Home Music Gear

Roland Go:Mixer Pro review

REVIEW – Do you like to mess around with a guitar, vocals, keyboard or other musical instruments? Are you looking for a cleaner way to record audio into videos that you upload to social media? A yes to either one of those questions identifies you as the target for Roland’s new Go:Mixer Pro.

What is it?

The Go:Mixer Pro is an audio mixing device with easily understandable analog controls for capturing multiple input sources simultaneously and streamlining the output for capture directly to a mobile phone, laptop, or another similar device.

Hardware specs

Audio Channels: Input – 9 channels, Output – 2 channels
Connectors:
– Instrument (L/MONO, R) jacks: 1/4-inch phone type
– Line-in 1&2 jacks: Stereo miniature phone type
– Guitar/bass jack: 1/4-inch phone type (supports high impedance)
– Plug-in mic jack: Miniature phone type (supports plug-in power)
– Mic jack: Combo type (XLR, 1/4-inch TRS phone, phantom power DC 48 V, 6 mA max.)
– Monitor out jack: Stereo miniature phone type
– USB port: USB Micro-B type
Controllers:
     – Knobs – Instrument, Guitar/Bass, Plug-in Mic, Mic, Monitor Out
– Switches – Loop Back, Center Cancel, Phantom Power, Battery
Indicators: Power, Peak
Power Supply: USB Bus Power or 4 AAA batteries – Alkaline (LR03), or Rechargeable Ni-MH (HR03)
Current Draw: 170mA
Battery Life: ~4.5 hours on Alkaline batteries
Dims/Weight: 104 x 155 x 41mm / 220g

What’s in the box?

  • Go:Mixer Pro
  • 3 USB micro cables – Lightning, Micro & USB-C
  • Guides for registration, downloading the digital manual and using the device safely

Design and features

First off, the Go:Mixer Pro solidly builds its look and capability from a baseline of Roland’s original Go:Mixer which we reviewed in May of 2018. Take a jump back to read about some of the core functionality which remains largely intact.

From a visual perspective, there are some key design changes. As you can see above, the orientation is now squared up versus the diamond positioning of their original unit on the left. As a result the knobs have a more traditional layout which translates to faster adjustment in the moment.

The square itself is a bit bigger as are the knobs including a 5th knob for the additional microphone input. Roland has added a large section to the rear of the unit that houses optional AAA batteries as well as the combo port.

The left side has a well designed, spin-to-unlock battery door and the two 1/4″ instrument inputs.

The front panel has 1/8″ inputs for lines 1 & 2 with a center cancel function on line1. There’s also an 1/8″ monitor out port and an off/on switch for loop back.

On the top face, indicators for power and peak sit above control knobs for the mics (top two), instruments (left and right) and master volume (center).

On the right side, you’ll find inputs for the Guitar/Bass 1/4″ along with Plug-in mic 1/8″ and a phantom power switch for the combo mic port already mentioned.

On the back is a battery switch and the USB port for connection to a device.

The biggest visual change is that new back section shown here with the door off and battery orientation. It’s a welcome addition and doubles as a device rest.

Setup

You’ll want to add 4 AAAs and then you’re ready to connect your devices. Each input is clearly marked with the controlling knob right next to it. I’m going to make the assumption that you don’t need much help connecting your instruments or mics.

If you do connect a mic that requires power, make sure you slide the phantom power switch to on.

Roland made device compatibility as broad as possible by including 3 different device cables. Lightning, USB-C and USB-Micro are all included for you to select from. If you use the Micro cable, please note that the white end should connect to the Go:Mixer Pro. Connect the other end to your device, rest it in the cradle and launch your favorite recording app.

Performance

Having reviewed the original Go:Mixer, Satch and I weren’t sure how much difference we’d find in the Go:Mixer Pro.

