Signal To Noise

In Episode 14 I try something completely new to me, podcasting without a computer. A year ago I would never thought this possible, but everyday someone somewhere seems to come up with a way to push the envelope of what an iPad (or any iOS device for that matter) can do. So let's back up to April 2011. In Early 2011 The iPad 2 had been announced, and with it Garage band for iOS. At the time of that announcement I was saving to get a Macbook to replace my 2005 iBook (which was still running quite well and still is today!). Once I heard Garage band was coming to the iPad, I did a serious needs analysis and did something that at the time was considered quite radical....I replaced my Laptop with an iPad. I realized that what I really needed from a laptop device was something I could write from (blogging, articles, emails, etc...) and something I could basic web surfing and research with, plus something to work as a notepad for musical ideas since my iMac was my main recording machine. A little research showed my that there were plenty of good blogging apps and Apple had released the iWork suite for iOS, so I was ready.

When i first got the iPad, I admit I could not do everything on it that I could have done on my laptop, but I did anticipate that going in from the needs analysis I had done. While I know that we have a marketplace that thrives on planned obsolescence, when I invest a lot of money

in something I like to be sure it will serve my needs for many years. So I had worked into my plan a transition period of about a year to completely move from laptop to iPad. The really good news is that I was able to make that transition to completely retiring the laptop in about 8-9 months. The once thing I discovered about the iPad when I got it is that it was very much like the Wild West. Everyone was moving there to stake out a cliam and try to make some money. This completion meant app prices going up and down, but most importantly, it meant that App developers were trying to "out feature" one another. For Example, when I bought my iPad I had purchased an app called Blogsy to do all my blogging from. It is still the best blogging app out there in my opinion. When I bought the app, it was limited but worked better than other apps. I found my self starting a post with Blogsy and then finishing it at my iMac. In about 6-8 months, that stopped. Blogsy was furiously making updates (and they still are) to make their App the best. That drive has allowed me to write entire posts with embedded media from anywhere I have an iPad and a data connection.

Now that I have had an iPad for two years, the only things I do on the iMac are the "Heavy Lifting" things like mixing and recording songs in logic and of course my podcast. A couple months agao a coworker who learned about my enjoyment of podcasting told me about an app called Bossjock Studio. Apparently one of the co-founders of Libsyn (One of the best Podcast hosting companies out there) developed an app that was designed to let you do a "Live" podcast. I bought the app, but had no time to really try it out until now. I did open it from time to time and look around and read their blog to get tips for when I did use it. One of those tips was that their app worked really well with the iRig mic. As luck would have it, I was on Hello Music one day and saw a great deal on the iRig Mic (which as of right now is still going on, but do not expect it to last long). I had seen the iRig Mic in magazines, and really did not see the value of it, but for the price I took a chance. I was impressed. What I was expecting was a cheap, plastic, low quality microphone with a fancy logo. What I got was a really nice, well built metal chassy microphone that I would put on par with the look and feel of a Sure SM58. I downloaded the free Vocal Live App by IK Multimedia and gave it a test. Again, very surprised and quite happy. The mic sounded very clear and had three level settings on it depending on t...

Welcome to episode 13 of the Signal To Noise Podcast. On this episode I am joined once again by Scott Thompson of Focus On Metal to talk about our most fun and unique finds in the great gear acquisition quest! Inspired by TV shows like "American Pickers" and "Pawn Stars" Scott and discuss all the great place we have acquired used gear. When you have G.A.S (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) you learn that soon your wallet can not keep up with your desires. But what to do? Turn to the used markets of course! Hear Scott tell the legend of Daddy's Junky Music stores. Listen to Aaron spin yarns of Powder Pink Peavey Vandenberg (say that 5 times fast) guitars. Want to hear about a killer deal on a Joe Perry Boneyard? Check! $25 for a Digitech Scott Ian Black 13 pedal? Check! Whether is be a pawn shop, a used gear store, a guitar show or even a flea market, we cover it and what we have found there.Looking for a guitar show in your area? Head on over to Guitar Digest's Events calendar to find one near you. Here are some Pictures of our finds:

