Canadian Musician articles from May 2008

Canadian Musician archives from May 2008

Landing an endorsement deal.(IndieInsider)
May 1, 2008... if you or your band are doing serious touring--different clubs in different cities--and you actually sound good, there's a decent chance that the suppliers of the gear you're dragging in and out of venues could use you to move some product....

Industry gathers for: Canadian Music week '08.(Changes)
May 1, 2008... Rogers MusicStore Canadian Music Week '08 once again brought a strong showing from the country's industry to the Royal York Hotel in Toronto March 5-8, 2008. The international music convention, which includes a conference, music festival,...

Musicians who care: getting involved with world vision.(Changes)
May 1, 2008... "Sing Across the World" is a global music project launched by songwriter, producer, and guitarist James Bryan in partnership with World Vision. The project connects a group of high school music students from Laura Secord Secondary School in...

SABIAN accepting entries for dream spot contest.(Changes)
May 1, 2008... SABIAN has announced the return of its Dream Spot Contest. The second annual promotional contest will give an undiscovered band the chance to play 10 dates on the 2008 Vans Warped Tour, as well as $10,000 in band gear credit at a...

Northern Ontario Music Development Program looking for submissions.(Changes)
May 1, 2008... The Northern Ontario Music Development Program (NOMDP) is looking for new applicants to work with. If you have a project you're working on, or an idea that you would like to pursue and would like some assistance from Music and Film in Motion...

Mountain Rythym drum experience announced for 2008.(Changes)
May 1, 2008... Tanglefoot Lodge will be hosting another Mountain Rythym Drum Experience September 26-28, 2008. Weekend attendees will have the opportunity to completely customize and finish their own Mountain Rythym drum while learning how to maintain,...

Tanglewood guitar company UK.(Changes)(Website overview)
May 1, 2008... Tanglewood guitar company UK has launched its new North American website at www.tanglewoodguitars.com. The site presents the company's line of acoustic guitars in an interactive format. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The new page features a...

S.C.E.N.E. festival takes Ontario.(Changes)
May 1, 2008... The 13th annual S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival will be taking place in downtown St. Catharines, ON Sunday June 29, 2008. Over 150 performers will take over 15 stages in multiple venues for the independent all-ages event. Last year's performers...

Get your tour dates on Pollstar.com.(Changes)
May 1, 2008... Pollstar.com has a huge database of international tour dates and itineraries from bands of nearly every genre of music. Why not get your confirmed road dates up for all to see? Send your confirmed (not tentative) tour dates to...

New professional development program at Harris Institute.(Changes)
May 1, 2008... The Harris Institute is offering a new set of music industry, audio production, and digital media weekend courses. In tandem with an online survey, Harris has taken the 25 most requested ideas and developed them into courses offered between...

New happenings announced for Montreal Guitar Show.(Changes)
May 1, 2008... With its second edition held June 26-29, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Montreal, the Montreal Guitar Show has stepped up its programming with Guitarmania, a new concert series. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The show, held on the first weekend...

Easy distribution of your music to Media & radio.(Changes)(Yangaroo Inc's Digital Media Distribution System)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Yangaroo, Inc has created a Digital Media Distribution System (DMDS) that allows bands, labels, and music owners to get their environmentally friendly product to radio and the press efficiently, quickly, and safely. [ILLUSTRATION...

Musicians against Parkinson's gets started.(Changes)(Website overview)
May 1, 2008... Montreal musician Robbie Tucker has started Musicians Against Parkinson's at www.mapmusic.org, a new website whereby musicians and labels can donate their digital music in order to spread awareness and raise money for Parkinson's disease. ...

WANNA play on the Warped Tour?(Changes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... The 12th edition of the Ernie Ball/Music Man Battle of the Bands is now taking 2008 submissions. Unsigned bands have a shot at performing on the Warped Tour, a $15,000 Guitar Center prize, and more. Registration is open now through June...

KoSA Cuba 2008.(Changes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... The 6th edition of the KoSA Cuba Festival and Study Program will be taking place October 19-26, 2008. The weeklong program gives attendees the chance to experience hands-on classes with major Cuban artists, concerts, lectures, as well as...

$$$ does the AFM have money for you?(Changes)
May 1, 2008... The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) is amidst a campaign informing performers and record manufacturers about Canada's Copyright Act, which entitles them to royalty payments along with music rights...

St. John's to host Our Future In Music in August 2008.(Changes)
May 1, 2008... August 15-24, 2008 will find the Newfoundland and Labrador Musicians' Association (AFM Local 820) hosting a ten-day series of events dubbed Our Future In Music, celebrating all styles of music and giving musicians a chance to examine the...