Just to list out the key additions over the original. They are…

  • Combo mic/XLR input
  • Phantom 48v mic power support
  • Loop back switch
  • Batteries

Overall, it has a cleaner, more expensive look along with more heft adding to the perceived value. It’s not much bigger, so still very portable. The new layout results in a more balanced workstation that isn’t likely to get pulled off the table by heavier cables and easily supports a 10″ iPad as you can see here leaving you free to record with the device of your choosing.

The device stand functionality is a great addition, but be prepared to remove the case from your device as it’s unlikely to work with anything but the thinnest of protective cases.

The new knob layout just makes sense instantly and paired with the larger diameter, taller knobs, much easier to use.

The original Go:Mixer relied on your device for its power and while initially convenient, ended up being a pretty significant draw on battery life with your screen on. As phones, and more specifically apps, get more powerful, battery life becomes an issue. Big kudos here to Roland for addressing this with the addition of batteries.

As for recording, it’s just as easy. Actually, more so now that everything feels better situated. Here’s a song Satch wrote and recorded the night it arrived. Shot on iPhone8 using the stock camera app with audio through Go:Mixer Pro’s instrument input and the phone resting in the stand.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Satchel Birch (@satchriffs) on

What I like

  • Battery powered
  • Built-in device stand
  • Large analog knobs
  • Understandable layout

What needs to be improved

  • Stand support for devices with cases on

Final thoughts

This is a solid addition to a recording musician’s toolkit. The ability to capture directly from multiple devices, instruments, and mics simultaneously is key. It’s easy to understand and even easier to use. If you have the original Go:Mixer and it’s working great, you may be able to skip this version. If you need support for a phantom power mic or want the addition of a loopback switch, dedicated batteries or the device stand then the upgrade is worth it at $169. [Both links below have been showing $129 since the start of the new year and at the time of writing this post]

Price: $169.99
Where to buy: Amazon or Guitar Center
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Roland.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

Roland Go:Mixer Pro review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 13, 2019 at 9:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

iZotope Spire Studio review

REVIEW – There’s no right or wrong way to record music. In fact, taking you out of the zone is the main thing that should be universally avoided. Spire Studio from iZotope is a new product that seems to have been developed specifically to make sure that doesn’t happen.

What is it?

Spire Studio is a recording interface that harnesses the power of your phone touchscreen while minimizing the typical interactions to let you focus on your music. They’ve also packed in a bunch of cool features and portability to boot. Sound good? We agree, so together with my son Satchel, we gave it a run through to see if it lives up to its claims.

Hardware specs

Weight: 1.6lbs
Dimensions: ~4.8 x 4.4 x 3.4″
Inputs: 2 XLR/TS combo jacks, 48v phantom power
Outputs: 2.5mm headphone jacks
Sample Rate/Bit Depth: 48kHz/24-bit
Wifi: 802.11 b/g/n w/ 2.4GHz
Power Supply: Universal power adapter
Battery: Internal rechargeable lithium ion
Battery Life: 4+ hours
OS Support: Android, iOS

What’s in the box?

  • Spire Studio
  • Power supply
  • Quickstart guide

Design and features

Straight out of the box, the quality is evident. Spire Studio is cylindrical design with a metal construction and some significant heft. The combination of materials and surfaces feels balanced and intriguing at the same time. The rubber feet give it a solid stance on any surface.

The top or face has a circular, segmented LED panel that’s angled toward you, along with five physical buttons. Record and Play buttons are most prominent, being evenly split in the center of the device. At the bottom, you’ll find buttons for New Song, Soundcheck and Volume easily accessible and still easy to press.

On the front, a built-in microphone is behind a protective metal grill with a 3.5mm jack just below for easily connecting a pair of headphones.

The back panel sports a pair of combo inputs that combine XLR and 1/4 inputs expanding your connection possibilities. Input 1 disables the front mic if you connect a microphone and there’s a corresponding push button for toggling 48v phantom power should you need it. An additional headphone jack at the top, power supply jack and power button round out the panel at the bottom.

