Canadian Musician articles from January 2004

Canadian Musician archives from January 2004

Jealous of Nickelback?(What's On Your Mind?)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... Dear CM, And the battle begins, Ryan J Noth hit the nail on the head. And for you to say "refreshing to hear exactly how Chad Kroeger writes his songs" tells me that you haven't been keeping up with the issues we feel display a real lack...

Better to give than to receive.(What's On Your Mind?)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... Dear CM, The opening remark by Bob Baker in his article, "How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Music Business" states: "people who say it's better to give than to receive are flat out lying." The phrase, "it is more blessed...

Self-promotion on a budget.(Indie Insider)
January 1, 2004... So you want to be a rock star. Well okay, not necessarily a rock star but you'd like to make a couple of bucks on your music. The popular misconception about making music is that it takes money to make money. Promotional campaigns have to be...

Stand by your van.(bands touring in vans need to do maintenance)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... It sounds almost cliche, but the fact is that the most affordable way for small bands to get out on the road is in a van. With that in mind, it's a good idea to make sure that your vehicle can withstand the rigours of the road and to prepare it...

Former Headstones launch "The Music Division".(Trent Carr and Tim White start new venture)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Freed from their prior obligations, former Headstones bandmates Trent Carr and Tim White are happy to announce the official launch of their newest musical venture: The Music Division. What started out as a prosperous side project has now turned...

Guitar Workshop Plus adds extra session.(changes)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Going even further to fill the void in music education, Guitar Workshop Plus... Bass, Drums and Keyboards proudly announce the addition of a second session to the 2004 summer schedule. Session one will run from July 18-23 and the new session...

Keelaghan wins USA Songwriting contest second year in a row.(James Keelaghan)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Juno award winning folk musician, James Keelaghan, recently won first place in the USA Songwriting competition folk category. for his song "Message To The Future". The competition is the world's leading international songwriting contest and...

Ian Thornley signs to 604 Records.(changes)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Former Big Wreck frontman and Toronto-based rock musician Ian Thornley has just inked deal to release his debut solo record through 604/Universal. Thornley was quoted recently as saying that he's "thrilled to be back in the recording studio and...

The Watchmen: 1988-2003.(changes)(Canadian rock group calls it quits)
January 1, 2004... After 15 years, five records, and thousands of shows around the world, Canadian music icons The Watchmen have decided to part ways and pursue other interests. In a recently issued statement, the band made clear that the decision to disband was...

Events.(Calendar)
January 1, 2004... International Association for Jazz Education Conference New York, NY January 21-24, 2004 (785) 776-8744, FAX (785) 776-6190 info@iaje.org, www.iaje.org Midem: 38th Annual Music Market Cannes, France January...

Getting to know Google.(music onLine)(searching tips)
January 1, 2004... Most of us, if not all, have heard of Google and probably use it quite often for our Internet searches. Google is the fastest growing search engine with over 200 million searches a day and over 3 billion sites searched. It's no wonder it has...

Lyrics Directory.(Resources)(searching for song lyrics online)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... If you are searching for a site that contains a huge list of song lyrics, visit Lyrics Directory at www.lyricsdir.com The Lyric Directory collection is alphabetized by first name, which makes it easy to find the lyrics you are looking for.

Peavey Electronics Corporation.(Resources)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Peavey Electronics Corporation has proudly introduced a newly designed Web site located at www.peavey.com. The new site features less "clicks" between the homepage and its product, artist and news content, allowing consumers easier access to...

Artistopia.(Resources)(web site offering resources to artists and musicians)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Artistopia is an ultimate artist and musician resource. Artistopia is dedicated to providing artists/musicians with all the necessary productivity tools to professionalize their approach to the music industry. Artistopia membership programs are...

Great White Noise.(Resources)(web site on Canadian independent music)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Great White Noise, online at www.greatwhitenoise.ca, is a Canadian site exposing independent music. Great White Noise features artists, news, links, reviews, forums and much more.

