle if I heard it outside of this album. 5/5
Track 9 - Got Burned - Hmmmm, this guitar to start the song is a little too much like Ozzy’s “No More Tears”. It’s pretty much the backbone of this song as well. At least it’s a catchy riff, but still. Come on guys... More wah. Even though there are similarities to the Ozzy riff, the drum beats really bring the song to life, especially in the chorus. Not sure how they did it, but Pete’s guitar sounds almost synthesizer like towards the end of the song. Me likey. 4/5
Track 10 - Shot from a Cannon - Before I even start this song, I have to bring notice to the fact that it is eight and a half minutes long. I think it’s safe to say the longest song in Chevelle’s catalog. Let’s begin the critique. I hope its not some long ballad... Definitely doesn’t start out as a ballad. Has a lot of Zakk Wylde type of guitar feel to me. Pete’s vocals kind of leave something to be desired. Beeefy bass guitar. This is turning out to be the heaviest track on the album. I can dig it. Wah everywhere. I mean, in all honesty, if it’s all over the rest of the album, how are you not gonna go balls-to-the-wall with it at the end of the album? Six minutes in and it’s starting to feel like Pete just really wanted to go HAM on guitar until the song ended. Reminds me of jamming with my friends when we don’t know how to end a song so the guitar player just solos forever until everyone else gets bored. Even though the song registers at over eight minutes, the actual song itself is maybe 4 1/2 minutes then it goes into the guitar “solo” for about 3 minutes and the song ends with a bunch of noise. Overall not bad, the heaviness saved it for me. 3/5
Final Thoughts
I am actually pleasantly surprised by this album and it has restored a little faith I have for Chevelle. For a minute I had a feeling they were becoming the Weezer of hard rock. Putting out albums just for the sake of it and not really doing anything new.
Thankfully, just like Weezer’s last album, they have proved me wrong. Sure, it’s overall another hard rock album from Chevelle, but it’s so much more than what they had put out in their last two albums. To my liking, it is also the closest any of their albums have come to the production quality that can be found on Vena Sera.
With the exception of “Enemies”, I will be revisiting this album over and over again. I like it that much, but let us all hope it will stand the test of time and repeats. 4/5 Would listen again
Our custom Gravity plectrums have arrived!
Summer NAMM ‘16
Hello everybody!
Summer NAMM 2016 happened in Nashville, TN this past Thursday and UniqueSquared was able to sneak past security to take a few snaps of the products on display. Instead of boring you with my words, browse through our photos to get a glimpse of what was on the showroom floor for Summer NAMM 2016! Thanks!
Electro-Harmonix Key9 Demo and Overview
A couple weeks ago, I was able to get my hands on the Electro-Harmonix Key9 and do a little noodling with it and eventually made a video with a few demo sounds from it’s nine settings. Now, I am not a piano man by any means, so the historical significance of a few of these sounds go way over my head, but as a guitar player, I was thoroughly impressed by this pedal.
Just like the other 9 Series pedals from EHX, this one is super easy to understand and you can dial in impeccable sounds right out of the box. One thing I usually find with pedals that try to emulate other instruments is that they tend to offer too many settings and it just gets complicated quickly. Above all else, they usually don’t sound near as good as the EHX 9 pedals.
The more I got to mess with it, the more aware I became of it’s little nuances to each setting. Some I was able to strum a chord and it tracked perfectly, others not so much, but I figured this would happen. Some of the settings are not meant for full guitar chords to be played on them, it’s not their purpose. But not a single setting had trouble tracking any riffs I was playing. Granted, I am no Steve Vai so playing too fast for this thing was most likely not going to happen on my watch.
Steel Drums is by far my favourite sound out of this box. It was very realistic to me and it just sounded gnarly. Mallets came in a very close second. I don’t feel the need to go through every preset here, that is what the video is for, but I will say the one thing I would have changed, or modified more, are the control knobs. I feel the need to say it one more time, I am not a piano aficionado so these knobs may have done their job perfectly, but to me all they seemed to do was make the majority of the sounds go into phaser mode. Every time I would turn them a little too far to the right it would sound as though I put a Phase 90 into my chain.
Either way, this thing is amazing. I am sure it was done to the specifications of each instrument as they were originally created so I can’t fault EHX for my idiocy. This is a blast to play and I recommend picking one up to anyone who thinks adding piano sounds to their material would benefit them. And you don’t even have to learn how to play the piano!
Pick yours up today from UniqueSquared!
Radiohead
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet.
This kinda freaks me out, but also makes me want to learn how to dance like this.
