Canadian Musician articles from March 2002

Canadian Musician archives from March 2002

The hit song puzzle. (Diy).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Lets face it, as songwriters, we are all trying to sort out the pieces of a huge puzzle. The puzzle represents what it is exactly that publishers are looking for, as they weed through thc thousands of demos they receive, in search of the next...

Feedback.
March 1, 2002... I Was Shocked! Dear CM, I must say that I was completely shocked at a letter one of your reader's sent in a short while ago. He bad-mouthed a vocal teacher that writes to your magazine. He has never tried her technique of singing and...

Nickelback's success continues with SOCAN award. (Changes).(Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), presented Nickelback band member's Chad Kroeger, Mike Kroeger and Ryan Peake their first SOCAN Number One plaques for their hit song "How You Remind Me". The song reached...

Canadian Shirley Eikhard Wins USA Songwriting Competition. (Changes).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Ontario-based singer/songwriter, Shirley Eikhard won first prize in the Jazz category of the 2001 USA Songwriting Competition with her song "Tomorrow is a Lonely Place". Eikhard is no stranger to writing a hit song, having written the...

Fender to start Record label. (Changes).(Fender Musical Instruments Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Fender Musical Instruments, in conjunction with Rhino Records and Morling Manor Music, has announced the opening of Fender Records, a label geared towards promoting guitar-oriented music. The new label will offer complication CDs containing...

Sing the song of Dog Man. (Changes).(Sabian Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Eastern Canadian cymbal maker, SABIAN Ltd., has be-gun their contest entitled "The Ballad of Dog Man" to promote their line of Sonically Matched cymbal sets. Interested entrants can pick up ballots at their local SABIAN retailer for the unique...

Top drummers converge in Cape Breton. (Changes).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A picturesque island off the coast of mainland Nova Scotia will, for the second year in a row, play host to some of the world's finest drummers. The 2002 CAPE BRETON International Drum Festival is set to fill the Boardmore Playhouse at the...

Rock out at North American Rock Guitar Competition. (Changes).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Organizers of the 2002 WNED Buffalo Niagara Guitar Festival are now accepting applications for the North American ROCK GUITAR COMPETITION from any unsigned rock/electric guitarist residing in the United States or Canada. Finalists will get a...

Protect yourself against spammers. (Music on Line).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... spam (spm) n. - Unsolicited e-mail, often of a commercial nature, sent indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups; junk e-mail. Spam e-mails are usually sent in mass mailings to thousands of people at once. Most...

Sidesite.net. (Resources).(music industry Web site)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... SideSite.net is a leading music directory search engine/music search engine. This site contains a great selection of music industry resources, music news, featured artists, featured releases and more. Visit SideSite.Net at www.sidesite.net.

Instrument Encyclopedia. (Resources).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Instrument Encyclopedia, located at www.si.umich.edu/chico/instrument, is a sampler of some of the world's most interesting musical instruments. The purpose at this site is to allow you to explore the diversity and creativity at musical...

Music Business.com. (Resources).(entertainment industry Web site)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Music Business.com is a leader in Music Business Education, Information and Development. This site is dedicated to building successful careers in the music/entertainment industry. Check it out at www.themusicbusiness.com.

The National Association Music Education. (Resources).(NotationStation by GVOX is teaching standard)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The National Association for Music Education has adopted NotationStation, the online music education environment operated by GVOX, as the Industry Standard for dissemination and development of national standards curriculum. The NotationStation...

Music Books Plus. (Resources).(www.musicbooksplus.com)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Music Books Plus has greatly expanded their catalogue and now features online over 4,500 books, videos and CD-ROMs on music, recording, audio, songwriting, MIDI, multimedia and the Internet. You can join the electronic newsletter or request a...

The Music & Audio Connection. (Resources).(Norris Whitney Communications Web site)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Norris-Whitney Communications operates The Music & Audio Connection, the international online resource for music enthusiasts, musicians, music and audio professionals. Included are classified ads, products for sale, company showcases,...

Sennheiser e865 vocal condenser microphone. (Road Test).(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... Way back in Canadian Musician Vol.XX No.6 I reviewed Sennheiser's e835 cardioid microphone at a time when the Evolution series of microphones were just being introduced to Canada. In that article I made the comment that people working in the...

Universal Audio's UREI 1176LN. (Road Test).(black face compressor)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... I first got to know the UREI 1176LN black face compressor when we were recording the third Moist album, Mercedes Five and Dime at Studios Piccolos in Montreal with producer David Leonard (Barenaked Ladies, Moist, Sugar Ray). I couldn't help but...

Sonar by Cakewalk. (Road Test).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... I remember Cakewalk over 10 years ago, and boy I have they changed! Sonar isn't just Cakewalk 10, it's a tremendous leap forward within the integrated all-in-one digital/MIDI software production tools. What doesn't it do? Some of the new...

Adding harmonic interest. (Guitar).(open string chording)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... My modest little composition attempts to give a very simple melody some harmonic interest by adding a number of close intervals under the melody note. I especially like major and minor seconds in the middle of a chord somewhere. The open...