Welcome to Episode 12 of the Podcast! In this episode we sit down to talk to bassist Mike Watt and we bring you a new piece of gear to check out. First up is Frank Fyock of Lifeblood Guitar Picks. Frank Started designing guitar picks after a hand injury made it difficult for him to play guitar. Frank's design focuses on forming picks to the natural curve of the hand so the pick moves less. We talk to Frank about how all this started and why he launched his Kickstarter Campaign. Next up is legendary Bassist Mike Watt. Mike was part of the famed California Hardcore Punk scene where he and his bandmates in the Minutemen forged new musical directions that merged Punk and Jazz together. Mike and I discuss the gear he uses in the studio and on tour. Mike also has a new book out and you can learn more about that at Iron City Rocks. Featured at the Top of the show was the song "All is Lost" by the band "Bleed The Freaks". I recently spoke with guitarist Mike Roberts for Iron City Rocks, and really enjoyed their music. Check them out when you have a chance. Until next time, make some noise!

In Episode 11 my co-host Sean and I discuss all things Ibanez as the company celebrates 25 years of the RG series!

Topics Discussed:

The History of the Hoshino Corporation

The Launch of the RG Series

Iconic Ibanez Guitars

Iconic Ibanez Players

Sean's RG 550

30th Anniversary TS-9

Getting an effects pedal through Airport Security

Welcome to Episode 10 of the Signal To Noise Podcast! In this episode I have another guest host, my buddy  Sean (the owner of the blue Ibanez RG 550 I wrote about a while back). Sean and I talk about the the 30th anniversary edition TS-9 that Ibanez released this year. We also talk about the gear we are lusting after and some classic effects like the Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal Pedal.

In our interview with Nick Catanese, we discuss Nick's newest Paul Reed Smith Signature guitar, his signature Dean Markley Strings and Black Label's upcoming European tour.

Guys like Nick are a great thing in the music industry. Nick is a great player, yet still humble and modest about his abilities. It's that kind of attitude that has kept Nick grounded and pouring out great music with Black Label Society year after year. Nick was a delight to talk with and...he is a Star Wars fan! Check out this picture of one of Nick's guitar Picks.

The January NAMM show is one of my favorite events of the year. It's the show where all the music gear manufacturers pull out all the stops and show off their new products. Months are spent planning for this show. In this episode I am joined by Scott Thompson of the Focus On Metal Podcast where we discuss our highlights of the NAMM show.

Since the dawn of music there have always been musicians who challenged the norm. Bach was notorious for telling off the nobles that supported him. Mozart was probably the original wild lifestyle rock star. And really who can blame them? In the times of Bach you had to be a very skilled musician to earn a living and you were barely paid for it. Now fast forward to 1950’s. Rock and Roll was taking off and stars were born every minute. Some became famous and made a ton of money, and others were slaves to the "nobles" of the time, you probably know them as Record Labels.

Fast forward yet again to today and the music world is in turmoil and the labels blame illegal downloading. Looking at the last 400 years of music history, and realizing that is was essentially the same business model, I say something have to give. We live in an exciting time. It's easier than ever to make and distribute music. Thanks to the Internet, we now have easier access and more choices of music than ever before. And we also have a new emerging way of helping to raise money to put out your album, Kickstarter.

Kickstarter lets anyone with a dream or an idea raise money to get their project off the ground. Filmakers, artists, writers, musicians, you name it, someone has a project for it on Kickstarter. I like Kickstarter because it is a pledge system with "rewards" for different levels of contribution. But most of all I like it because your project is funded (or not funded) based on the merit of the project and your hard work to promote it and get backers. If you are a solo musician who has been working really hard taking every gig you can and building a fan base, chances are you will be able to use Kickstarter to raise the money.