Craviotto Percussion.(Resources)(web site)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Craviotto Percussion has announced that information on Craviotto Percussion company history, Craviotto Percussion handcrafted solid drumshells along with a virtual factory tour can now be seen on the Craviotto Percussion Web site:...

Music Books Plus.(Resources)(sheet music online)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... If you are looking for sheet music, songbooks, artist biographies, anthologies or greatest hits collections then visit Music Books Plus at www.musicbooksplus.com/sheetmusic. Music Books Plus has a vast selection of over 600 titles including:...

Guitaretab.com.(Resources)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... A great online resource for guitar tabs is Guitaretab.com. This site features over 35,000 tabs, as well as links, forums, lessons and more. Check it out at www.guitaretab.com.

Steinberg Cubase SX 2.0.(Road test)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... So you're toying with the idea of plunging into the world of home-based recording using some sort of software or software/hardware combination? I too have recently gone through the daunting task el figuring out what platform to use (Mac or PC)...

Tascam US-122.(Road test)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... Ah, the Tascam US-122. What a great invention for travelling laptop based recording enthusiasts! This little machine is perfect for going out and getting live samples, or even recording a new song step-by-step. Actually, the possibilities are...

Tanglewood acoustic guitars.(Road test)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... Upon first opening the box that the two guitars came in, I was immediately pleased that both guitars came in their own separate soft-shell case and were well packed. You could throw this box o' guitars off the CN Tower and they would all remain...

Pentatonic scales.(guitar)
January 1, 2004... Pentatonic scales are the most commonly used scales for soloing in contemporary music. The two most popular pentatonic scales are the major and minor pentatonic scales. We will start with the minor pentatonic scale, which is used primarily to...

Warm ups and linear sprints.(keyboards)
January 1, 2004... This pattern uses the chromatic scale with the hands two-octaves-plus-a-3rd-apart. Play slowly at first, paving special attention to evenness of volume. Keep that control when bringing it up to speed. When memorizing the chromatic scale...

Best of the bass.(bass guitarists)(Column)
January 1, 2004... "Hey Rich, I am learning the bass guitar, who should I listen to?" I get asked this question quite often, so I thought I would take some time and run through a list of bass players who have influenced me over the years. For me, the first...

So what is it about Ringo?(percussion)(Beatles drummer Ringo Starr)
January 1, 2004... I've been told when a boy kisses a girl... you take a trip around the world. Or so sang Ringo Starr, drummer of The Beatles. But I've been told when Ringo drums you become part of that world when you get caught up in a roller coaster ride that...

Recording the flute in the studio: Nature Boy vs. Scratch It!(woodwinds)
January 1, 2004... I have received a lot of compliments regarding the overall sound quality on my most recent CD, Nature Boy, and so I thought that some readers might take an interest in how this came about. I also thought that it would he useful to contrast the...

Kacks & clams.(brass)(bass player mistakes)
January 1, 2004... SPLEE-AA! In a recent interview, NY Philharmonic principal trumpet Phil Smith told the interviewer that he wanted a license plate that read SPLEE-AA. He had to explain that this is a sound familiar to all brass players, when we miss a...

Why digital?(digital music)
January 1, 2004... Why digital? What has digital audio cording offered musicians that analog couldn't? The opportunity to revive the age-old debate of analog versus digital in terms of fidelity is hard to resist, but really, it's not the issue here. The...

Damn, I forgot my singing boots.(vocals)
January 1, 2004... Apparently Canadian Musician was so desperate to find someone to write an article on vocals... the best they could do was me! LOL! [Ed. Funny, I seem to remember Alec asking to write on this subject matter... ] Well surprise, surprise, it...

Nelly Furtado: inside a songwriter's head.(Cover Story)
January 1, 2004... If Nelly Furtado is feeling tired, she is hiding it well. It's mid-November, three weeks away, from the release of her sophomore album Folklore and she is ensconced in a Toronto hotel near the end of a long day of interviews. "At least...

