Plugin now bundled with ("new") line6 interfaces

Line6 have made some changes to their product line.

Line6 usb audio/ modeling interfaces now include the plugin version of the line6 modeling software. The software has been "upgraded" too. The changes are mostly "cosmetic".

The user interface has drastically changed and most reviews and opinions are rather favourable. In my opinion it is a lot better then the original "Gearbox" interface.

One of the most important things however is that the plugin version of pod farm is now bundled with the interfaces. So besides the "stand alone" version you get the plugin version (vst amongst others) to us in your daw for re-amping.

Here is the original Gearbox interface:





This is the new Pod Farm interface:




And:





One of the new possibilities is the use of 2 signal chains (stacks/ dual amps) for the same imput:



Also very handy is the (new) patch browser:




The "old" GX, UX1 and UX2 interfaces are "rebranded" to:

Line6 Pod Studio GX
Line6 Pod Studio UX1
Line6 Pod Studio UX2
Line6 Pod Studio KB37

As said before These are replacing the Toneport interfaces. I have the impression the interfaces are not really different from the "original" Toneports apart from the colour and name...

The old Toneport UX2:



The "new" Toneport Studio UX2:




People who own a Toneport can buy the Pod Farm Plugin for 49$. If you own the plugin already, you can upgrade from Gearbox plugin to Pod Farm Plugin for free!

The upgrade of the standelone version for your interface is FREE anyway!

Because the "new" Pod Studio interfaces are hitting the market just now it is also an exellent time to buy the older Toneports for less, beware however that you do NOT get the plugin for free then!

Also very important: Pod Farm DOES NOT OVERWRITE or REPLACES Gearbox, but imports your gearbox user made tones. After the installation you can still use Gearbox and Gearbox plugin.

I have edited Gearbox tones with Pod Farm and Re- opened them with Gearbox and vice versa without any problems! This did not include dual tones, so I don't know what happens if you try to open a dual- stack Pod Farm tone with Gearbox.

Till next time,

Hugo

New Breed Of Backing Tracks

One can never have enough quality backing tracks to exercise his or her skills. Backing tracks come in different flavours, midi, mp3, audio CD (Aebersold) by software (band in a box)...

The folks at JazznBluesTracks offer backing tracks in mp3 (192 kbps) that are made with state of the art tools (huge sample libraries like DFH C&V...).

Here is why they are different from most offerings today:

• Full lenght mp3 tracks (several choruses, each chorus played differently, about 5 min. long) with count in.
• Instant download after purchase (zip file of approximately 50- 90 mb).
  
• Mp3 files encoded at 192 kbps.
• Play anywhere: mp3 player, Ipod, Burn an audio CD...
  
• Easy import in your favourite recording program
• The same track provided at different speeds (bpms) and/ or in different keys in a package (depending on the product).
• Different Band Settings: Bass and Drums, with and without chords (piano or guitar) so you can be the soloist or play the chords yourself.
• Free PDF files with the changes (chords/ Lead sheet / cheat sheet).
• Suitable for Guitarists, Pianists, Solo instruments (Saxophone, Trumpet....)
• Etc...

The introductory price for each package is set at 5$, and that's a steal (impossible to sustain this price setting in the future considering what's in a package and the bandwidth costs since each package is approx. a 90mb download)!

I would say grab them now before prices get up!

Here is a link to JazznBluesTracks.com

Enjoy

Sequencer For Free: Luna

Professional audio software like sequencers is generally quite (very) expensive. And if you don't know yet if the "virtual studio" thing is really your thing getting your feet wet cheaply or even for free is nice.

Well there is a new contender on the sequencer market and they are giving away a basic version for free!

The new toy is called LUNA and here is the link to the company website:

Mutools.com

Here is a direct link to the software download page:

LUNA free

One of the "restrictions" of the free version is the number of vsti it can host (4), but you can read all about the differences between the free and unlimited versions here.

Oh yes, another "free" version figures on the Computer Music magazine CD and is called Cmusic and has less restrictions than the free version.

Support for the software is given at a dedicated forum at kvraudio.com AND on the forum at Computer Music.

To be "complete" someone wrote a turorial for Luna. You can read it here.

Have fun,

Hugo

Line6 VST plugin and more

This is already "old" news, but Line6 updated their gearbox software so you can record a "wet" or "dry" signal (or both at the same time on separate tracks). Gearbox is at version 3 now and that is a free update for line 6 interface owners.

They has to do this to be able to sell (and that's not free, haha) their VST plugin version of the software. So, to recapitulate, you are able now to record a dry signal (while monitoring "wet) and insert a (one or more) VST plugin version in the track afterwoods so you can tweak the sound while mixing.

Neat, but this comes at a price. The VST plugin functionality for existing Line6 interface owners is 199$. New customers can buy a basic line6 interface+ VST functionality in two flavours: Silver ($299.95) and gold ($499.95) bundle. Beware: these basic interfaces do not feature mic inputs!

Alternatively you can buy a toneport UX1 or UX2 and "upgrade" to VST functionality afterwoods. This way you get the mic inputs as well.

If you already own a line6 interface there is a third way. Since you can record "dry" now, you can always launch another VST guitar modelling plugin on the track.

2 brands come to mind here: Native instruments (guitar rig2) and IK Multimedia (Amplitube2).

One more option: buy yourself into the Ik Multimedia line by buying the Stealthplug with Amplitube Live2 (a light version of Amplitube).

If you happen to buy this last one from Esoundz.com please use hugojacquet as a referral, you will get 5$ rebate on your next purchase (and so will I :-).

Great guitar playing (Mike Stern Burns!!!)

One of the greatest (jazz) guitar players I know of is Mike Stern. He especially excels in Jazz-Fusion (most of his records are Jazz-funk-rock-fusion flavoured).

I also think he is at his best when he plays in other peoples bands, as a "side-man".

I once had a VHS video tape of a concert of the Brecker Brothers Band featuring Mike Stern on Guitar. Suddenly remembering this tape (that I lost) I made a search on Youtube, and yessss, it's there.

Just thought I would share this with you. Mike Stern plays one of his best solo's ever on this one! It's in two parts.

Brecker Bros Spherical:

Here is part one:



And here is part two:



Enjoy,

Hugo

The 2-5-1 (two five one) progression

The two five one progression and it's modes are the jazz equivalent to the blues changes and scale in blues.

Most jazz standards changes feature at at least one 251, most of them have more (in different keys).

So, in order to be at home improvising on jazz tunes one should master this chord progression quite well.

In order to accomplish this I created lessons on the 2-5-1 progression. This first lesson gives a brief explanation of the concept and offers two ways (positions) to play the chords and modes on the guitar:

Link to this first lesson

The second lesson walks through the 251 progression in 6 different keys:

Link to the 6 keys lesson

Mp3 backing tracks are provided for both lessons

Have fun,

Hugo

Backing Tracks (Blues in A)

About backing tracks,

I just posted some new backing tracks on pego.be, the site I post my lessons on. They are all Blues backing tracks in the key of A and range in tempo from 65 to 95 bpm.

I created them a while ago but didn't find the time to convert and post them until now.

They where created with cubase SX3, DFHS Custom and vintage, a free organ VSTI called organized trio and a bass soundfont (my own samples I created myself), played through the free soundfont player VSTI sfz.

Here are the lessons with the free Blues in A backing tracks (they are at the bottom of the pages. You can play them with the integrated flash player or download the mp3's to your HD):

Shuffling over the Blues

Blues: First riff

Blues: the minor pentatonic scale (A fifth position)

Blues: the minor (A) pentatonic scale 8th notes

Have fun,

Hugo