The built-in battery is an excellent addition as it means you can record for up to 4 hours, even if you’re nowhere near an outlet. Now creativity really can strike whenever it wants. Possibly the coolest and most useful feature is the Soundcheck button. A single press and Spire Studio listens to your surroundings and optimizes the microphone settings to your surroundings for the best possible recording parameters. Very cool. Here’s a video of that.

Setup

Getting started is pretty easy. Download the app from the requisite store for the OS on your phone or tablet and follow the prompts. It will ask you to power on Spire Studio (Make sure the Studio is fully charged or at least plugged in) and then go into settings on your device to connect to the Wifi broadcast by Spire.

Bounce back to the app and give it the permissions it requires. You’re now set up. If you need to adjust anything you can make adjustments within the app settings shown here on the left, or the device settings on the right.

Performance

Spire Studio is pretty fun to use and also very visual as the LEDs provide visual feedback as to what’s going on. Take a look.

Powering Up

Powering Down

At startup you will be dropped right into recording mode. You’ll want to connect any electrical instruments to the combo jacks on the back of the unit or just rely on the built-in mic if you’re singing or playing acoustic. Hit record and the onboard mic does its magic and the input jacks do the same. When you’re finished hit record again to stop. Here’s how that looks, with a demonstration of the New Song button which also starts recording mode.

If you hit record again, it will create a new track which you can then later mix within the app. To listen, make sure your project is selected in the app and then hit play on the app or on the device. You will need to connect headphones to one to be able to hear playback.

If you’re looking for some help keeping time, there’s a built-in metronome that is loud enough to hear through while playing and yet magically does not get captured in the recording. Here’s how it works.

When it comes time to mix some tracks together, the trim function is pretty key. Here’s how the app handles that.

Spire Studio recognizes different devices, or at least different accounts. When I connected there were no songs in the project library, but my first recording showed up as Project 6 which makes sense later as Satchel said he saved a handful of things. Your recordings are tied to your account, so you can switch back and forth between a tablet and a phone if that’s your thing. Just know that on the second device you’ll need to “register” with the same account info as you did your first device since there’s not a “login” option.

Satch was able to feel comfortable with the system pretty quickly and worked up this little Sandman mix complete with eight tracks. It’s cool that in the video you can see the segmented LED display correspond to the different tracks.

As for listening to what you’ve recorded, you ideally want balanced audio playback. Headphones are best for this and it makes sense that Spire provided 3.5mm jacks for connecting them. However, the circumference of the Studio is large enough where some extra height could have accounted for a down-firing speaker to provide some kind of on-device playback. You can definitely plug in an aux cable to a portable speaker as I did in the above video, but a built-in option would have been nice.

What I like

  • Quality and precision build of the device
  • Easy to use controls
  • Battery for recording on the go

What needs to be improved

  • Printed manual – Felt missing at this price
  • Speaker option for playback

Final thoughts

There’s a lot more to discover with the iZotope Spire Studio. It’s a powerful tool and really does streamline the recording experience, letting you just get down to the creative task of recording. It’s solidly built and I can see this outlasting other options out there by a good bit. Satch will continue using it over the next few weeks and we’ll update this post with some additional thoughts and sounds soon. In the meantime, here’s a parting vid I wasn’t expecting to see that had me laughing.

Price: $349
Where to buy: Spire and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by iZotope.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

iZotope Spire Studio review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 29, 2018 at 9:30 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

This guitar stand is literally a guitar stand!

NEWS – Forget standard, boring guitar stands that look like a triangle!  Instead, try one of these guitar-shaped, handcrafted wood floor stands for your guitar.  It’s so meta!  The Made With Tone mahogany wooden guitar floor stand/hanger is compatible with classical, electric, acoustic, and bass guitars.

