Clipped

Thank you & goodbye. I've been using this for a good while; at least 6 years. Purchased from City Music while they were still at Peace Center offering Charvel Desolation models. I find clip on tuners handy especially at the workplace where constant ukulele tuning is required. I've never dropped this tuner & handled it with TLC at all times. Just a couple of days ago, it refused to work despite a new battery in there. 

KR-11

I'll be looking forward to see this here. KORG had no portable, compact drum machine in its catalog since 2013. That's a good decade ago & it's about time something happens in this department. From what the manufacturer offers (images), it looks like the KR-11 is a revised version of its predecessor, the KR Mini. I like the KR Mini & own one, let's see if this has enough enticements to make me part ways with the Mini & embrace this version instead.

Pic: KORG

Black for black

Goodbye - Korg Pitch Black. Not selling it away but laying it to rest. Had been using it since 2009; it's always on the ready, never kept away. Lately, there would be a loss in signal once the battery is about to die. It had served me well.

Hello -  FZone PT-01. A cheap Chinese tuner, it's slightly less than $30 during the online 11.11 sale. It's the first time I come across this brand name. Appraisal soon.

Out & about

Did something different yesterday, being the new year & all, with the looming urge to tread spaces outside my comfort zone. Brought the guitar out to the Botanic Gardens with the following sound supplements (no pun intended):

• Speaker. Portable / pocket JBL GO2
• Effects. Korg Pandora mini, Animals Pedal Distortion
• Cables. George L (2m), Ibanez (patch), brandless 3.5mm i/p for the speaker

Guitar chosen for the occasion - NK Headless. Why? Because it's light & less wieldy. I had not been playing the Pandora mini for a long while but it's proven its worth in terms functionality; it still works. The Animals Pedal distortion was included because there's a fresh battery in there & it's the most proximate when I was packing stuff before leaving. Ditto cables. The JBL speaker was a 2021 Christmas gift that somebody wanted to discard. It was sold to me for less than half the price; was still sealed in its original box. 

Outcome

• Having portable items is the way to go. My JBL speaker & Pandora didn't take up much space in the guitar bag pocket. Even the unwieldy guitar contributed to the joy in travelling & playing. 
• Manage expectations when dealing with compromises. Tone on offer wasn't that great but the JBL is not a guitar-related item to begin with so the driver wasn't conceived to manifest fantastic guitar tones but it's not trashy either. The JBL however, did very well when it comes to modulation & reverb. It's just not build for distortion. Also, the speaker rattled excessively even when bass was set at the halfway point (5); had to re-set bass to 2 for a decent, working tone. The Animals Pedal's presence was confined to the role of a boost, tone tweaks contributed marginally to the overall tone. 
• Having a spare battery helps. But I had forgotten to include one. Not worried about the JBL or distortion dying out but the KORG died after about 40min of use. Battery was drained rapidly because I activated the drum beats / samples throughout. Lesson learnt. 

Talk to self

Got this during last year's City Music year-end sale - KORG Monologue. A simple synth with the least number of keys possible to trigger creativity. OK, it's not that that simple as it has sequencing function on board. The intention here is to use this to buffer my understanding of the guitar fretboard. I am the type who employs linear thinking, it's more objective to understand where I am on the fretboard by transposing parts to the keyboard so I can see things in a straight line. Folks, always empower yourself by furthering your abilities, not compete with others & then feeling like crap because you are not up to standard. You do realize you are competing against their standards, yes? That's why you loose.

Drive to play

I've not been touching the guitar lately. There's no desire to play. I kept in touch with music by listening to it. As it turned out, feel & tone kept me away from it. For the last fortnight or so, it's been the Les Paul. The tune-o-matic bridge had somehow hindered me from playing properly. 'Properly' here refers to the ability to execute fast ideas without glitches. I might be espousing speed & tactile playing somewhat but that's the nature of my being, it's mostly aggressive speeding. Also, those Gibson pickups are appealing on some days only, on other days, I need to hear something else. 

This morning, the Agile took over & it was a much needed alternative. I play better with a bridge type that lets my picking hand feel the body most of the time. It's comfort proximity. I started playing with an Ibanez so that pretty much summed it up; I've been conditioned on that feel all along. The tune-o-matic bridge came much later & it was an exercise in adaptability. So at the close of October, all is not lost. I appreciate having different types of guitars in the house to remediate moments when I feel the cause of playing is all in limbo. Have a good week ahead, folks. Stay safe. We're into to final two months of the year.

You gotta tune 'em all

So Korg, in an inspired anime moment, released a Pokemon Pitchclip series. Strictly limited edition, this one. The usual -/+ indicator strips are replaced with pokeballs.

The pocket metronomes are also given this Pokemon treatment but with a less intrusive digital display. It's clear that Korg wishes to get the younger segment of society interested in music fundamentals & they get to rope in the kawaii-hearted as well. Look forward to these being sold out moments after  they get here so you definitely gotta catch them 'em all quickly.

Single with orange

Had been with this set up since Monday:

• PRS S2 SC250: Pickups in there are Seymour Duncan's P-Rails (N)/ Pegasus (B)
• Boss: Distortion DS-1
• Korg: Pitch Black tuner
• DAW: Shredline pick 3mm

Was looking for a different neck feel so the SC250 was the reference. Have been in split mode every time the neck pickup is engaged so might be looking to make that permanent. Also, I had been playing everything through the DS-1 lately & sometimes took things for granted; this orange stomp box is definitely the standard to beat in terms of a no-frills offering. The Pitch Black- had been using this for all pedal tuning reference. One of the best in terms of accuracy & durability. Currently awaiting for new DAW picks to arrive but will not abandon this green meanie. 

New screamer

Greetings, gear geeks & Tube Screamer fans alike. The following is my personal take on the Ibanez NTS which debuted this year. I have always held the Tube Screamer as the standard in that slight drive in kicking an already driven amp into finer definition (whatever that means to you). I also own some TS-alike pedals/ variations to keep things in perspective.  

Be informed that this version of the TS is devoid of the iconic JRC4558D that gave the pedal its individual flavour. In lieu of this goodness, Ibanez had teamed up with Korg to create a tube equipped PCB-based substitute seen here, dubbed the Nutube technology. 

Despite the tube technology on board, the NTS is still accommodating battery power in addition to PSU applications. The implication here is that the current draw for this technology is small & not power sapping as many of us would've expected. I've been playing mine with a 9V battery in there to keep track of possible tonal changes if the pedal is running on a draining dry cell unit.

This isn't exactly the best visual representation of the pedal in use but that's the amount of light given off by the on-board tubes once the pedal is put to use. The tubes also double as a clipping device so the brightness corresponds to the guitar's string vibrations which trigger the magnetic/ electrical inputs accordingly. The other major difference is the pedal's MIX knob which allows the player to balance the level of NTS drive performance against the instrument's unaffected signals.

In use, the Nutube technology kerbs the pedal's peculiar midrange hump by making the overall tone a little warmer & less prickly with all controls set at noon. This is more obvious if you turn your amp's volume up. Be informed that there's no extra drive to be heard just because there are tubes in there. If you wish for a more commanding Tube Screamer in this aspect, the Turbo version or even the TS7 in its boosted mode would be a more practical consideration. 

Moving on to single coil equipped guitars, this is where the MIX feature proved its exclusive worth. The usual approach in cleaning up driven voicings with any given overdrive unit in use is to - you guessed it - lower its drive level. As such, we have players who eliminate the drive entirely & dimed the level knob to retain the twang from their single coils. The MIX knob here allows the player to retain whatever drive saturation they prefer but reducing its dominance by allowing more unaffected signals through. I must say I enjoy this application with clean-esque tones coming from single coils, definitely. 

In conclusion, the NTS is not a fresh take on the TS tone but a differentiated one. It might be a preferred pedal for a certain camp of players with a certain tone take but the NTS is definitely a proven drive booster regardless of the incarnation. That white-based colour scheme is not ideal for a device designated to be stepped on, yes? 

New rhythm

This is my non-guitar, likely acquisition for this year. I've had good results with the Korg KR-mini but options are limited. Nothing bad about it, it got the job done. New for 2018, the KR-55 Pro has more lone ranger jam features for people who play with themselves (like yours truly) & external storage for other inspirational moments. More importantly, the 55 remains portable with battery power option for on-thego applications. Here's hoping that Korg keep prices sensible.

Staging it

I have a thing for such conveniences for a simple reason- these promote creativity & inspire performance. The Korg Stageman 80 is an all-in-one device which, I believe, all musicians should own. Such devices are learning/ facilitating tools as well. Some highlight clips:

Mini black

Rounding up the February- it looks like the good people of Korg had been listening to players who wished for a pedalboard-friendly version of their beloved pedal tuner so we have this Pitchblack mini to be thankful for. It's everything the PB has to offer but in a compact serving. What I really like is the fact that it can still run on battery- awesome! Promo clip here:

On that note (forgive the pun), here's wishing everyone a great March ahead. Enjoy this 29th February, make it memorable (try your best).

Written

I have these to thank for a song completion earlier today:

• Takamine GY93E: My only acoustic left in the house. Not a big acoustic fan but it helps to open up perspective every now & then. 
• Korg KR Mini: Responsible for keeping time more than anything else. However, the type of rhythm accompanying your guitar moments, helps trigger ideas & arrangements.

Delay-ducation (3)

Our next delay discussion is by far the most contemporary preference- the digital delay (DD).

Unlike the analog sibling the DD is devoid of signal deterioration upon repetition. What you hear deteriorating is the signal volume & this is the very reason why those ol' timers would tell you the DD is devoid of 'warmth' (as understood on Ep. 2). However, the great advantage here is the fact that DD allows the user to enjoy longer delay intervals so the player's delay output is not strictly limited by the device un-tweakable capacity but what he/ she is able to dial in. The other editable parameters include delay depth & number of repeats (among others). This means the modern delay unit is also able to re-create ambience in addition to mere repetitions. The fact that the DD involves a good serving of programming, it costs more than the average analog version & consumes battery more rapidly as well. The learned among us will invest in a good power adapter for our beloved DD pedal which makes more sense here.

