So, I just picked up the Thomann Effect Pedal Bag as a soft case for my Helix. I have been looking for something smaller and lighter than my full on Swan Flight flight case for the Helix and this bag kept coming up in discussions online about suitable bags!Will it replace my full on flight case? Well obviously no!Is it a insanely cheap soft case, good enough for most small gigs and given that I am careful with my gear will it be fine? YES YES YESWill it last for ever? NODoes it cost £17? YESThe Helix fits really well, so well I thought I would do a little video review to help anyone thinking or looking for a carry case.Enjoy!PeaceNeil
Why I switched from Atomic Amplifire to Line 6 Helix
As so many people have asked, here is a frank on honest discussion on the reasons for my choice, given how many Atomic Amplifire videos I have done. Don’t get me wrong! I love the AA, absolutely love it!! But the Helix works in a way that just fits with the way I work and the way my head works. It probably says more about me than any thing else.This really isn’t about one product being better than the next, this is all about one product working for me and the way that I need to work in my gigging work. If I could have kept both, I really would have. I have a keen eye on Atomic and would love to see what they come up with in the future. Both the Atomic Amplifire and the Line 6 Helix, sound awesome, the work really well and are very robust and fit in to the professional world. It is just that one fits me better....simple. But this is the internet, so things are never as simple as this, so hopefully this will put the record straight!EnjoyPeaceNeil
Harley Benton G112 Vintage Cab Review
I recently did a review of the Harley Benton G112 1 x 12 Vintage Cab which has a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker in it (somehow!)....too good to be true? I think so! This has got to be a loss leader from Thomann, as the price is so good! I did a video for the product, so you can find out all I thought about it!Here are some of the specs
- Equipped with: 12" Celestion Vintage 30
- Power rating: 60 W
- Impedance: 8 Ohm
- Housing material: 18 mm plywood
- Semi-open back
- Carrying handle
- Dimensions (W x thomann H x D): 460 x 470 x 299 mm
- Weight: approx. 14 kg
The fact it has a Vintage 30 in it for me is the number 1 selling point! How did that do that? Plus being plywood instead of MDF at that price point is really interesting. I do think the handle might give out at some point and the Tolex is a bit rubbish, but hey you can easily fix that!! Find out more in the videoLove to hear your thoughts and experiences on the product.EnjoyPeaceNeil
Logic Pro X - Quick Tips - How to Delete Hole (gap) aka Ripple Delete
Mind the gap
A very short Logic Pro quick tip on how to delete a gap or hole (ripple delete) your audio quickly!This is something which I do a fair amount of (mostly when editing the There is another way podcast that I produce every week, but also when working on film dialogue, editing interviews and cutting out selections when I and editing Samples for my sample libraries. I see the question come up quite a lot, but sometimes people aren’t sure of the term to use for this kind of edit. It also has different names in some applications. But think of it as the ripple edit, or delete gap.
Ripple Edit
This isn’t really useful for music production, because you want your audio to stay in the same position because it is in time, but could be useful if cutting out a whole section of a song across multiple tracks.Hope you find it as useful as I do!EnjoyPeaceNeil
Didsbury Arts Festival : Didsbury, a Cultural Soundscape - workshop
Really pleased to announce that I will running a workshop under Light B4 Sound as part of the Didsbury Arts Festival. I have also written 3 special pieces for the festival and will be uploading some of my binaural recordings on the day.DESCRIPTIONDidsbury, a cultural soundscape is an interactive sound walk and workshop on sound art and soundscape by Light Before Sound. The event will explore sound in the local environment, and demonstrate how found sounds can be used as part of the compositional practice.Venue: Didsbury Parsonage Trust (room1)About eventHosted by Dr. Neil Bruce, a sound designer and composer, the workshop will also feature a piece composed specifically for the festival and Neil will go into detail of how sounds were chosen and manipulated into the final piece.Participants will also be taken on a short sound walk to enable them to tune in and explore the soundscape of Didsbury and the festival. The workshop will finish with a Q&A session.For more information, please visit the festival websiteIn preparation I am also offering a festival special offer of 50% off @lightb4sound Senescence Album with the following codeSee you on Sunday 2nd!EnjoyPeaceNeil
Korg Monologue (Red) Analogue Synth Review (1st Impressions!)
So I have just got my hands on a Korg Monologue! I have been wanting something to add analogue synthesis to my tracks for a while (after selling all my analogue synths a while back....FOOOL!) and this combined with the volca series really matched the bill! So I thought I would do a quick unboxing video followed by a first impression video straight out of the box!This is not a full review, but literally my FIRST impressions on taking out of the box!!!Hope you enjoyPeaceNeilUnboxingFirst Impressions
Hercules GS525B Guitar Stand Review
SO I succumb to all the things I have heard about the Hercules GS525B Guitar Stand Review and gone out an brought one! I was really impressed, so I thought I would do a quick overview of my initial impressions after opening the Hercules GS525B Guitar Stand.You can also get the expansion pack here EnjoyPeaceNeil
Line 6 Helix LT : First impressions
I have just picked up the Helix LT and I think it is amazing. So much so, I did a little video! Love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.PeaceNeil
The expectations of education and online learning.
Recently, I have been overseeing and taking part in a few online courses (both paid for and free), as well of course as my own online youtube videos and lesson content. I am surprised by a number of students reaction to the teaching and more importantly, their expectation of what they are supposed to get from a class, tutorial, workshop or lecture. The notes below are a reflection on the criticism towards the Hans Zimmer Masterclass series.As a university lecturer this notion of 'not getting much' from tuition is becoming a regular occurrence in the education sphere. I put it down to a younger generation learning with newer pedagogical methodologies where learning is instant and targeted to what you need to know NOW and very much a how to do what you need right now, rather than a more holistic approach to learning and understanding your area of specialism.I also find a slight misunderstanding by students in the terminology used traditionally, such as tutorial, workshop, lecture and masterclass. I think that many students (or people who signed up for the HZ Masterclass) were expecting a workshop or tutorial on ‘How to score a oscar winning soundtrack' with accompanying step-by-step guide on the 10 steps you need to take from switching on your DAW.Further Learning (i.e not school) is about asking questions, the learning is about being given ideas or concept which you can then study further and investigate yourself with the assistance of your tutor. I guess (and I could go on about this for ever), in the corpora-education results focused world we now live, education is about making sure stats look good to ensure the steady flow of cash.In a masterclass class (!), the student should (I feel) expect to listen and be inspired by the PROCESS that the Masterclass expert has This should not be a tutorial in techqniue but an overview, with room for case studies, tips and tricks as well as experiences (which I feel HZ did). I think many were expecting him to fire up Cubase and show them how to write a melody, orchestrate it and receive an Oscar.I do feel that perhaps it might have been nice to have seen him approach an unseen cue and talk about that but I feel for the money that there have been enough suggestions and comment from Hans to help develop my work, inspire me to work more and some useful tips on how to be more effective.What are your thoughts on this? What do you expect from a class, lecture, or masterclass?PeaceNeil