$50,000 up for grabs with the U.S.A. Songwriting Competition.(Changes)(Sound recording review)
May 1, 2008... Canadian entries are currently being accepted for the 2008 U.S.A. Songwriting Competition. Winners will receive airplay on nationally syndicated radio programs, and a grand prize winner will take over $50,000 in cash and gear from Sony,...

Sabian Cymbals.(Changes)(Website overview)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... SABIAN Cymbals has launched a new website at www. sabian.com with a host of new areas and features. The site was ultimately overhauled to become more user-friendly, with the new design incorporating improved architecture and easier...

Events.(Calendar)
May 1, 2008... * 2nd Annual New York Amp Show Piscataway, NJ May 10, 2008 818-992-0745 loni@ampshow.com, www.ampshow.com * New Music West Vancouver, BC May 14-18, 2008 604-689 2910, FAX 604-689 2912 ...

Tanglewood TW28-CSN & TW45-H-B guitars.(RoadTest)
May 1, 2008... The first of two guitars I tested was the new Tanglewood Evolution Series TW28-CSN with a list price of $299. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] First off, the facts: the Tanglewood TW28-CSN is a steel string flat top dread-nought-style guitar...

SONAR 7 Producer Edition.(Road Test)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2008... Seven years have passed and this is my third review for what has become the dynasty of Cakewalk software. Last year, hitting a milestone, SONAR 6 crossed over to the new Vista era. The new SONAR 7 Producer Edition presents even more new...

Clavia Nord Wave.(RoadTest)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2008... One of the things Clavia manages with all the Nord keyboards is to make you covet them at first sight. I've been a Nord user since the original Nord Lead came out, and have been a fan ever since. Admittedly, the look caught my eye first. It...

Hey kid, what tuning is that?(GUITAR)
May 1, 2008... Why do we start kids off learning guitar in standard tuning? "Standard," as in most songs written and performed on the guitar are in this classically-based tuning: EADGBE. In order to be able to play and understand this huge catalogue of...

Warmed up and ready to rock!(KEYBOARDS)
May 1, 2008... In our professional careers as keyboard players, (piano, organ, and synth) we are often required to sit down and play involved polyphonic music at the drop of a hat, so to speak. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I think we can break down the...

Exercise of 7ths & 3rds.(BASS)
May 1, 2008... This pattern, based on major and dominant 7ths ascending and major and minor 3rds descending, is a very effective tool to playing over chord changes. These patterns can be applied to either string bass or electric bass and offer a challenging...

A Brazilian primer.(PERCUSSION)
May 1, 2008... I have been in love with the music and rhythms of Brazil ever since drummer/percussionist Memo Acevado came to my high school and did a clinic on Brazilian drumming. The sounds of the Bossa Nova, Samba, and the Partido Alto, among others,...

The importance of studying harmony on the piano.(WOODWINDS)
May 1, 2008... The study of harmony on the piano is essential, especially if you want to expand your palette as a composer and improviser. Arpeggiation and scale/chord matching serve their purposes until you start repeating the same old tired, cliched...

Intonation exercises.(BRASS)
May 1, 2008... In my previous article, I discussed the compromises you make in intonation if you rely solely on a tuner. If you remember, Equal temperament is a way to make pianos sound reasonably in tune in all key signatures, adjusting each note slightly...

Virtual instruments.(DIGITAL MUSIC)
May 1, 2008... Let's take a fresh look into the world of virtual instruments, often referred to as software synthesizers or softsynths for short. Virtual instruments are instruments created inside your computer using only software with no external...

Warming up your voice.(VOCALS)
May 1, 2008... When thinking about warming up your voice, you really want to avoid injury. There are many factors that contribute to vocal problems and abuse: 1. Using your voice incorrectly; this means bad technique, and forced throat singing. 2....

Balancing success.(City and colour)(solo artist Dallas Green as City and Colour and member of band Alexisonfire)(Interview)
May 1, 2008... As a recording artist, Dallas Green is in an enviable position. Between Alexisonfire and the unlooked-for success of his first solo record as City and Colour, he doesn't have to prove a thing. He's equally sought-after and relevant as a solo...

Protest the Hero in-studio & on the road.(BUILDING A fortress)
May 1, 2008... "Our two biggest enemies are key and time signature." So claims Protest The Hero guitarist Luke Hoskin about the band's oft-antagonizing process of composing music--a statement that should ring as ironic for listeners familiar with Protest's...

