Canadian Musician November / December 2019 | Page 70

HOT GEAR Pioneer DDJ-XP2 Add-on Controller Pioneer DJ has released the DDJ-XP2 add-on DJ controller for rekordbox dj and Serato DJ Pro. The DDJ-XP2 is designed to add to the functionality of the original without sacrificing its intuitive layout and solid build quality. Its sturdy construction and non-slip rubber surround allow players to hit it as hard as they want during performances. The DDJ-XP2 enhances DJs’ setups with 32 multicoloured performance pads and puts pad modes at their fingertips. Users can assign transport controls like play, pause, cue, and pitch up/down to the pads with Transport mode. Sixteen pads can be used to control a single mode (a first for Serato DJ Pro). Triggering Silent Cue soundlessly cues up tracks with the faders open on the mixer and then can be instantly triggered from Hot Cue points. It also includes the looping controls of Pioneer’s DJM-S9 flagship scratch mixer. For more information, contact SFM: 514-780-2070, [email protected], www.sfm.ca. D’Addario Mariachi String Sets D’Addario has released string sets for guitarrón and vihuela, the two primary Mariachi instruments. The Mariachi Guitarrón Phosphor Bronze strings feature phosphor-bronze-wound bass strings with NY Steel cores, which provide improved pitch stability and higher break strength. The treble strings feature D’Addario’s in-house extruded monofilament nylon-wrapped on monofilament nylon and the loop end construction method is designed to ensure that the strings will fit any guitarrón and not prematurely break. The Mariachi Vihuela Nylon Strings are made with D’Addario’s in-house extruded Pro-Arté nylon. The Vihuela string sets are available in normal, custom, and hard ten- sion sets. For more information, contact D’Addario Canada: 905-947-9595, 800-268-6855, [email protected], www.daddariocanada.com. Yamaha FG Red Label Folk Guitars Yamaha has released the FG Red Label folk guitar line, expanding the FG series with eight new models in FG Western and FS Concert body sizes. The FG Red Label guitars are designed to provide a warm and well-balanced acoustic tone, a natural-sounding pickup system, and understated, traditional aesthetics. The guitars feature sitka spruce tops and mahogany backs and sides. The tops are treated with Yamaha’s Acoustic Reso- nance Enhancement (A.R.E.) process, which is designed to create the tone and sustain characteristics of aged wood. A new scalloped bracing pattern results in deeper lows and richer harmonics. Vintage-style headstocks are matched with chrome Gotoh open-gear tuning keys and fitted with custom “Since 1966” truss-rod covers. For more information, contact Yamaha Canada Music: 416-298-1311, www.ca.yamaha.com. 70 CANADIAN MUSICIAN