New York: Billy Talent.(Ben Kowalewicz)
January 1, 2004... Ben Kowalewicz knows he has an unusual voice He Knows it looks like he's hurting himself, when he sings. As he yelps and snarls and even affects a calmer faux British talk-style manner, his veins bulge from his neck and his face turns red. He...

Jesse Cook.(Interview)
January 1, 2004... On a rather dull, damp and grey Sunday afternoon I roll up to the front steps of Convocation Hall, on the University of Toronto's campus to meet Ken (Jesse's publicist). Seconds later, Jesse arrives with his show clothes strewn over his...

Music education: the most important things for music students and teachers to keep in mind are that it's never too late to learn, it's never too early to start and you're never finished learning or finding new things to impart to other musicians.
January 1, 2004... Beginners of any age must always be made to understand that they can be musicians: They can achieve some degree of proficiency at their chosen instrument, regardless of how daunting the learning curve may seem at first. There is no right or...

The Vulnerable side of Tricky.(writing)(Interview)
January 1, 2004... Canadian Musician recently had the opportunity to see what the creation of Vulnerable, the newest collection of music from one of the industry's most undervalued craftsmen, Tricky. The album has been hailed as his most honest effort to date,...

Good mixing habits.(recording)
January 1, 2004... Writing on mixing is a difficult task. Try explaining to someone, without actually being there, how to paint a picture, how to play the blues, or how to remove a spleen. These basic few points just scratch the surface of good mixing habits....

In-ear monitoring--refining your mix.(live sound)
January 1, 2004... Today, I want to enlarge on the topic of IEMs, with a focus on ways to enhance the experience for the performer while protecting their ears as much as possible. It's important to remember that IEMs are not only an excellent way to bear...

Synchronization licensing for film and television.(business)(use of music in films and television)
January 1, 2004... The views and opinions expressed in this article are not meant to substitute for legal advice, which should be sought in each particular instance. Introduction We normally receive at least one license request per day for use of our...

Starpik.(hot Gear)(guitar pick developed by Glenn Hautamaki)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... After two and a half years of designing and critiquing his invention, Glenn Hautamaki has introduced the Starpik: a multi-functional guitar pick that possesses a different thickness on each of the four points. "I put four of the average...

SONAR 3 Producer Edition.(hot Gear)(from Cakewalk Music Software)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Cakewalk recently released SONAR 3 Producer Edition, which is designed to help creativity with quick, intuitive controls that capture inspiration. SONAR 3 possesses over 100 new features and refinements including streamlined UI with Track...

Sony C-38B.(hot Gear)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... Sony has recently released its C-38B microphone to North America. When it was introduced in 1965, the original C-38 model was the world's first Field Effects Transistor (FET) mic. "The C-38 has been one of Sony's most popular condenser...

BLUE's Bluebird and Digidesign product bundles.(hot Gear)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... BLUE Microphones and Bigidesign proudly announce the launch of a new bundling partnership, featuring the new Bluebird microphone. The Bluebird, manufactured by BLUE and tailored to fit the needs of the Digidesign end user, will be available...

Roland VariOS Open System Module.(hot Gear)(Roland Corp.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Recently, Roland unleashed their breakthrough VariOS Open Module System Module on the marketplace. Based on Roland's new R-Core engine, the VariOS Open System Module can take on totally new functions via optional firmware/software--much like a...

Yamaha Motif ES 6, 7 & 8.(hot Gear)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Yamaha has recently introduced the Motif ES line of Music Production Workstations. Like the original Motif, the new entries combine the sonic power of a synthesizer, the hands-on quality of a digital workstation, the concept of an Integrated...

Gator GP series.(hot Gear)(cases for percussion instruments)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Further expanding their line of percussion case, Gator introduces the GP-12, GP-66, and GP-40 bags for the drummer on the go. The Gp-12 Deluxe Cymbal Slinger bag comfortably fits eight cymbals up to 22" in diameter and features individual...