The stand is solid hardwood with a satin lacquer finish. With 44″ clearance from base to cradle, the stand will work with full-sized electric and acoustic guitars.  Rubber pads on the stand protect your guitar’s finish.  You’ll need to assemble the stand with a simple 2-step build.  The Mahogany Handcrafted Wooden Guitar Floor Stand is $139.99 at Amazon.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged:

This guitar stand is literally a guitar stand! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Bookends made by Fender are the perfect gift for fans of Fender guitars and basses

NEWS – I’ve thought about finding the perfect guitar gift for my husband, but I know I could actually never do that.    Despite having a guitar tech guy he uses to fine tune his guitars, Butch can spend ages staring down the neck of a guitar, adjusting tuning, checking out the finish, trying out the playability, and just staring at a guitar to determine if it’s worth taking home.  Even if I knew exactly what he’s looking for, I still couldn’t know exactly if a guitar would be something he wanted – unless it was the original Chrome Boy, hand-signed by Joe Satriani, that is…  😉

So, knowing I could never pick out the perfect Stratocaster for him, I could still give him a great Fender gift with a pair of these bookends.  They are crafted from the same materials used for Fender’s legendary guitars at their Corona, Calif., facility.  These authentic factory collectibles are crafted from recycled alder wood and given the same treatments and colors used on Fender guitars.  Body styles available as bookends are the Stratocaster, the Telecaster, or the Strat bass body.  The Strats are available in black or sunburst with white pick guards; the Telecasters are available in black with white pickguard or white with black pickguard, and the bass bookends are available in black or red with white pickguards.  

The Fender guitar body bookends are $59.99 a pair from Fender’s website.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: ,

Bookends made by Fender are the perfect gift for fans of Fender guitars and basses originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 20, 2018 at 10:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

2018 Gift Guide – Musician gift ideas

ARTICLE – It’s another year almost over, and it’s time to admit you still haven’t started music lessons for your child or yourself. Let’s look at some gift ideas for getting started learning to play an instrument like the rock god you know you must be!

Squier Mini Strat by Fender

While this may look like a standard Fender Stratocaster, it’s actually a “mini”, or 3/4 sized, Strat from the Squier sector of Fender.  This guitar is designed for children, for people with smaller hands (like me and my short fingers), or for a travel guitar for anyone.  At only $130, you might think these are toys, but they really aren’t.  Check reviews online, and you’ll see that some adults swear by these for their own use and not just as a learning guitar for kids.

That’s not to say they couldn’t use a few adjustments.  I just got the gorgeous all-white mini Strat from the local Guitar Center, and we took it to the guitar maintenance guy who takes care of all my husband’s guitars.  It needed some rough fret ends sanded down and the tuning heads tightened.  Less than $40 later, the guitar tech said the guitar was good to go – after all, he said, it’s a Fender Strat.

You’ll probably want to add a cheap (or not so cheap) little practice amp, some picks, and a strap, and you’re ready, ready, ready to rock tonight!

Price: $129.99
Where to buy: The Guitar Center

Fretlight Wireless Guitar

Fretlight guitars may look like a standard guitar, but they offer two features that set them apart from the mainstream:  they are wireless, and they have light-up fret markers that help you learn new chords as you learn to play guitar.

The Fretlight 600 series wireless guitar connect to a smartphone or tablet via the latest Bluetooth BLE technology. This means you’ll always get the fastest connection to the device you’re using whether it be a mobile device or a computer.  When used with the app, Fretlight’s patented, wireless lighted-learning system guitars light up songs, chords, scales, and riffs right on the fretboard to help you learn.

These guitars come as electric or electric/acoustic in various body styles and as right- or left-handed guitars.  They come in several colors, and some are even offered signed by either Alice Cooper or Orianthi.

