Endorser Update
NOÉ SOCHA ’ S
Noé Socha ’ s unique experience as a blind guitarist has allowed him to develop a sound and feel that ’ s all his own . These days , he ’ s been playing the D ’ Angelico Deluxe 59 hollowbody guitar with his surf rock band , The Gremmies .
“ A good tone is something that makes you feel a special way , in and out , when you ’ re playing . When you ’ re plucking those guitar strings and you get this warm sound , it makes you feel like you ’ re doing something that is great ,” says Socha . “ I ’ m inspired to play different things when I have a good tone on the guitar , because I feel like I can do whatever I want with the instrument when I have a tone I really enjoy .”
Legendary jazz bassist Felton Crews has recently added ASI Audio ’ s 3DME in-ear monitoring and hearing protection system to his live setup . Crews is one of the most sought-after bass players in jazz history , having taken the stage with artists like Miles Davis , Minnie Ripperton , Charlie Musselwhite , Junior Wells , Otis Rush , Buddy Miles , Bonnie Raitt , Devon Allman , and more .
During the pandemic ,
FELTON CREWS
Crews took the 3DME system home and began trying it out , and says he really liked the concept of having built-in microphones to be able to combine the sound of his bass with the natural ambience from the stage . “ You get a much more accurate picture of who you ’ re playing with because of those microphones ,” he says . “ Any time you put ‘ plugs ’ in your ears , you immediately become isolated and your hearing is somewhat impaired . When the band is on stage and one of the musicians on the other side of the stage calls out a key to jam in , if you ’ re not looking at them , you might not hear him correctly , and all you ’ ll hear is the vowel E ! So , you don ’ t know whether the song is in G , D , B , C or E . With ASI ’ s 3DME and their ambient mics , problem solved .”
THE SSL SIX MIXER IN SASCHA DIKICIYAN ’ S STUDIO
German-born artist , composer , and producer Sascha Dikiciyan has been creating unique electronic synth soundtracks and organic sound design for blockbuster video game franchises such as Deus Ex , Mass Effect , Tron and Quake since the 1990s . These days , Solid State Logic ’ s analog Fusion stereo outboard processor and SiX compact desktop mixer have become important tools as he crafts his sonic soundscapes .
“ Because it ’ s at the end of the chain when I print , Fusion has allowed me to omit any mastering plug-ins . And what I really love about Fusion is that it ’ s so easy to use ,” says Dikiciyan , who also uses the moniker Sonic Mayhem and has additionally produced dance remixes for BT , Celldweller and others under the name Toksin . “ The SiX is one of the greatest things ever , in my opinion . For the price , there ’ s nothing on the market that can beat it . I ’ m using the SiX to put some of that SSL fairy dust on all my synths and to keep the noise level down and keep the sound at its most pristine . I have a lot of boutique tabletop synths that are mono . Some of them are pure analog , so they emit a lot of noise when I turn up the volume . But when I put those synths through the SSL , they are quiet . And I put the G-Series Bus Compressor on everything .”
Rapper , singer , producer , and songwriter Illa J ( aka John Yancey ), is a hip-hop artist whose production revolves around an extensive MIDI studio consisting of synthesizers , samplers , drum machines , sequencers , and more . With a background encompassing a wide range of albums and numerous singles , Illa J has an extensive and impressive track record . He is also the younger brother
ILLA J of a legendary hiphop producer , the late James Yancey ( aka J Dilla ). Central to Illa J ’ s production efforts these days is the Model 16 all-in-one mixing studio from TASCAM .
Illa J uses his Model 16 in his home studio , where it serves him for both his production work and live jamming activities . “ My Model 16 is the main mixer in my home studio and I also use it in tandem with my DAW . I have all my synths patched into the board , along with my bass and guitar . I also have my Line 6 POD Go multi-effects processor patched into the Model 16 ’ s effects via monitor 1 . I ’ ve been using the Model 16 for about six months now and , in that time , it has become central to everything I do .”
46 CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE