Canadian Musician articles from March 2010

Canadian Musician archives from March 2010

Keep up the great work.(Feed Back.)
March 1, 2010... For decades, Canadian Musician has been one of my absolute favourite music magazines, as well as a must-read; however, your recent issues have really caused me to sit up, take notice, and send this response. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I don't...

Tweet, Tweet.(BLOG)
March 1, 2010... If you're on twitter and want to keep abreast of some of the ideas and opinions flying out of the CM office, follow us at: www.twitter.com/cdnmusician. Of course, you can also keep tabs on the CM Blog for news, opinions, and multimedia links...

what's on your mind?(Feed Back)
March 1, 2010... FEEDBACK c/o Canadian Musician, 23 Hannover Dr., #7, St. Catharines, ON L2W 1A3 FAX: 888-665-1307 * info@nor.com, www.canadianmusician.com to write electronically.

The name game.(IndieInsider)(band names)
March 1, 2010... When a band is formed and all the Individual musicians come together as one, an important step to protecting your work is to consider protecting your name. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you want to survive as a musician, tour with your band,...

Toronto to host 2011 JUN0 Awards.(Changes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), along with broadcast partner CTV, have announced Toronto as the host city for the 2011 JUNO Awards, marking its 40th anniversary next year. JUNO Week will take place March 21-27,...

Celebrate independent retailers on Record Store Day.(Changes)
March 1, 2010... * Record Store Day is a celebration of the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently-owned record stores in the US, and hundreds of similar stores internationally. The 2010 edition will be held on April 17, 2010. Special vinyl and CD...

SOCAN names new CEO.(Changes)(Eric Baptiste as chief executive officer)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * SOCAN has announced the appointment of Eric Baptiste as CEO, replacing Andre LeBel, who announced his plans for retirement last year, as of May 16, 2010. Regarding the appointment, Baptiste says: "SOCAN is a remarkable performing rights...

Mark your calendars for Music Monday.(Changes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * Every year for the past six years, people across Canada have been taking part in Music Monday, using their voices and instruments to celebrate the importance of music and music education in their lives. Last year there were over 750,000...

Organize tours with virtual road manager.(Changes)
March 1, 2010... * To help musicians on the road, TourSavant.com has introduced a program that provides artists with web tools, online applications, and offline components such as a personalized, loadable MasterCard with fuel and hotel discounts. The site allows...

MobBase gains traction.(Changes)
March 1, 2010... * MobBase is an iPhone application that connects musicians with their fans, through more than 50 applications launched since the service debuted in November 2009. MobBase is the new service that makes it easy for musicians and music companies...

KoSA International Percussion workshops, Drumcamp & Festival.(Changes)
March 1, 2010... * This year's KoSA International Percussion Workshop, Drumcamp & Festival will take place at Castleton State College in Castleton, VT from July 27-August 1, 2010. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This percussive education experience is an...

Nikki Yanofsky performs in celebration of MusiCounts grant.(Changes)
March 1, 2010... *MusiCounts gathered with more than 500 Centennial Regional High School students to celebrate a 2009-2010 MusiCounts Band Aid grant. Highlighting the celebrations was an appearance by two-time JUNO Award nominee, Nikki Yanofsky. One of over 60...

Making you feel warm from the inside out.(Changes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * Chicken Soup For The Soul has partnered with veteran Hollywood publicist, talent manager, and celebrity booker Jo-Ann Geffen for its first all-celebrity book. Geffen peels back the curtain on 101 songs, songwriters, and artists with the...

Thrilling audiences for 50 years.(Changes)
March 1, 2010... * This year marks a milestone 50th anniversary for the Mariposa Folk Festival. Come out this year and enjoy the performances, workshops, and all around hoot-hollerin' good time. Visit www.mariposafolk.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Love indie music online.(Changes)
March 1, 2010... * Indielove.ca has been spinning 100 per cent Canadian content since its inception in 2007 as a privately-owned Internet radio station. Indie Love now has some 3,000 acts ranging from country to hip-hop on its roster. Indie Love claims it is...

