Atomic Ampli-Firebox Review

The one I have been asked for for quite a while now! Here is the review of the Atomic Amps Ampli-Firebox, featuring sounds for those of you who like that kind of thing. There is so much to say about this product, it is best summed up in a video I think! Like this one.....

Video review with sounds!!

Also featuring in the video are a little bit of the Mooer Rumble Drive and the Mooer WahterFor more in-depth information on maximising your practice time and finding your own voice on the instrument, check out my book Guitar Creativity - A new way of thinkingFollow me onTwitterFacebookInstragramLinkedInEnjoyPeaceNeil

Logic Pro X - The secret Tape Saturation Plugin!

Logic Pro X - Quick Tips

The secret Tape Saturation Plugin!

Unleash the Tape Delay and find the secret to some seriously phat beats and lovely tube saturation for the master bus.

This means that you don’t always need to go out and buy fancy plugins! Logic contains so many fantastic plug-ins off the shelf, but the great thing is that when you get down and dirty with them, you actually discover that many of them have hidden secrets....or at least some alternative functions that you can use, which might not be immediately obvious!

Tape Echo echo echo echo......My current favourite is the Tape Delay. I use this plug in all over the place as it is a great sounding delay. It got me thinking....what if I turn off the delay part though? What am I left with....TAPE!

A tape emulation of course, so why not use it....find out how in the video below. If you like this and would like to see some of Logic’s other ‘hidden’ features, check out this video (Logic’s hidden EQ and Reverb).

Request

I hope that you found this article useful and enjoy my blog, podcast and YouTube channel. I’m always happy to share my thoughts and to help others as much as I can and I will never charge for my blog content. Having said that, I truly appreciate when someone supports me in return for the time it takes to write articles, produce podcasts and videos, where I share my years of work and experience with you.

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Peace

Neil

Hans Zimmer Masterclass Review (and a short rant about education!)

A little while ago, I wrote a blog post entitled "The expectations of education and online learning.”, about my experiences of both taking the Hans Zimmer masterclass and then the online commenting in forums and Facebook from other students. I really felt that there was a big gap between some students expectation of what they would be getting and I think this is reflected by the nature of the modern student and instant gratification.So, I put together video on my thoughts on the Masterclass and Hans’ content, you can simply click the video below and enjoy (there is also a little rant in there as well!) Personally, as you can see in the video. I though this was an excellent course and would certainly sign up to others. I feel it offers excellent value for money and has certainly inspired me (which surely is the main aim of any education?)EnjoyPeaceNeil

Understanding Amp Modelling - REMEMBER It’s the sound of a mic'd amp in a (another!) room!!

I know I am preaching to the converted here, but I feel that this is something that comes up a lot with folks who are thinking of switching to modelling and then don’t ‘get’ what they are hearing. I thought I would do a video explaining all about amp modelling and what you are actually meant to be hearing!! Remember people, it is the sound of a mic’d up amp in a room, which is VERY different that the sound of an am in a room.As I come from a recording back ground, so I have made an assumption here. The sound of a mic’d amp in a room I always consider to be a live room in a studio (or the room next door. :) Yes if you have an amp in the room ‘with you’ and put a mic on it, you are still hearing the sound of the amp. I also agree partially with you about the live situation (again showing my age!) but you would get a mix of the mix signal from the amp and the amp itself but nowadays that has changed somewhat where amps are offstage or in ISO boxes, so yes in that situation the helix represents the same thing.EnjoyPeaceNeil

Logic Pro X - Quick Tips - How to Delete Hole (gap) aka Ripple Delete

Mind the gap

A very short Logic Pro quick tip on how to delete a gap or hole (ripple delete) your audio quickly!This is something which I do a fair amount of (mostly when editing the There is another way podcast that I produce every week, but also when working on film dialogue, editing interviews and cutting out selections when I and editing Samples for my sample libraries. I see the question come up quite a lot, but sometimes people aren’t sure of the term to use for this kind of edit. It also has different names in some applications. But think of it as the ripple edit, or delete gap.

