Nicholas Tipney
Eventide Co-Owners Richard Factor & Tony Agnello
NICHOLAS TIPNEY Announces Retirement & Closure of Vector Instruments
After a career spanning 37 years in the musical instrument business , Nicholas Tipney has announced that he is closing Vector Instruments . He started in business as a builder of cabinets and furniture in fine hardwoods , which shifted to instrument repairs and eventually evolved into full-time musical instrument production .
Working alone and based in a shop nestled in the woods of Nova Scotia overlooking the Bay of Fundy , the internet allowed Tipney to market his instruments worldwide . His initial breakthrough came when he was hired to entertain on the Bluenose ferry running from Yarmouth , NS to Bar Harbour , ME . During the four-summer stint he developed an electric violin that was impervious to the adverse weather conditions and able to project to a large audience . After placing a small advertisement in a violin magazine , the business started to take off . A further boost came when the popular TV show How It ’ s Made featured his instruments and released a video that has been seen over 500,000 times .
Tipney rapidly expanded into violas , cellos , and upright basses , all based on his own unique designs . The final tally was 532 instruments , all hand-crafted out of select hardwoods and state-of-the-art electronics .
As a struggling violinist , Tipney did everything in his power to improve the players ’ lot . This included improved ergonomics , lighter and more resonant bodies , ultra-stable tuning systems , and most importantly , an easier and more comfortable way to hold the instrument .
Notable Vector violin players include Sean Kemp ( Lennie Gallant ), Drew Jurecka ( Dua Lipa ), Wil B ( Black Violin ), Linda Relph ( The Killdares ), and Chris Clouse ( Deadmau5 ). As well , Vector ’ s bass endorsees include George Koller ( Holly Cole ), Chip Jackson ( Rod Stewart , Al Dimeola ), Jamie Gatti ( The Barra MacNeils ), and Paul Novotny ( Joe Sealy ).
Currently , Tipney ’ s violins are featured in the collections of the Berklee School of Music and the Canadian Museum of Science and Technology . He says he intends to spend his retirement further developing and cruising in his solar-electric catamaran , recording an album of original material , and performing as a jazz violinist — on an electric violin , of course .
For more information , go to www . vectorinstruments . com .
EVENTIDE RECEIVES NAMM ’ S Milestone Award for 50 Years of Innovation
In recognition of Eventide ’ s 50 th anniversary ( 1971-2021 ) as a pioneering professional audio manufacturer , NAMM presented Eventide Co-Owners Richard Factor and Tony Agnello with its prestigious Milestone Award . The annual NAMM Milestone Award honours music businesses that have flourished through an ever-changing business environment to reach a noteworthy anniversary .
“ For a small company like ours , 50 years of continually staying relevant is a significant accomplishment in and of itself ,” says Agnello , who was the company ’ s first engineer . “ The Eventide family of innovators has also managed to consistently expand the boundaries of applied technology thanks to the feedback and support of our loyal customers .”
Originally called Eventide Clock Works Inc ., the company had its start sharing space with a small New York City studio . Its original product , a tape search unit for the Ampex MM1000 multitrack recorder , was born of necessity as the studio had no room for a tape-op .
Following the presentation of product concepts at an AES Convention , the fledgling company received a fortuitous order by Maryland Public Broadcasting ( MPB ) that spawned Eventide ’ s initial product line , the Instant Phaser and , for MPB , a digital delay line giving two channels of independent delay from a single input . This DDL became the classic model 1745 Digital Delay Line , which matured in subsequent versions to include Random Access Memory ( an audio product first ) and an optional pitch change module ( the first such product available with a frequency response suitable for music ).
Eventide ’ s prominent position in digital audio processing continues today , including the development of software plug-ins that enhance classic Eventide algorithms for DAW users and musicians , alongside the introduction of plug-ins featuring new and innovative algorithms .
For more information , go to www . eventideaudio . com .
CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE 19