The SoundScan tallies are in, Canada ...(Changes)
March 1, 2010... * Nielsen SoundScan Canada and Nielsen BDS have announced their 2009 Canadian calendar year sales and airplay monitoring data for the 52-week period January 5,2009 through January 3, 2010. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As expected by most,...

Live Nation & Ticketmaster Entertainment merger receives clearance.(Changes)
March 1, 2010... * Live Nation Inc. and Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. have announced that they have reached agreements with the US Department of Justice and with the Canadian Commissioner of Competition, clearing the way for the merger of the companies. ...

Wave your flags for the World Cup.(Changes)
March 1, 2010... *Football enthusiasts are biting at the bit as the final few months of the 2010 World Cup wait count down. This year's event takes place in South Africa during the summer months, and the official anthem for the event is Somalia-born Canadian...

Canadian Music Hall of Fame welcomes April Wine.(Changes)
March 1, 2010... The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced on February 8, 2010 that April Wine will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame on April 18, 2010 during the 2010 Juno Awards gala in St. John's, NL. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Meeting of minds in Vancouver.(Changes)(Conference news)
March 1, 2010... * The 2010 Vancouver Island Music Business Conference (VIMBC) is a four-day event that brings together local, national, and international music business professionals and artists from a variety of genres to share ideas, experience, knowledge,...

One million downloads for Charity.(Changes)
March 1, 2010... * Montreal native and musician Mario Biferali has set out to raise funds for the Montreal Children's Hospital and the Generations Foundation. He will be donating 100 per cent of the revenue generated by downloads of his song "Till I See You...

Noteflight announces online music notation service.(Changes)
March 1, 2010... * Noteflight LLC has announced the launch of Noteflight Crescendo, an online music notation service. The next generation of the Noteflight platform enables individuals to write music online and provides a fun means to create and share scores....

Kang of all battles.(Changes)(Beat Kangz Electronics's music producer contest)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * Beat Kangz Electronics is looking for the next superstar producer and has announced a contest with legendary producer Rockwilder. The winner will receive $30,000 in prizes, get flown to Nashville to have a track produced by Rockwilder, receive...

Canadian songwriters honoured at 6th annual Gala.(Changes)(Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) has revealed its 2010 inductees, which include 11 influential songwriters, 16 songs, and two Legacy Award recipients. It was also announced that the CSHF and the Toronto Centre for the Arts have...

Music PEI week celebrates the Island's Best.(Changes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * The 2010 Music PEI Week and Conference, the ninth installment of the event, ran from January 20-23, 2010 in Charlottetown. The event brought together the music industry and public for four days of showcases, workshops, and the annual Gala...

Guitar Workshop Plus artist lineup announced.(Changes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * Guitar Workshop Plus has announced its artist lineup for the 2010 summer program, running July 18-23 for Session 1 and July 25-30 for Session 2 in Toronto, and August 8-13 in Vancouver. Guest artists include: John Petrucci (Dream Theater),...

Events.(Calendar)
March 1, 2010... * KoSA Cuba 2010 Havana, Cuba March 7-14, 2010 514-482-5554, info@kosamusic.com, www.kosamusic.com * Canadian Music Week 2010 Toronto, ON March 10-14,2010 905-858-4747, FAX 905-858-4848 inio@cmw.net, www.cmw.net *...

Electro-Harmonix Cathedral stereo reverb.(Pedals To The Medals)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... Boring multi-effect reverb pedals are a thing of the past with the introduction of the Cathedral from Electro-Harmonix. Its eight modes and truly innovative "infinite" reverb function make the potential for lush soundscapes and textures truly...

Dunlop KH95 Kirk Hammett signature wah.(Pedals To The Medals)
March 1, 2010... Dunlop's Kirk Hammett signature wah pedal was developed in close collaboration with the iconic Metallica lead guitarist, repeatedly tested and tweaked to reproduce the classic tones off Hammett's revolutionary metal solos from the '80s through...

SolidGoldFx SuperDuperDrive.(Pedals To The Medals)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... SolidGoldFX's SuperDuperDrive pedal is a combination of a drive and boost pedal, handmade in Montreal. Both the drive and boost features can be used separately or together. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Personally, I found the most effective...

NOTION3 notation software.(RoadTest)
March 1, 2010... Firstly, I would like to simply say: "Wow!" For any novice songwriter or professional composer, this is the program for you and probably one of the best notation software packages that I have ever used. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NOTION3 is a...

Primacoustic Broadway London 12a Studio Kit.(RoadTest)
March 1, 2010... The Primacoustic Broadway London 12a Studio Kit, as stated on the company's website, "can be used in a variety of typical rooms." The kit includes two Broadband Panels (24" x 48" x 2"), eight Control Columns (12" x 48" x 2"), and 12 Scatter...

Making those hand muscles burn.(GUITAR)
March 1, 2010... Almost every rock guitar player begins learning pentatonic and chromatic scales in early practice regimens, and while very important, you can often get bored of playing the same patterns over and over. In order keep things interesting, I try to...

Approaching solo piano: solo piano performances are often feared, underdeveloped, misunderstood, and underappreciated. Let's change that.(KEYBOARDS)
March 1, 2010... Firstly, to all hopeful solo pianists, here's a fact about our physicality: it's impossible for humans to multitask. When it comes to paying attention, our brains are wired to only focus on one thing at a time. They trick us into thinking we're...

Latin 101: taking the OATH.(BASS)
March 1, 2010... A producer once called me to play bass on a recording project with some "very fine country singers." I said, "Sure, which country?" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A cheap joke, but with a certain amount of truth to the question. When we talk about...

Funky 3S.(PERCUSSION)(Brief article)(Column)
March 1, 2010... Greetings fellow drummers! In this issue's column, we are going to take a look at a very simple three-note sticking pattern (LLR) applied on the drum kit in a way that might not feel natural when being played for the first time. (See Ex. A,...

The Chromatic Axis Concept part III.(WOODWINDS)
March 1, 2010... As I always say at the beginning of any of my articles on chromaticism: I love chromaticism! Chromatic tonality occupies my thoughts most of the day. I love it so much I decided to write a book about it. (Whether I ever finish the book or not is...

Developing your range: part 1.(BRASS)
March 1, 2010... The Myth No matter how high trumpet players can play, we always want to be able to play higher. When we hear a lead trumpet soaring above the big band, we think, "Wow, wouldn't it be great to be able to do that." Then we think that whoever it...

Advanced mixing techniques for DJs part 1.(DIGITAL MUSIC)
March 1, 2010... In this column, I'm going to cover advanced mixing techniques, and share some trade secrets with you. I'll be sharing my perspective on the most important fundamentals of a mix--the volume and the EQ--from my perspective as a sound engineer and...

Experience is everything.(VOCALS)(Column)
March 1, 2010... I have always been from the school of "experience is everything' as far as vocal techniques are concerned. There is nothing like the need to perform at peak condition for multiple nights to help force the old adage "necessity is the mother of...

The Weakerthans' winter in Winnipeg.
March 1, 2010... The Weakerthans are certainly no strangers to the long, drawn-out winters that settle over the prairies year after year, and with the release of 2007's Reunion Tour, offered their fans a taste of the experience. The album was written and...

Xavier Rudd.
March 1, 2010... The first time I heard Xavier Rudd, I was on a tumoltuous ferry ride from Paris to London, sitting with my head against the chair, face green, feet planted firmly to the floor, trying not to vomit from seasickness. The only thing saving me from...