SOUNDPROOFING AND SOUND TREATMENT DOWNLOAD AS PDF Hello Black Leaves of Envy, I read the news story and watched your great video and in it could see glimpses of your garage practice space. With its...
In high school, I was in a loud, crappy punk rock band. We were stuck using garages, basements and bedrooms for practice. Luckily most of our neighbors were cool and we never had to deal with any backlash about noise.
Saw the Foo Fighters’ essay about soundproofing to help Black Leaves of Envy and thought we would share it too.
I mean come on, music sounds better loud.
Rock on!
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet.
This is absolutely mesmerizing. How is this person so good at drawing straight lines with icing?
I have a belt that holds up my pants. But my pants have loops that hold up the belt. What's really going on down there? Who's the real hero?
Mitch Hedberg
The Beatles. Yes, The Beatles.
Last week, on Christmas Eve of 2015, The Beatles finally released their music to the streaming music communities across the globe. Now, I am sure there were copyright issues and royalty discussions that delayed the release of their catalog blah blah blah, but that is not what I am here to talk about. I want to talk about how polarizing this band is and how I had no idea there were people that truly hated The Beatles. Also, maybe a little life philosophy.
Growing up my father and mother both loved The Beatles. The White Album and Abbey Road were always ready to fill our house with musical harmony at the drop of a needle. And later, at the shot of a laser. Thanks CD's!
Through this brainwashing as a child I grew to love The Beatles along with all of my parents other favorites like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Steve Winwood. Don't even try to trash Winwood, you know you can't help but sing along to the chorus of Higher Love when it comes on.
I digress. As I grew older and my musical tastes changed I stopped listen to these bands and started my own collection. Starting with Green Day's Dookie. You can kind of see what direction my music interests took from that. Anyway, even with my "punk" roots whenever I got in my dad's car it was usually some sort of classic rock and of course The Beatles. I couldn't escape it and I loved it.
Obviously we all take on our own personality when it comes to the music we like and trash everything else, but lets be real. You usually love some of it at heart and you just wanna look cool. Well, that takes me to when I finally met other people in college and saw how different things could be.
Not once in my life had a met someone that hated The Beatles until I got to college. It was a shock. I couldn't grasp the idea of it. The only thing that made it worse, was that the first person to voice their hatred of The Beatles to me had Third Eye Blind as their favorite band. Semi-Charmed Life my ass. Although, that was one of the first songs I learned on guitar.... Anyway.
This person loved pop music. He never denied that The Beatles were basically a boy band of their era, but still had little respect for them. He had a couple songs he didn't mind, but for the most part cringed at the thought of listening to The Beatles. To this day, I still can't understand it. To show so much interest in similar types of bands, just decades later, blew my mind. I was in my early twenties when this encounter first happened so I handled it appropriately. Telling him he was stupid and that he was wrong for hating them. I was a very judgemental person.
As I grew older these encounters happened more frequently than I expected. At first I reacted the same way with angry stares and not-so-kind words, but I grew up. I am now 30 and with the release of The Beatles catalog on services such as Spotify and Apple Music, I heard all the same vile words about The Beatles all over again. But this time I would respond with a smile and "to each his own".
I can't make people like The Beatles. I have accepted that and it has become so very freeing. I can finally not get all bothered when people use such unspeakable words, but that's a part of growing up. This post may have started out about The Beatles, but what I really wanted to get at was that we all need to learn to accept everyone's differences.
So what if people don't like the same music we do? Big deal. It's time we embrace the differences in musical tastes we all have. We might actually be exposed to other bands and artists we have never heard of and actually like it! All-in-all I'm just saying, less hate more love. It can span further than music too if you really want it to. It could potentially improve your life and relationships, but I am no professional so don't hold me to that.
Also, I like Nickelback. Deal with it.
What are the Best Subwoofers in the World?
To a performing DJ, a subwoofer is either something you have or something you don’t. Rarely does a Dj find themselves in a situation where they need more bass in their music, since it seems to travel across the room and through the bodies of people in the crowd. Just adding one of them to your regular PA system makes a huge difference that can literally be felt. They can be expensive and heavy, but typically 1 of them is good enough for a regular party. If you are performing at a festival level, you can expect the sound to be taken care of for you in advance, so this is not your worry. If you are one of those audiophiles that spends more on sound that you do your car – please believe that these things can cost money. It doesn’t mean they are large but it does mean that their sound reproduction is true and faithful. Is a thousand dollars enough to satisfy your habit? Not likely. Expect to shell out at least five grand is you want the respect of owning some of the best subwoofers in the world. Usually, you will spend at least double that. http://www.audioholics.com/loudspeaker-design/best-subwoofers-world