D’Addario Auto Lock Strap The summer NAMM show in Nashville is cozy compared to its gargantuan January counterpart in Anaheim, and practicality often wins out over flash in its product offerings. A good example is one of summer 2018’s standouts: the D’Addario Auto Lock guitar/bass strap, designed in partnership with innovative luthier Ned Steinberger. Its spring-loaded clamp, successfully pull-tested up to 180 lbs., automatically locks onto the strap button of your instrument until you choose to slide it off.
daddario.com | Check the price on Amazon!
The Compositions of Paul Motian, Vols. 1 and 2
These lovingly prepared books, published by Motian’s niece Cynthia McGuirl, collect all of the late drummer’s compositions from 1973 to 2011—134 tunes total—in his own handwriting. The highly legible charts are interspersed with memorable quotes from Motian, plus informed commentary by McGuirl, her brother David, guitarist Steve Cardenas, and musical soulmates Bill Frisell (in volume one) and Joe Lovano (in volume two).
paulmotianarchive.com | Vol. 1 on Amazon! | Vol. 2 on Amazon!
DPA d:vote CORE 4099 Microphone
The latest version of DPA’s d:vote 4099 mic has the same discreet size and versatile mounting/clip options as before but with a more streamlined design, which helps decrease vulnerability to wind or movement during a performance. Its dynamic range has also been expanded, making it an option for both live and studio use by trumpeters, saxophonists, and any other acoustic instrumentalists.
dpamicrophones.com | Check the price on Amazon!
Atelier Special Clarinet by Yamaha
Yamaha’s clarinets are another line of products that received a major revamp recently. In this case, so we’re told, design changes to the instruments were made at the suggestion of a group of professional clarinet teachers. One result is the CSVR-ASP, otherwise known as the Atelier Special, which has a darker and more projecting tone than that of the original CSVR.
BOSS WL-50 Wireless System
This ultra-compact system has a stompbox-sized footprint, great for players of any electronic instrument who use a pedalboard. And for tone freaks, its receiver includes cable tone simulation, which reproduces the natural capacitive effect of a 10-foot cable. A built-in rechargeable battery in the transmitter provides up to 12 hours of continuous play time; the receiver is powered by a PSA-series adapter or AA batteries.
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