Avoiding stress in the studio. (Keyboards).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Just because something is effortless to play live doesn't necessarily mean that it will translate to record without a fight. The simple fact is that live audiences tend to be far more forgiving and less pessimistically critical than audio tape,...

Right hand technique for the electric bass. (Bass).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A flexible appendage, the hand. In playing the electric bass, the Right Hand becomes the prime mover for the strings, and in so doing has responsibility for the initial timbres activated in the string. Deciding upon RH technique will depend...

Groove-A-Diddles. (Percussion).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Greetings once again fellow drummers. This month we are going to take a look at a few examples from my video titled Groove-A-Diddles. This video focuses on the many ways the Single Paradiddle and its variations can be applied around the...

The bare essentials of theory, practicing playing Part II. (Woodwinds).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Practicing Be disciplined and consistent in your approach. When you are practicing, focus intensely on what you are doing and what it is you are trying to accomplish for that practice session. Regular day-to-day application is essential;...

A relaxed playing style Part I. (Brass).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... (The Gumby Principle) "Playing the trumpet is very easy. Learning to play easy is very hard." (A quote heard recently at a Jim Thompson clinic.) When we play a musical instrument, it is our job to make it sound easy. When we practice, it...

Bringing digital the world spinning Part 2. (Digital Music).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... As I continue my trek into digital audio and spinning, I was directed towards some new technology from Jamie Kidd (electronic producer/bassist). Even though Amsterdam-based N2IT released their DJ mixing software (FinalScratch) over three years...

Tune into living music Part 1 accepting your voice. (Vocals).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Two weeks ago I was on an elevator. The door opened, a woman stepped inside, pushed a button and on we went. After a few seconds she said to me, "How nice to hear someone singing." The elevator stopped at her floor and smiling broadly she went...

Alanis Morissette.(Interview)
March 1, 2002... It's a dull afternoon in early November and I m scurrying through the grey shadows of downtown Toronto office towers, trying to find a hotel I've never heard of where I'm supposed to interview a rock star that everyone knows Alanis Morissette...

Swollen Members.
March 1, 2002... When the envelope was ripped open and the announcement made that Vancouver's Swollen Members had won the 2000 Juno Award for Best Rap Recording there was almost a collective 'who?' from the country's hip-hop community. With MCs from Toronto...

Tour disasters: Sketchy toilets and other hazards of the road.
March 1, 2002... Occasionally, into every band's life, a little rain (or human waste) must fall... Threats to life, limb and sanity can come from a multitude of directions on the road. There are some things that just make you want to go home to your own...

CD duplication & mastering.(producing your own music on compact disc, includes directory of CD duplication companies)(Directory)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... What You Need To Know You've ripped through your journal, poured your heart into lyrics and your soul into the music that they flow through. You've sweated through arrangements, worked to the point of exhaustion to get just the right sound...

Solo songwriting secrets. (Writing).(Vince Ditrich)(Brief Article)(Interview)
March 1, 2002... Correct me if wrong, but hasn't the bulk of your music writing career been done in a collaborative group situation? How does preparing an album on your own differ? Was there a point when you woke up in a cold sweat realizing you were in this on...

Digital audio zen and technology: Great vocals tuning. (Recording).(music recording)(Brief Article)(Column)
March 1, 2002... Having earned my stripes in Nashville, city which takes pride in "telling the story" through vocal performance. I find a lot of my attention in production, whether it's pop, country or rock, focuses on supporting the vocal. With the vocal as...

Managing your time. (Live Sound).(planning performances)(Brief Article)(Column)
March 1, 2002... At least once a day the comment spews forth from a casual observer: "Flow many days did it take you folks to put all this equipment in here?" "Well," you nonchalantly reply, "We started at 8 a.m. this morning." That usually achieves the...

Get funding for your next record. (Business).(Web sites Canada)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... In your morning mail was a letter from an A&R rep thanking you kindly for your submission, noting that it wasn't quite what they're looking for and suggesting that you resubmit once you've had a chance to repackage your wares. So now you feel...

King model 628 Euphonium. (Hot Gear).(King Musical Instruments)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
March 1, 2002... King Musical Instruments has added a new three-valve euphonium to its low-brass lineup. The King 628 was designed to be easy to play, yet has the warmth and breadth of a larger, professional model. The horn is suitable for both scholastic and...

New SABIAN 20th Anniversary cymbals. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... SABIAN Ltd. has recently released two Limited Edition cymbals as part of its 20th Anniversary celebrations. The 16" AA Thin Crash and 20" HH Medium Ride anniversary models commemorate the original, 1981 HH and AA cymbal designs and are shaped,...

BOSS GT-6B bass effects processor. (Hot Gear).(guitar accessory equipment by BOSS Audio Systems)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... BOSS recently announced the release of the GT6B, a multi-effects bass processor capable of COSM Bass Amp Modeling, modeled compression and a host of other effects for the avid bass player. Effects include modeled overdrive/distortion,...

75th Anniversary Gretsch-American drum series. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... The Gretsch Drum Company has been manufacturing high-quality, hand-made drums since 1883, with the first GRETSCH-AMERICAN drum series created in 1927. This year marks its 75th Anniversary, and to pay tribute, the company is introducing a new...