Parker Guitars' Fly Mojo.(hot Gear)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Parker Guitars recently launched the Fly Mojo, the most recent addition to the Parker Fly guitar series. Unlike previous models, the Fly Mojo's body and neck are each constructed from a single piece of select mahogany and the guitar is equipped...

Casio WK-3000 and WK-3500.(hot Gear)(keyboards)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Casio recently introduced the WK-3000 and WK-3500 keyboards for public consumption. These two new professional quality touch sensitive keyboards feature SmartMedia Data Storage, Internet Data Expansion system that lets the user configure the...

Software upgrades.(hot Gear)
January 1, 2004... To help you keep abreast of all the recent software updates out there, CM has compiled this list of some of the most recent upgrades we've been told about: BitHeadz; now shipping the latest 3.2.2 versions of Unity Session, Unity Synth...

Gibson Hound Dog 60.(hot Gear)(new from Gibson Guitar)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Gibson Guitar's Original Acoustic Instrument Division recently introduced the Hound Dog 60 resonator guitar, which combines the traditional look and sound of Dobro's classic Model 60 with the affordability of the popular Hound Dog model, ...

Mel Bay "private lessons" series.(hot Gear)(Mel Bay Publications Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Mel Bay Publications recently announced that it has developed a new series of books authored by top professionals and educators including Sid Jacobs, Jimmy Bruno, and Mimi Fox. With 15 book/CD publications already included in this concept...

Pioneer DVJ-X1.(hot Gear)(digital audi and video turntable from Pioneer Electronics)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Pioneer Electronics recently announced the DVJ-X1 digital audio and video turntable. This product allows users to manipulate and playback synchronized digital audio and video in a way that Pioneer Electronics feels will revolutionize the DJ...

Fender Cyber-Champ amplifiers.(hot Gear)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... Fender Musical Instruments Corporation recently introduced the newest addition to its Cyber Series amplifiers, the Cyber-Champ. Joining the groundbreaking Cyber-Twin and Cyber-Deluxe amplifiers, the Cyber-Champ offers a number of features of...

Vestax PMC Series.(hot Gear)(audio mixers)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Vestax has recently unveiled their PMC Series, a line of DJ mixers that, they feel, offer a remarkable force in the DJ mixer market. These include the PMC-500, PMC-007, PMC-05Pro3 and the PMC-CX. The Vestax PMC-500 is engineered to...

Koch Multitone.(hot Gear)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Koch recently released the Multitone amplifier, a 50- or 100-watt all-tube maestro amp. The classic styled Pre-Channel houses two channels: Clean and Drive. The Clean channel allows for warm and clean tones while the Drive channel allows you to...

Paiste: new models for Signature & 2002 Classic.(hot Gear)(cymbals)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Paiste has recently announced the addition of several cymbal models and sizes in the professional class. The vast program of the Signature series is being enhanced by a 19" Full Crash and 21" Full and Silver Mellow Rides. The Classic...

Beautiful Senseless.(ShowCase)(The Warmest Rain)(Brief Article)(Sound Recording Review)
January 1, 2004... Who: Beautiful Senseless Where: Guelph, ON What: melancholy, atmospheric rock Contact: Andrew Hopkinson, (519) 763-4982, info@beautifulsenseless.com, www.beautifulsenseless.com. Stirring and understated, the layered sounds on...

Despistado.(The Emergency Response)(Sound Recording Review)
January 1, 2004... Who: Despistado Where: Regina, SK What: clever, angular punk rock Contact: despistadosound@hotmail.com, www.despistadomusic.com. While the band likes to label themselves somewhat misleadingly as a "traditional four-piece,"...

The High Dials.(A New Devotion)(Sound Recording Review)
January 1, 2004... Who: The High Dials Where: Montreal, PQ What: post-Pepper flashback garage psychedelica Contact: info@thehighdials.com, www.thehighdials.com. The High Dials announce their latest incarnation (they were formerly known as The...