Humidity to Go

The Air O Swiss Portable Ultrasonic Humidifier is travel-ready!

Acoustics are more prone to drying out!

If you depend on your guitar and voice at least in part to make a living, you really need to protect your investments.  Winter dryness can wreak havoc with your acoustic guitar's structure and ability to stay in tune.  Really the same holds true for your voice!  Traveling poses a real threat to both because you have no control over the airplane cabin or hotel room's humidity levels.  Airplanes are notoriously dry so there's not much you can do about that but once you arrive at your destination, there is a workable solution to rehydrate yourself AND your instruments.

Air O Swiss makes a full range of ultrasonic humidifiers for the home and studio with some vocalists having one in each room to maintain optimal humidity levels, (between 45-55%).  Once you leave that comfortably controlled environment, well, you're on your own!
Air O Swiss has an answer for that too.  The AOS 7146 Travel Ultrasonic Humidifier offers a super lightweight, portable unit that gives you humidity output of 1 gallon a day using a simple plastic water bottle!  The no-leak adapter and balancing feet make it tip proof and stable plus it's quiet in operation.

The Air O Swiss 7146 Travel Ultrasonic Humidifier

This portable humidifier can be placed on your night stand or dresser for a great night's sleep.  The cool microfine mist immediately evaporates and if you are using bottled water you'll enjoy pure, fresh air as well.  Place your guitar on its stand and it will naturally absorb the moisture from the room humidifier. Both you AND your guitar can sleep well!  I've found my acoustic guitars staying in tune longer when they are kept properly humidified.  I also have less sinus and vocal issues in the morning after sleeping with an ultrasonic humidifier.  Now you don't have to leave behind all the comforts of home.  Take clean, moist air with you everywhere you go, even on tour.



Look in our banner ad section for more tips on Guitar Humidification including a video with Bob Taylor of Taylor Guitars!   Also check out Levy's Leathers Touring Bag for your mics and cables.

Recording Studio Set Up: Mics & Preamps

This is YOUR year to get it done! Polished, mastered vocal and instrumental tracks are so easy with these stand alone preamps and Audio-Technica condenser studio mics. Better still, most of this equipment works well on the road too so check out Levy's Tour Bag, perfect for packing delicate microphones and cables, (we recommend Planet Waves Custom Pro Series Mic & Instrument cables). Now you can get professional recording studio results using these high tech, large diaphragm mics and preamps...at home! 

Audio Technica's AT-4081 Ribbon Mic

A-T Studio Headphones

             

Digitech Vocalist Live 4 Mic Preamp / Harmonizer

  

Preview of 2011's Best Guitar Gear!

Eclectic Sound TV scooped some of the BEST new gear from NAMM 2011 to see who's going to make the final cut on our list for 2011's BEST Guitar Gear! Here are some of the Award Show nominees but don't count out some surprise entrants being added!!! Our 2011's BEST Guitar Gear video will be the business so stay tuned and check out 2010's Best Guitar Gear Winners!  Please be sweet and Tweet 

Rock Prodigy App for iPhone / iPod Touch!

Sanyo Pedal Juice in BLACK!

Studio Side: Voicetone Create XT DEMO Video

Unless you can make it to the NAMM Show this week, you probably don't know how some of these effects pedals come in the box. Hey it all looks good set up on the promo videos but what's it REALLY like to purchase the T.C. Helicon Voicetone Create XT vocal effects pedal and put it to work in the studio? Also how does it REALLY sound without all the fancy speakers and mastering companies often use?
Take a look and get a listen....we've got your answers right here! No smoke and mirrors, this is how the Voicetone Create XT comes packaged, what's included, what you'll need and how it sounds right out of the box. Hey remember, please be sweet and RETWEET using the button below!