Nickelback tab book. (Hot Gear).(Silver Side Up)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... Warner Bros. Publications has recently released the complete tab and notation for Nickelback's multi-platinum Silver Side Up album. Learn, note-for-note, each of the 12 songs from the album and be rocking like the Vancouver, BC quartet in no...

Line 6 GuitarPort. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Line 6 has recently released GuitarPort, allowing electronic guitarists to connect to a Windows-based PC in a plug-and-play fashion. Coupled with the company's modeling software, the unit gives guitarists a variety of amplifier sounds and...

Yamaha Clavinova CVP-200 series digital Pianos. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... What do you get when you combine the stunning sound of a grand piano with today's leading digital technology? The new CVP-200 Yamaha Piano series. The line of new digital piano models is filled with features offering wide-screen colour...

Trademark 200 guitar amp head. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Tech 21 has announced the release of the Trademark 200 200-watt head with three foot-switchable channels. The unit has been designed for serious musicians who are looking for a traditional stack rig with the added bonus of multiple amp styles....

Garrison G-25 Series. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Newfoundland-based Garrison Guitars has recently announced the release of their newest line, the G-25 Series. Like all Garrison guitars, the G-25 integrates Garrison's patented Griffiths Active Bracing System and Griffiths Integrated Blocking...

Meinl Generation X Drumbal. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... MEINL has recently introduced the 8-and 10-inch Drumbal, adding to the company's popular Generation X line of cymbals. Previously the 8-inch model was only available (free) with the purchase of a Generation X Rabb Pack, now both of the...

Roland VS-2480CD. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Roland has announce the newest V-Studio; the VS-2480CD 24-track digital studio workstation. With on-board CD burning and comprehensive mouse control for an external monitor, the VS-2480CD is a self-contained, user-friendly work-station that...

Guitar Method Vol. 1, version #2. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... eMedia has announced the latest version of its award-winning guitar CD-ROM tutorial for aspiring players. Version 2 of Guitar Method Volume 1 provides new learning material based on the original, interactive, step-by-step approach of the first...

Ergonomic Guitar Pick. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Redwood Music Corp., manufacturer of music and pro audio accessories, has introduced a new concept in guitar picks; the Freeman SST Butterfly Pick. Named after its inventor, Kirk Freeman, the pick is contoured on both sides, giving it a natural...

Dean Markley Turbo Tune Drum Key. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Dean Markley Strings has recently introduced the Turbo * Tune Drum Key, a highly versatile and valuable drummer's tool. The key fits most drum lugs and cuts drum tuning and head changing time in half. Based on Dean Markley's successful...

Zildjian Drumsticks artist series. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Avedis Zildjian Company announces three new artists to their model drumstick series. Renowned drummer's Greg Hutchinson, Mike Mangini and Travis Barker have all added their drumsticks to Zildjian's roster of model sticks. Greg...

Peavey Grind bass. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Peavey Electronics Corporation has announced its latest musical instrument, the Grind bass. Available in a 4-sting model (Grind Bass 4) and a 5-string model (Grind Bass 5), the new instruments are crafted with a unique sculptured neck and a...

LP Djembe Bag. (Hot Gear).(Latin Percussion Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Latin percussion Inc. has intro-duced the new Padded Djembe Bag with backpack straps for those drummers on the run. Instead of carting the Djembe loosely under an arm with no protection, percussionists can now strap the instrument on their...

HV1 DuoBuddy. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Akai Professional has recently introduced the HV1 DUOBUDDY, an easy to use vocal generator effect that allows singers to set up and control their own harmonies. This vocal generator adds one voice harmony to a melody to give depth to live...

Tascam Pocketstudio 5. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Recently unveiled by Tascam, the new POCKETSTUDIO is making portable, digital multitrack recording nearly effortless. Using Compact Flash cards for media, the unit features four audio tracks (for vocals, guitar or what-have-you) as well as an...

New straps from Levy's Leathers. (Hot Gear).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... LEVY'S LEATHERS has announced a number of new straps to fit the most eclectic of guitarist's tastes. First up are the new Artist Series, polyester guitar straps, the MPA2 and MPA3. Both series offer eight unique and colourful straps designed by...

The Brothers Cosmoline. (Showcase).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Brothers Cosmoline is a five-piece country-roots outfit from Toronto led by singer-songwriter Dan Kershaw. He originally formed the group in 1992 with high school friend and songwriting partner David Pedliham. Initially channeling...

Barry Canning. (ShowCase).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The 12 songs on his debut CD, Soul Parade, released this past August, build a strong case for Newfoundland's Barry Canning as a rising singer-songwriter. The first single, "The One", has garnered a lot of radio airplay, with "Didn't Know It Was...

Jukejoint. (Showcase).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Jazz-funk. Funk-jazz. Groove-jazz. The Toronto quartet Juke joint never knows quite how to label itself. And as far as I'm concerned, checking out. The group, which released its second CD; Organic Matter back in September; was formed in 1995 by...