Price: starting at $300.00
Where to buy: Fretlight

Roland Modern Compact Digital 88-key Piano F140R

Roland says about their F140R digital piano:  “With superior build quality and innovative technology that far exceeds other instruments in its price class, the F-140R is a serious musical instrument that will last you through years of musical growth and piano enjoyment. Roland’s SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine delivers the rich, complex sound of an acoustic grand, providing a truly incredible playing experience. The PHA-4 Standard Keyboard inherits the Progressive Hammer Action and Ivory Feel texture of keyboards found in our high-end pianos, and includes advanced sensing technology to take full advantage of SuperNATURAL Piano’s enormous tonal range.”

It has built-in speakers for powerful sound and a headphone jack for private practice.  It has too many features to list here, but included are multiple grand piano sounds and other voices, built-in rhythms, MIDI functionality, and more.  Go check it out at Roland, and purchase one at your local store or at the link below.

Price: $1249.99
Where to buy: Sweetwater online

Casio LK280 Portable Keyboard with 61 full-size touch-sensitive lighted piano-style keys

If that Roland piano isn’t in the budget, or maybe you need some help learning to play, check out the Casio LK280.  This is a 61-key keyboard with full-sized, touch-sensitive keys that can also light up to show you where to play.

  • Touch-sensitive keys, with 48-note polyphony for expressive playing. Lighted keys let you easily review which notes to play.
  • Allows you to send MIDI files back and forth from your computer to the keyboard. USB port for easy connection to your PC. Secure Digital card slot expands storage capability (card not included).
  • Step Up lesson system makes it fun and easy to learn to play the keyboard.
  • 180 rhythms/accompaniments, plus digital reverb and chorus effects, and up to 600 possible tones, including stereo pianos, to fuel your creativity.
  • Multitrack recorder lets you layer and save your creations.
  • 1/8″ line input for connection of an MP3 player or other audio device, so you can play along to your favorite tunes.
  • Headphone jack lets you practice privately.

Price: $199.99
Where to buy: Best Buy

Yamaha DTX400K Compact Electronic Drum Set

Perhaps you yearn to beat the skins, but your neighbors don’t want to hear you “banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee”, as Mark Knopfler says.  Using this drum kit, you can play all night long without causing a war.  Yamaha says about their DTX-400K drum kit:  “The DTX400K is a full-size electronic drum kit with newly designed drum pads and large 10 inch cymbals, all on an adjustable steel rack system. It’s a great feeling kit that let’s you play in comfort without disturbing others. And because it’s from Yamaha, you can count on durability and dependability.

The DTX400K includes 10 drum training exercises for any level player that help improve timing, accuracy and endurance.  It features the KU100 Silent Kick Unit that greatly reduces vibration and acoustic noise.“

It has USB MIDI capability, and it’s upgradeable and expandable.  You’ll also have access to three Yamaha iOS apps to help you learn or practice:  DTX Drum Lessons, DTX400 Touch to customize the sound, and Song Beats to help you learn the drum parts to your favorite MIDI songs.

Price: $479.99
Where to buy: Amazon

BOSS Katana-Air 30W Stereo Combo Amplifier

The BOSS Katana-Air 30W Stereo Combo Amplifier comes with a proprietary wireless transmitter to connect to your guitar to the amp.  The Katana-Air is a true stereo amplifier with two custom-tuned speakers.  You’re ready to play anywhere with this BOSS.  It provides 30W of audio power when plugged into a power outlet or 20W when running off battery.  The amp uses “low-latency digital-wireless guitar technology developed by BOSS to provide transparent sound without any lag or dropouts.”

BOSS says:  “Equipped with the same tones and sound-shaping controls found in larger Katana amplifiers, the Katana-Air offers timbres for any style. Five amp characters provide a wide range of tones, from sparkling clean to a custom, high-gain Brown sound evocative of a Marshall stack. There’s even an Acoustic character optimized for playing acoustic/electric guitar. The amp also provides integrated access to over 50 BOSS effects, including modulations, delays, and reverb effects optimized for the Katana-Air’s stereo speaker system. With six onboard memories, you can store and recall your favorite amp and effects setups at any time.