How to make an independent record.
May 1, 2008... Making an independent record is viewed for some as a step to getting the big pie in the sky--a major label deal. You may have to release several before some A&R "Rep" (they still exist right?) escorts your band into the head office of the...

Guitar 2008.
May 1, 2008... I once read that to become an expert, you need to spend 10,000 hours practicing. So how do we explain when someone has practiced for 10,000 hours and they are not experts? There must be something more to it--you need to be practicing the...

Songwriting with a purpose.(WRITING)
May 1, 2008... Last summer, Blair Packham did an amazing job interviewing me at the Humber College Summer Songwriting Workshop. He titled our interview "Songwriting with a Purpose" in the program. We talked about what internal or external forces might...

Recording the ultimate vocal performance part I.(RECORDING)
May 1, 2008... Unless you're making an instrumental record, cutting a vocal is the most important thing you'll ever do in the production of a song. When a vocal performance is stunning, who wouldn't love to hear it a cappella? The rest of the production...

Choosing in-ear monitors: this issue, we are going to help you choose in-ear monitors. IEMs come in two flavours: custom fit and universal/generic (earbud-style). Most performers start with lower-priced universals to try IEMs and get used to them prior to committing to more expensive, custom-fitted models.(LIVESOUND)
May 1, 2008... When evaluating IEMs, compare only two models at a time and choose your favourite between the two. Then, compare that favourite to the next comparison model and again choose your favourite between those two. It is necessary to compare only...

360-degree deals.(BUSINESS)(new record deal)
May 1, 2008... There is a new form of record deal emerging, and like it or not, more and more labels are expected to continue to want to share in a piece of all of an artist's revenue streams. This "new" deal (which is commonly referred to as a "360-degree...

Peavey PXD series guitars.(HotGear)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... * Peavey has introduced its PXD Series, a new line of electric guitars designed to capture the aggression and attitude of modern metal players. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With active pickups coupled directly to tone-sustaining mahogany...

Stagg Traditional China Lions & Gongs.(HotGear)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... * The full range of Stagg Traditional China Lions and Gongs is now available in Canada. China Lions are available in 14", 16" (pictured), 18", and 20" models. Wind Gongs are available in 16", 18" (pictured), 26", and 36" models. Tam-Tam...

Roland Fantom-G series workstations.(HotGear)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... * Roland's new Fantom-G Series, with an advanced sound engine, ARX Super NATURAL expansion bay, jumbo-sized colour LCD display, and audio/MIDI recorder, is now available. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The workstations come in three keyboard...

Evans EC Resonant tom heads.(HotGear)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... * The new EC Resonant tom head from Evans is the first bottom head to promote the natural tone and body of any tom by means of frequency tweaking. The head is constructed from a single ply of 10 mil ultra-clear film augmented with the...

Ernie ball titanium-coated Slinky Acoustic strings.(HotGear)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... * Ernie Ball has introduced its new Slinky Acoustic sets, featuring patented coated Titanium RPS Technology that resists rust and grime to produce a bright tone and offsets weakness and breakage. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The strings...

SONOR Steve Smith 30th Anniversary Limited Edition drumkit.(HotGear)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... * To celebrate Steve Smith endorsing SONOR drums for 30 years, the company has released the Steve Smith 30th Anniversary Limited Edition drumkit, built with the drummer's input. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The kit is based on Smith's...

Ampeg SVT Micro Head.(HotGear)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... * Ampeg has introduced a miniature version of the SVT bass amp, known as the SVT Micro Head, with a size suited for smaller venues and recording studios. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sporting SVT attire, including the silver face, black...

Marshall 2-channel JVM2 models.(HotGear)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... * Marshall Amplification has introduced five new JVM2 models--two heads and three combos. Equipped with five 12AX7s, two EL34s for 50-watt models, or four EL34s for 100-watt models, these amps join Marshall's JVM4 models to create a JVM...

Allen & Heath Xone: 42 USB mixer.(HotGear)
May 1, 2008... * Allen & Heath has made an addition to its Xone DJ range with the launch of the Xone:42 4-channel DJ mixer with USB audio interface. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Xone:42's feature set is built around four dual-input stereo channels;...

Showcase.(Jagger Cook , pop group Sproll, and Freeflow)
May 1, 2008... JAGGER COOK Contact: info@jaggercook.com. Singer/songwriter Jagger Cook, based in St. Catharines, ON, has already experienced a level of success beyond the reach of many artists in this country. He has worked with some very serious...