Hardtune or Autotune are just two of the studio vocal effects you can get from the Create XT Pedal. Just listen to the effects on recordings by artists like Kanye West, (shown here with Dr. M!), Lil' Wayne, T Pain and Jay Z. R & B, Pop and other genres use these same effects to add interest and a techno edge to their tracks. On the right in the photo above is the Sanyo Pedal Juice powering both the Create XT and BOSS DR-3 Drum & Bass Machine without an AC outlet. Mic used in the vocal portion is an Audio-Technica AT4050 Studio Condenser. Broaden your horizons and try something new!

2011 NAMM Show January 13th -16th

Audio-Technica Hall A, Booth # 6740
C.F. Martin Guitar in Booth #5454
Planet Waves & D' Addario in Booth #4834
Hal Leonard in Booth #4618

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The BEST Guitar Straps for YOUR Axe!

You talked, we listened! If you are looking for the BEST guitar strap for your axe no matter if you play bass, lead or acoustic, we've got it for you. Top guitar strap makes such as Sully's handmade leather straps, Levy's Leathers LTD (shown below), Planet Waves NEW band collections with C.F. Martin's Leather Strap & Guitar Hoodie are all in the mix! To complete your experience, check out our NAMM 2011 Video featuring Ernie Ball Strap Locks vs Planet Lock Straps! It's all here and all for YOU!

PHOTO: NEW for 2011, Levy's Leathers LTD Suede Leather Strap MS71To1 with buckle and acorn embellishments!

PHOTO: Guitarist, Phil Keaggy whom Eric Clapton dubbed as the most under-rated musician of our time.

Keaggy is a Christian artist seen here during his set at RevGen 2010 in Frenchtown, NJ. He is wearing an un-padded adjustable leather guitar strap with the Fender.



Please TWEET this post at the link below!

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Ernie Ball Strap Locks vs Planet Lock Strap NAMM 2011 Release

A NEW RELEASE, literally! We got lots of feedback regarding the best strap locks and concerns about drilling into your guitar to install them. NEW at the 2011 NAMM Show this month, Planet Waves, Booth # 4834, will be featuring their revolutionary PLANET LOCK STRAP. The Planet Lock strap is a Strap Lock + Strap in one so you can change them in a snap! Check out the video and see how it stacks up to our Ernie Ball Super Strap Locks.

See the other Planet Waves guitar strap styles including their new Rock Band Collections in the banner ad section on the left! Be sure to see our 2011 NAMM SHOW Musical Montage too. Do share the LOVE and TWEET this post with the link below!

Phil Wickham doing You're Beautiful, RevGen

No drill locking straps!

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FREE Guitar Lessons to Kick Off 2011!

If you are an adult and would like to finally have the chance to take guitar lessons, we have GREAT NEWS! Monmouth County Library, 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan, NJ is offering FREE beginner classes for adults starting in February 2011! These classes have been offered at other branches in 2010 but they are now coming to the Library Headquarters!

Students must be available to attend all 4 sessions which will be held on Wednesdays - February 2nd, 9th, 16th and 23rd 2011. You also have your choice of two time slots:

The first class is 6 pm to 7 pm and the second is 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

Your instructor is Justin Miller. This four-part workshop will teach you a lot of the basics: guitar tuning, restringing, tuning keys and note structure. Students are requested to bring in a song that they would like to learn to play. This workshop is for the TRUE beginner with no formal guitar instruction. Bring an acoustic or electric guitar as either can be accommodated in the practice room.
Registration is limited and ends on Friday, January 28th, 2011. Please call the Reference Desk to register: 732-431-7222. If you've ever wanted to have real guitar lessons but just couldn't, 2011 is YOUR year! I can't tell you how much joy playing an instrument has brought me. It can do the same for you so come on, sign up! You can also see what other FREE programs, activities and concerts the Monmouth County Library branches have to offer by checking out the: MCL Online Events Schedule.

Want some more FREE guitar stuff from Planet Waves & C.F. Martin Guitar? Don't forget to enter Eclectic Sound's UPDATED 2010 Holiday Guitar Gear Give-Away! Deadline for entry is MIDNIGHT December 14th 2010 so hurry!

Need to brush up on your guitar playing skills? Hal Leonard publishes music and instruction books for every level of player. Check out some of their excellent titles and be the star of your holiday celebrations!

NEW Sanyo Pedal Juice Review

The NEW SANYO PEDAL JUICE can power a whole pedalboard worth of effects without an AC connection. Here it is firing up a Planet Waves Tru Strobe Pedal Tuner with ease but it can handle a whole chain of boxes. A rechargeable, clean 9 Volt power source for your effects pedals. Freedom!

One of problems most musicians have when they tour is too many cords and cables to and from the effects board. While many larger, professional venues have AC outlets on stage, others such as coffee houses, civic centers or churches often have you fending for yourself. If you are doing an outdoor concert, you'll find many of them rely on gasoline powered generators.

Now while most effect pedals can accommodate batteries, you're always worried if the Duracells are going to be enough to get you through your set. Also, if you use something like a drum & bass machine, (I use a BOSS DR-3 on the road and the DR-880 in the studio), well those are going to suck even MORE juice than your stompboxes. Believe me there's nothing worse than having an important piece of gear like that die on you during a performance. Even with something as substantial as my Voodoo Lab Pedal Power II, I'm still reliant on a nearby AC outlet to pull it off.

I've probably spent a small fortune on batteries for my effects only to have them fail at some critical point. There are also several noteworthy low wattage "lunch box" amps that run on batteries such as the Roland Mobile Cube Battery - Powered Stereo Guitar Combo Amp. At only 5 watts, it needs a 9 volt power source so the Sanyo Pedal Juice can power that too. Also Ernie Ball has just come out with a Marshall Gig Bag Amp. This portable Gig Bag amp also uses 9 volts via batteries or an adapter. Imagine being able to take your rig anywhere and plug into a mini amp in the park, jam session or guitar class all with no worries about an AC outlet?

The Sanyo Pedal Juice can power two separate effects as shown here with the TC Helicon Voicetone Create XT and the BOSS DR-3 drum & bass machine. My T.C. Helicon Create XT and Harmony G pedals don't have an on & off switch. The KBC-9V3U includes an ON/OFF power switch which allows me to easily to turn the power of all connected music effects devices ON or OFF with the press of a single button. This is convenient since many effects devices do not include their own ON/OFF switch and must be manually unplugged from AC power.

The power levels are even and consistent with the Sanyo Pedal Juice with no drops or fluctuations. This unit will drive your pedalboard for up to 50 hours depending on the devices you have plugged in. The Sanyo Pedal Juice also holds a charge extremely well. We charged it up to full power and after a week, plugged it in. It was still at 100% capacity. The color coded lights tell you when the power is at its peak or getting low, something batteries don't do. The MSRP for the Pedal Juice is $199.99 and the Street Price is $149.99. Here are additional specs on the Sanyo Pedal Juice KBC - 9V3U:

• Power Multiple Effects Pedals - all at the same time
• 9V Lithium-Ion battery featuring SANYO eneloop technology
• Up to 50 hours of continuous, quiet, clean, stable power – from the first note to the last
• Eliminates AC ground loops - so your tone comes through loud and clear
• Two 9V DC outputs - power multiple devices; pedals, multi-effect units, and portable recorders
• 3-stage LED indicator – provides power level status
• Single on/off button – no need to unplug pedals
• Rechargeable hundreds of times – saves money and the environment
• Water and shock resistant - JIS IPX3 compliant water resistant enclosure
• Fully recharges in only 3.5 hours - via AC adaptor (included)
• Same footprint as standard effects pedal (2.5” W x 4.7”D x 1.7”H)
• Easy setup

The Wrap

The best thing about the Sanyo Pedal Juice is its impact on the environment. We dispose of billions of batteries each year when they should be recycled. This can't be good for the earth and if we are going to be responsible stewards, this is a great place to start! Now for the musician, you will find a new freedom in the studio and on the road as you no longer have to place your pedals in close proximity to an outlet. I've been able to place my effects where I want them on stage and in the recording studio. This makes a big difference in my playing comfort and accessibility to the pedals. Another perk is that since you are not plugged in to an AC outlet, you avoid those annoying ground loops. Your sound comes through pure and clear. Just the thing you want on your recording or live performance! Look for the Sanyo Pedal Juice and other jaw dropping stuff to be featured on Eclectic Sound TV's Best Guitar Gear for 2011 Video! The Sanyo Pedal Juice KBC - 9V3U is available online from Musician's Friend, Sam Ash or at your local Guitar Center.

Don't forget! Enter the 2010 Holiday Guitar Gear Give-Away before Midnight December 14th 2010 to win fabulous guitar accessories from Planet Waves & C.F. Martin Guitar!

One U.S. winner will receive a set of KISS Collections Leather Guitar Strap with matching Picks, a Planet Waves Custom Pro Guitar Cable & Adapter and a set of C.F. Martin Acoustic Phosphor Bronze Guitar Strings in Light & Medium!

2010 Holiday Guitar Gear Give-Away!

Studio Side: Audio Technica's AT4081 Ribbon Mic

Audio Technica's 4081 Ribbon Mic brings a new dimension in clarity and airiness to recording studio tracks. Amazingly versatile on instrumental as well as vocal tracks!

AT- 4081 Bidirectional Phantom Powered Ribbon Microphone, MSRP $895.00

We were looking for an all around, workhorse of a ribbon microphone for the studio. The problem is, ribbon mics are notoriously fragile, however the AT 4081 is showing itself to be rugged AND one of the best recording mics we've tested. One reason is the super fine mesh which protects the dual ribbon within. This innovation makes for increased sensitivity and response of the mic.

The bidirectional build of this microphone makes it easy to position in small spaces. You can use it to mic an acoustic guitar using a boom mic stand or as a vocal mic by adding a pop filter. Either way, this mic allows vocal warmth & open, airy sounds of your instrument to shine on recordings.





TC Helicon Voice Tone Create-XT

The AT-4081 is a phantom powered ribbon mic meaning you will need to power it from either a 48V connection from your amp or from a pedal preamp like the Create-XT. The Create-XT is an upgrade from the previous Create pedal. It will support any phantom powered mic but where it shines is in the recording studio quality vocal FX's and effects.

It has 100 to choose from but for all practical purposes, you only have ready access to the first 10, (twenty if you include the A-B selections). We also use the Harmony G in concert as it offers similar vocal effects PLUS vocal harmonies created by your guitar chords. Still, if you want extra polish or edgy effects on your vocals, the Create XT is IT!



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T.C. Helicon's Voice Tone Create XT in the Studio using the "hardtune" effect.

Hercules Tilt Base Mic Stands have been especially useful in tight corners as the footprint is a bit smaller than the tripod versions. Adjustment is also easier with the Hercules Stands due to their EZ Grip Quick Release System. The adapters that come with the stands accommodate either a mic clamp as shown here below with the AT-4081 or a mic clip which is more like a flexible sleeve that come with AT hand held mics.
Used on both the stage and in pro recording studios, the Hercules Tilt Base Mic Stand is the best mic stand we own! Very easy to gig with as well while offering an adjustable, substantial base that avoids tipping.


We really can't say enough about the Hercules Line of Stands but especially their Tilt Base models. In fact we've replaced all of our studio's guitar, music and mic stands with Hercules!

The Hercules EZ Grip feature makes adjusting the height a snap without much disturbance to a "hot" studio mic. The adjustable footprint and tilt base components allow the stands to fit in where needed without interfering with instruments. You are able to get much closer to the mic for vocal and guitar pickup with these versatile stands. Quick to transport and set up, these stands make the grade in the studio & on the road.

Eclectic Sound's 2010 Music Video Highlights !

WOW another year of concerts, touring and events PLUS our new Eclectic Sound TV Channel on YouTube! Really this was our BEST year EVAR! Looking forward to blowing it up again in 2011. Congrats to Jack R. of Indiana, winner of our 2010 Holiday Guitar Gear Giveaway! Thanks everybody & God Bless!