One of my favorite artists, Hamell On Trial, has started a Kickstarter Project to raise money to record his next record. He set a modest goal of $7,000 dollars and in a about two weeks he reached that goal. In fact with 15 days to go (at the time of writing this) he has currently raised $8,023. In Episode 8 I talk to Ed about his Kickstarter project, his next steps and his approach to recording in the studio. If you have never heard Hamell's music, I recommend you start with "Tough Love" and then either "Ed's Not Dead" or "The Terrorism of Everyday Life". And after that, go see him live. You will never anything like a Hamell show. You will laugh,sing, shout, and probably have the best time you have ever had at a live show. I also encourage you to go to Hamell's Kickstarter page and make a donation to support the next great Hamell record. I am already backing it and I am waiting with anticipation to get my copy of the new disc.

And since we are talking about the recording studio, we also feature a segment on Peavey's Revalver software done by Scott Thompson of the Focus On Metal Podcast. I have been using amplitube for about 5-6 years now and other than being a resource hog, I have been happy with it. Hearing the Peavey software and seeing how affordable it is, will make me a convert.

It's been a while since my last episode, but I am Back! Episode Seven features Paul Hanson, Boss Clinician and host of Boss Tone Radio.  Paul is a true musician. He understands and applies music theory, writes and records his own music, and he has amassed a backlog of stories! In one of the most interesting interviews featured on our show yet, Paul talks with us about a variety of topics from working as a guitar coach on the movie "Back To The Future" to the column he wrote for Boss and Guitar World Magazine called "The Pedals That Make The Tone". Paul was once an instructor for GIT (Musicians Institute for those of you who were not guitar players in the 80's like me) and has worked with and influenced a lot of the players we know today. Paul also writes and records his own music, the latest of which is available for free on CDBaby.com.

Need your Rock and Metal Fix? Don't forget to visit www.castironring.com to get the best Rock and Metal shows the net has to offer!

In Episode 6 of the Signal To Noise Podcast we sat down with Rob Caggiano of Anthrax and Ted Aguilar of Death Angel to talk about their current Tour.

In 1990 I saw Death Angel play at a little place called "City Limits" it was an old Roller Rink that was used for small shows. It was one of my favorite places to see a band because you could get right up against the stage. It was small, but probably still held 500 people. After that show Death Angel seemed to just disappear. This was in the days before the internet, so I really had no idea where they went. It was great to sit down with Ted and talk about where they have been and how far they have come now. We discuss everything from Ted's guitars to the guest appearance from Rodrigo y Gabriela on their latest Release "Relentless Retribution".

1991 I saw Anthrax for the first time ever on what may been the perfect show for the times. The bands were in order: Young Black Teen Agers, Primus, Public Enemy, and Anthrax. It was probably one of the best lineups in a show I had ever seen. I have followed Anthrax since 1986 or 1987 and to this day there is still nothing like the sound of Anthrax. They re-defined the term"heavy" and the set bar in a place where few bands will ever be able to reach. 20 years after that first show I saw Anthrax again. And now I can can say that the show I just saw was probably the best line up for a show I have  ever seen. I had the opportunity to sit down with Anthrax's lead guitarist, Rob Caggiano, and discuss his role as a producer and how he captured the classic Anthrax sound while still sounding modern.

In Episode 5 we discuss using Garage Band on the iPhone, The Boss TR-2 Tremelo pedal, and we hear from Hank III about his gear.

Apple just updated the Garage Band App for the iPad this past week, and the biggest

part of the update was making the app available to the iPhone and iPod touch. This makes Garage Band one of the best portable composition tools on the market. Other Updates include being able to do 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures as well as being able to make custom chords for the smart instruments.

I am a big fan of Boss Pedals because they are reliable, consistent and virtually indestructible, in this episode I sit down with the TR-2 Tremelo pedal and expolore some of the tones you can create with it.

A special treat for this show was Hank III taking a moment out of his day to talk gear with us real quick. Hank is continuing the family tradition of putting out great Country music and causing a ruckus. Join the ruckus at Hank3.com

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