Some recommendations

BOSS is arguably the leading name in DD for its simplicity & effective applications. Despite perpetual re-design, the DD-3 remains to be the manufacturer's landmark unit & it's no wonder that the pedal is being preserved in its catalogs till today. Yours truly here keeps coming back to the DD-3 after countless flirtations with other units. The current additions to BOSS' DD models include the DD-7 & the other-worldly DD-500 (the latest addition, 2015).

If you wish for a more updated DD design without losing footing in your guitar focus, check out Strymon's El Capistan pedal. Some of the lushest DD tones can be had here but if you wish for a simpler Strymon philosophy, the DIG model should be it. Please note that the Strymon brand name isn't the most affordable out there but it's good for the money.

There are players out there who wouldn't mind access & some programming/storage capabilities in their DD pedals. Not too long ago, the standard to beat in this category (at least in my books) is Vox's Delaylab. However, the good people of Korg had re-introduced their wonderful SDD-3000. The SDD-3000 is a legend per se that started off as a rack mount unit. Excess here is a little under-statement, you get MIDI feature, panning, note values differentiation, etc... plus the fact that it's a true bypass unit.

To be concluded...

Link to Episode 1: CLICK

Link to Episode 2: CLICK

City Music Sale: Recommendations (3)

If you are serious about looking after your instrument, keeping it in tune should be on your 'must do' list. To many of us, keeping in tune simply means getting it to sound right, maybe we have a song reference for this. However, the human ears are rather averse to the broad sound frequencies in general, less those virtuoso pros who are endowed with perfect pitch. All this boils down to having a reliable tuner to keep our tuning in check. There's so much a clip-on tuner could do due to its vibration detection capability, I'd always tell friends to invest in a reputable pedal tuner because a plug-in tuner is more accurate in this aspect (not relying on vibrations).

My pleasant encounter with good pedal tuners started with the Korg Pitch Black series & that was pretty much a bench mark for me when evaluating others of similar functionality. Today, Korg has 3 variants in its PB tuner range as seen above: 1) PB Standard 2) PB Polyphonic 3) PB Custom.

Because I believe in what the PB tuners have to offer in terms of features & durability, I bought myself this Custom version which is essentially a strobe tuner. Strobe type tuners are the best when it comes to intonation (tuning vs intonation- know the difference). If you think your off-the-shelf instruments are spot on with open tunings, wait till you check the intonation at the upper frets. Anyway, the Korg PB series of tuners are my recommendations to you if you wish for a value-for-money pedal unit which aren't costly.

At the hole

I was at City Music a few days ago, was checking if the new Martin Dreadnought Jr is in stock but it's a negative. Anyway, I saw this Korg Rimpitch & bought one. 

Last year, I had the idea of putting a tuner into the acoustic guitar's sound hole but was ridiculed by an online troll. Apparently, that someone thought it's totally wrong to attach one that hides inside the instrument's sound hole but it seems that the idea was already thought of by Korg. So there are now 2 choices for you acoustic wizards to have discrete placements of your tuners: 1) Head stock 2) Sound Hole.

Will be busy...

This is an acquisition from the annual City Music Sale; a sequencer cum rhythm machine. I deem this a necessary purchase namely because I play alone (yes, I don't have a band, I don't intend to start one either). So this weekend, I shall be busy transcending into an alternative universe where all forms of beeps, blips & blurps are important elements of time.

KORG: Rim & Slim

This is an official release- KORG takes pride in the intro of its Rimpitch, a soundhole mount tuner for acoustic players. It's especially useful for those guitars devoid of electronics.

The Slimpitch here is the other newbie. A seemingly normal tuner with direct tuning capability, a clip-on detection, a plug-in option and...

... it has enough magnetic feature to stick itself onto your music stand! 

Digital delay (seriously digital)

Delay fans, this is something to behold by Korg- the SDD-3000. All the delay introversion you'd ever wanted, it's in here. If you enjoy the digital responses by BOSS but wanting more, do give this a consideration. It has some inputs by a certain U2 tech so you know what to expect :-)

At work

Had some time to while away at the office today (this doesn't come by often, especially at mid-day) so it was string noodling, nothing new. However, there were no amps around so it was the iPad & some stuff you see here:

1. The guitar in question was my Charvel DX-1. It was nearest the door on my way out from home, so...
2. iRig Stomp- so the iPad knows I have a guitar plugged into it
3. X-mini ME speaker
4. Korg KR mini to keep me in time
5. Guyatone OD2+, it's the lightest & most preferred

I thought I was into it for a few minutes but I actually played for 1hr 20min. By that time, the rain had stopped.