"I'm just going to write songs, and hope that people like them.".(CRASH KARMA)
March 1, 2010... So says Crash Karma bassist Amir Epstein about how his new band plans to survive and thrive in this new decade of the music business. While his plan certainly doesn't stray far from that put forth by most newcomers to the scene, Epstein and...

Even our hip hop is humble.
March 1, 2010... Write a song about New York City, great! Write a song about Ottawa, weird and cheesy. That's not hardly fair. Canadians have always had this thing about Canada: we love it, but we don't support our own talent as much as we should. It's like we...

Crafting on the keys.(KEYBOARDS 2010)
March 1, 2010... The development of a signature style is important for any player, regardless of their goals or core influences. While many factors impact that style, including education and the individual choices you make about how to focus your efforts while...

Deconstructing the long winding mystery of writing a hit song (sort of) part 1.(WRITING)
March 1, 2010... I always come aimed with a tape recorder to any co-writing session. My weapon of choice is a 9" x 5" Sony analog recorder--a thing of beauty. I've used this same model since the '70s. In that era, many radio reporters used this type of machine,...

Capturing a great performance as a producer.(RECORDING)
March 1, 2010... I was recently asked to produce an iTunes Sessions EP for Moneen. Elated to work with the band again, I started to get excited at the thought of capturing this amazing live band playing live in the studio. We set up in three hours, got great...

Make a new friend.(LIVESOUND)
March 1, 2010... Being out on the road is probably the best part of being in a band. You get to hang out with your buddies, meet all sorts of new people, and hopefully, put on a rockin' show. The one friend you need to make, and will have to deal with whether...

Blowjobs, label showcases & Kevin Costner.(BUSINESS)
March 1, 2010... So, time to play for the record label shmoes that "can make your career?" You've practiced your set relentlessly, bought cool jeans, spent your (or your girlfriend's) hard earned cash on all the expensive gear, and now its glory time at home...

KickPort drum accessory.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * The KickPort is designed to improve the sound of any bass drum. The KickPort offers easier tone control, tuning, head selection, and mic placement. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In addition to traditional venting that allows the movement of the...

Paiste Alpha series cymbals.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * Paiste has launched the new version of its Alpha Series of cymbals, which is enhanced by new Metal and Rock models. The new look is accomplished by craftsmen who hand polish the cymbals to a mirror finish in the final production stage. Prior...

Roland OCTAPAD SPD-30.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... Roland has announced the OCTAPAD SPD-30 digital percussion pad, featuring eight trigger pads, built-in sounds, multi-effects, and external trigger inputs. Using the latest trigger technology from Roland's V-Drums, the pads on the OCTAPAD SPD-30...

The Nord Piano.(HotGear)
March 1, 2010... * The Nord Piano is a stage piano with 88 keys and a weighted hammer action. It is lightweight at only 29.7 lbs, and designed with the performing musician in mind. There are plenty of memory locations in a bank/program configuration to provide...

Ortega R2009-15th & RCE1415M-STB guitars.(HotGear)
March 1, 2010... * Ortega Guitars built two limited models for 2009. The R2009-15th comes with a bright, solid alpine spruce top and figured cocobolo back and sides. As well, a Fishman C4T System is added. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The RCE1415M-STB brings up...

Scratchophone DJ mixer.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... The Scratchophone is a portable scratch instrument, featuring a turntable, a special tonearm, scratch mixer, and a pair of speakers. It can be used with a cordless power supply. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Scratchophone can be carried and...

D'Addario Kaplan Cello Set strings.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * D'Addario has released the Kaplan Cello Set, a natural extension to the D'Addario cello line. Kaplan cello A and D strings utilize a solid steel core and tonally adjusted damping. The titanium-wound A and nickel-wound D strings (formerly known...

AKG C 414 XLS microphone.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * AKG has released the C 414 XLS. The new C 414 XLS offers nine pickup patterns that enable it to choose the setting for every application. For live sound applications and fixed installations, all controls can be disabled, and the peak hold LED...