Available for both iOS and Android devices, a dedicated BOSS Tone Studio app gives you complete control of the Katana-Air right from your smartphone or tablet. You’re able to adjust all the amp’s panel controls, as well as access effects types and routings solely available from the app. You can also save setups to the amp’s memories, organize sound libraries on your device, and download free patch collections directly from BOSS Tone Central. The app corresponds with the amp over Bluetooth.”

When you aren’t using the BOSS Katana-Air as a practice amp, it’s a Bluetooth speaker for music playback from your computer or mobile devices.

Price: $399.99
Where to buy: B&H

KLIQ UberTuner

The UberTuner has an advanced microprocessor and a sensitive piezo sensor that ensures your instrument is quickly and accurately tuned.  It has guitar, bass, ukulele, violin, and chromatic tuning modes; it has transposition settings for Bb, Eb, F, and D woodwind and brass instruments.  It has an easy-to-read, full-color display, a long-lasting 3V CR2032 lithium battery, and a power-save feature for extended battery life.

Price: $23.97
Where to buy: Amazon

Fender Play step-by-step lessons

I’m sure there are guitar lessons readily available where you are, but sometimes you just want to not quite go-it-on your own, but not be tied down to expensive lessons you might not be able to make because of work or school commitments.  Fender offers guided lessons for guitar, bass guitar, and ukulele for much less than formal lessons.  You’ll pay $9.99 a month, or you can pre-pay for a full year for only $89.99 – plus, you’ll be given a 10% discount on Fender gear for a year when you purchase the yearly plan.

Lessons are available on your computer or mobile device (both Android and iOS).  You’ll have step-by-step lessons featuring expert, experienced instructors that you can use at home or take with you when you travel.  You learn at your own pace.  And you’ll get a free 14-day trial so you can try it out before making a commitment.

Price: $9.99/month, or $89.99/year
Where to buy: Fender Play

String Stretcha

If you have tuning problems, it may be the strings and not your guitar, bass, or ukulele, according to the folks at String Stretcha.  There are ways to stretch the strings using your fingers, but pulling on them at random places results in uneven stretch and using the “thumb and fingers” method takes a long time and causes a lot of pain.  If you use the Stretcha tool, you can zip it up and down the strings in just five minutes and achieve a much more even stretch.  And the tool has been tested in studios and on the road by professional guitar techs, who give the Stretcha a big non-sore thumbs up.  You can find the Stretcha at retailers, but if you can’t wait to get your hands on one, you can order directly from String Stretcha.

Price: $14.50
Where to buy: String Stretcha

JS SERIES CONCERT BASS™ MINION JS1X

When my daughter was a kid, she wanted to learn to play guitar.  She actually wanted a bass, but at the time, we couldn’t find a bass small enough for her to play comfortably.  Heck, a full-sized bass is still almost as big as she is now!  She has a couple of short-scale basses she plays now, but she recently fell in love with this tiny Jackson bass called the Minion.  This is the bass you want to get for your younger child to learn on.  It’s also great as a travel bass, or as an instrument for smaller adults, like my daughter.

The JS Series Concert™ Bass Minion JS1X has a 28.6″ scale length, which is even smaller than her other short-scale basses.  It has a poplar body, one-piece bolt-on maple neck with graphite reinforcement rods, and a 12″ radius amaranth fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets and pearloid sharkfin inlays.  It has a Jackson P-style pickup at the neck and a Jackson J-style pickup at the bridge.  Each pickup has a volume knob.  There’s also a hardtail bridge with black baseplate and Jackson-branded locking tuners.

The Concert Bass Minion JS1X is available in Neon Green, Pavo Purple, Satin Black, or Satin Silver with black hardware.

Price: $253.51
Where to buy: Jackson Guitars or Guitar Center (for $179.99)

Filed in categories: Articles

Tagged: ,

2018 Gift Guide – Musician gift ideas originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 19, 2018 at 8:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.