Category Archives: Tech & Noise
Hard Times Means Groovy Guitar Deals …
S. Knock went and got another guitar today. He goes off on these obsessions about a certain sound or … things that fly or … whatever. Starts as interest, then obsession, then moves to snobbery rather quickly. Some things pan out, some don’t.
This bad boy is an Ibanez Rg2ex2 (catchy eh?). SK bought it off a bass player who hardly touched it. Like neeeewwww! And with an awesome hardshell case.
And, he walked away with the whole package for, like, $180. So jealous, except I have too many guitars already, one being a classic Ibanez Blazer (more on that later).
Anyway, SK’s obsession this time around has to do with really low tunings and super heavy strings to accommodate that. That’s for going chucka chucka of course.
Here’s the strings: DR Strings Drop-Down Tuning Mega Heavy Guitar Strings. I like them DR strings. They do last a good long time.
But as usual, there are pickups to be swapped out, so we’ll have to wait to hear what this heavy-string tuned-down-to-A noise sounds like. Then we’ll work it into the noise, of course. And share.
Schlock’s Vox Tube Amp Rocks
This is the new(ish) amp Schlock our main guit man uses in rehearsal. The Vox AC4TV Mini 4W Class A Tube Amplifier.
It’s tiny. That other amp there is a Fender Frontman practice amp and behind the Vox is a guitar case. Yup, tiny but super noisy. Its max output is 4 watts of rich tubey goodness. But you can’t play it like that … gotta cut the wattage. Sounds great in a mic, and way easier than trying to get playroom volume level outta my 100w Sundown tuber. It’s an envy-inducing little box.
Anyway, here’s some specs:
- Controls: Tone, Volume, OP switch
- Output Level: 4 Watt, 1 Watt, 1/10th Watt
- Tube Complement: 1 x 12AX7 (pre), 1 x EL84 (power)
- Speaker: VOX Original 6.5″; 16 Ω
- In/Out Jacks: Input (¼’), External Speaker Jack (¼’)
- Output Power: 4 watt RMS 16Ω
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 260 x 280 x 170 mm / 10.24 x 11.02 x 6.69 inches
- Weight: 6.1 Kg / 13.45 lbs
- Power cable included
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Otherwise, laid down some noises tonight and we’ll call it generally productive. Later.
Z3TA+ 2.1 Waveform Synth GUI Pic
I’m about to download Cakewalk’s Z3TA+ 2.1. Unfortunate name really. Zowie would be cool … anything. It ain’t a freaking BMW. Anyway, I have the last version and really like it. This version promises:
New filters, modulatable waveshapers, flexible effects, expressive control and a gorgeous new interface make Z3TA+ 2.1 one seriously powerful synth.
New in Z3TA+ 2.1:
• Completely redesigned user interface
• Quicker access to needed controls
• More parameters and controls
• 1,093 classic Z3TA+ patches
• Over 1,000 newly crafted sounds
• All new patch browser
• New filter types
• New waveshapers
• New modulation destinations
• Revamped FX section with drag and drop
• New Performance Module
• And much more!
So maybe I’ll be able to figure out what tweaking the knobs is doing in this version. I’m sure it’ll have some uses. Mostly I’m sure I’ll be spending long hours going through the new patches, and tweaking sounds to a loop for mind-boggling stretches until my head’s about to explode. G
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Update 2/20/12
Installed it today and it really is awesome. User Guide is in the documentation folder at the install location, and it at least tells you what the symbols and parameters are. After that, with the routing map, it’s all pretty standard oscillat0r-filter-envelope synthesis. Nicely arranged with sub-screens for various functions. New sounds are even better, and more easily tweaked (that is, you can understand what you just did, and why it changed what about the sound).
Oh that I had unlimited free time to build 6-oscillator mad fat noise from the ground up…
BigAssRobot 