TC Electronic PolyTune guitar tuner.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... TC Electronic's PolyTune guitar tuner is now being shipped worldwide. The PolyTune is a polyphonic guitar tuner, which tunes all strings simultaneously. Simply strum and Poly Tune will tell you which strings need tuning. Poly Tune has a...

Fishman Aura Sixteen & Image Gallery III.(HotGear)
March 1, 2010... * Fishman is shipping its new Aura Sixteen Acoustic Imaging Pedal and Aura Image Gallery III for Mac and PC. The Aura Sixteen ships with 16 pre-loaded images, allowing acoustic musicians to reproduce the sound of their instrument as miked in a...

Peavey Butcher guitar amp.(HotGear)
March 1, 2010... Peavey has introduced the new Butcher guitar amplifier with a 100-watt, ail-tube head. The Butcher is a two-channel amp with five 12AX7 preamp tubes and four EL34 power amp tubes. Both the Clean and Crunch channels feature independent three-band...

Walden Madera guitar.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * Walden has released its all-solid wood Madera line, built with 100 per cent FSC-Pure certified tonewoods such as sitka spruce, western red cedar, and South American mahogany. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] All woods on the Madera are tracked...

Levy's No. 1 Stretch Strap.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * The original No. 1 Stretch Strap is now being manufactured and distributed by Levy's Leathers. The rubber and polyester webbing of this 2 1/2" guitar strap was developed by engineers in Germany. It is finished with leather ends and is...

RapcoHorizon Road Hog Series cables.(HotGear)
March 1, 2010... * The RapcoHorizon Company has released The Road Hog Series, which includes instrument cables, microphone cables, and speaker cables, all designed for heavy-duty use. This series is suitable for the touring musician. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Paul Reed Smith Ted McCarty SC & DC 245 Guitars.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * PRS Guitars is honouring its mentor with the Ted McCarty SC and DC 245 models. Made in the spirit of the original PRS Sunburst Series, the two models feature a short 24-1/2" scale, special bound fretboard, original PRS birds, Santana headstock...

Beat kangz Beat Thang production system.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... Beat Thang comes equipped with thousands of sounds, a sampler, 16-track sequencer, digital FX, and waveform editing. Users can spit out beats on the plane, in the park, or live at the club. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The flexible and...

Stanton M.207 mixer.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * Stanton has announced the M.207, the first of the company's new line of mixers. The M.207 takes the fader area of the SA-5 mixer, and combines it with post-fader, BPM-synchronized digital effects. Those effects are controlled by the FX Glide...

Keith McMillen Instruments K-Bow.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * H Keith McMillen Instruments has released the K-Bow--a Bluetooth sensor bow created to work with the included K-Apps software. K-Bow boasts the ability to free string players from cables and traditional sounds. It allows the player to control...

DR Strings drop-down tuning guitar and bass string sets.(HotGear)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... * DR Strings has announced its new line of electric guitar and bass strings specifically designed for players who employ drop tuning, named DDT. DR's DDT line was designed to enable players to maintain stable and consistent tuning under any...

Sex With Strangers.(Showcase)
March 1, 2010... Where: Vancouver What: Alternative/Electronic Visit: www.myspace.com/ sexwithstrangers Warning: Sex With Strangers have a funny name. Despite this, they are a highly enjoyable band, and you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you...

The Disengagement.(Showcase)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... Where: Antigonish, NS What: Rock/Alternative Visit: www.thedisengagement.com Nova Scotians The Disengagement may not be at the top of their game yet, but now would be a great time to start paying attention to the band before they turn...

Marshall Lawrence.(Showcase)(Brief article)
March 1, 2010... Where: Edmonton What: Blues/Acoustic Visit: www.doctorblues.com Maple Blues Award nominee Marshall Lawrence walks the fine line of playing traditional delta blues while throwing in enough of his own touch to put a unique signature on...