Ripple Edit

This isn’t really useful for music production, because you want your audio to stay in the same position because it is in time, but could be useful if cutting out a whole section of a song across multiple tracks.Hope you find it as useful as I do!EnjoyPeaceNeil

Worldizing - breathing life into digital sounds and your music

Worldizing is a sound design term conceived by the great Walter Murch, but it is not limited to sound design, it can be used in your compositions. An easy and effective way to breathe life in your to digital sounds, to make them more organic. Give life to that plug in synth sound, fatten up those drums or guitar parts!Give it a try!!!For more in-depth information on maximising your practice time and finding your own voice on the instrument, check out my book Guitar Creativity - A new way of thinking http://spencerbruce.com/guitar-creati...…Follow me onTwitter http://twitter.com/lightb4soundFacebook https://www.facebook.com/SpencerBruce...Instragram https://instagram.com/lightb4sound/LinkedIn http://uk.linkedin.com/in/neilbrucePeace

NAMM 2017 Rumours

So it is that time of year again!! Doesn't come around so quickly there days?? The NAMM show in January 2017. is a time to start thinking and dreaming of what might be coming out in this year. It seems like quite a few companies like Korg, Supro and various pedal companies (to name the two that I have seen) have done pre-release press releases, so we already know what is coming. A bit of a shame, as I love the excitement.....but I a very excited about the Korg Gadget getting a desktop version!! Amazing!So what am I hoping for this year? Well, I think I am going to be disappointed (as always it would seem), but one can dream. TC Electronic (now part of Music group i.e Behringer) seem to only be concentrating on single stomp boxes now, which is a real shame. My other wish is for Spectrsonics to update Stylus RMX, but given keyscape only just came out I doubt that they will. NAMM used to be big for them, but they seem to have gone very quite of late.Like most years, (if you have read any of my blog previously), really I am only looking for a couple of companies to do a couple of things (which are actually pretty much the same from year to year!!!), so I am guessing there must be a gap in the market, and one thing in particular, the TC Electronic Nova System is right up there. Given by just how popular my review and videos on the unit are, it would seem I am not alone. So for the fifth year running, this is what I am  hoping for.But, otherwise here are my NAMM 2017 wishes1) (This is the big one!) A new Nova System from TC Electronic. Well to be honest, I love the Nova System, I have been gigging mine for over five years now, but there are a few omissions and small things that would make it totally perfect. These are, a filter section (Autowah, envelope filter perhaps, I would have these over the pitch if I had to), and improved tuner (insert a polytune please!!!) and perhaps another way to access patch v presets. I would also love for it to be Toneprintable, how incredible would it be to be able to download Toneprints to the Nova System. Oh okay maybe one more, to make it the most perfect object of all time, perhaps adding in a few basic amp models (Fender, Marshall, Vox perhaps?), so that it could be used direct into a PA or as a basic modeller. That would make it perfection!! Particular on the last point that the TC Halicon Voice Channel can do this, and Tech 21 have introduced this concept with the FlyRig, it would be perfect. But sadly I don't think it is coming.2)Love to see an update to the Ibanez RG Prestige range, perhaps a natural finish guitar??3)Spectrasonics?? Where are you???????….maybe some new libraries for Stylus RMX?  and how about the next generation of awesome software that we know you are capable of!!4)Logic 11? 2013 was the year of Logic X, I am very cautious with Apple at the moment and their (what feels to me) move away from supporting the creatives that carried them through the bad times. They are a phone company now and not a computer company, evidenced by their latest update to the Mac Mini, a total backward step IMHO.5) I also use Digital Performer 9 a fair amount and whilst it is great for audio and film stuff, I still prefer Logic for straight composition and song writing, probably because of the ability to work with looped regions. Maybe this will come to DP one day?6) A decent Marshall amp (we can dream!)7) Atomic Amplifire - actually you guys totally rock! I am loving my amplifier so maybe I don't need a replacement for the Nova System now. I am sure if you have something new it will blow us away!I would be very interested to hear what you are waiting for/hoping for.Maybe I'll get my book there next year ;)

A lifetime of guitar knowledge for only £6.95Take the next step with your playing...

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So what is on your list?

PeaceNeil