With the Xmas season fast approaching, this Swiss label could provide one-stop shopping for all the modern guitar records you need to please fellow fans or yourself. This small label offers over 250 recordings, many of which feature pioneers (Fred Frith, Elliot Sharp) and current stars (Mary Halvorson, Kurt Rosenwinkel) of modern guitar. It is also a great place to discover new players from Europe (Dominic Landolt, Vojko Huter).
The Chords of Orion YouTube channel is an invaluable resource for modern guitarists. Bill Vencil’s focus is ambient music, but he covers gear of interest to any modern guitarist. I was unaware of the Joyo device. It makes me wonder if the EBow patent has run out. I compared the Aeon and the EBow in my Electronic Musician column, but a head to head (to head) video comparison is very welcome.
Life and website issues got in the way of doing timely NAMM reports this year. In my defense many of these products just started shipping a couple of months ago. As has become habit, there were hundreds of cool pedals on offer, mostly variations on pedals you have seen and heard.
With NAMM 2020 coming up, I thought I would do a listing of the things I saw last year that might be different and of more interest to the modern guitarist. The theme in January seemed to be the return of modulation (flange, chorus, and phase), fuzz/harmonizer combos, and guitar synth pedals. I am featuring only what I consider to be the most interesting takes on each. Please check company websites for details.
After numerous failed tries to post a new improvised track on Facebook, I am going to attempt to embed it here. Please fee free to comment on the music and/or on any problems and fixes you have encountered with Soundcloud and Facebook.
All sounds guitar generated, except the sample, which is from a radio station picked up by my Trombetta Feederbone when my guitar volume was al the off. Mmm…I guess you could call that guitar generated as well.
I have been using ZT amps for well over a decade. When I was living in Manhattan, their Lunchbox was a godsend, allowing me to take the subway to gigs, avoiding traffic and parking issues. Now in Nashville, I still use the Lunchbox for living room rehearsals with a country band (Including drums). I have also done a couple of house concerts using two Lunchbox amps as a stereo PA for my “guitar-through-laptop-ambient-excursions.” So, I was excited to try out the new Lee Ranaldo Club.
