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K 47947 / $1.95 116C 11EIING Ice ML1JIIC MAY 1983 VOL. 9 NO. 5 Volunteer Jam IX Au ° ocs'or w Aph ' , ralExciter , NpTeS: hë Great Matchiñg'Myth www.americanradiohistory.com Full Bandwidth Digital Delay... Naturally: The EFFECTRONTM series is the only low cost, full bandwidth, high performance line of digital delay pro- cessors. A real technological breakthrough unmatched by anyone!!! At last -you can afford high quality, natural sounding digital delay. Visit your local dealer and check it out! Listen and compare .. ADM -256 1/4 Second Delay M $499* EFFECTRON ADM -64 Flanger /Doubler $399* ADM -1024 Full Second Delay AOM 1024 $699* N (ms) ION DIßRAL DELAY OUP.1 Music & Electronics...Naturally! DeltaLab *Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price www.americanradiohistory.com MAY 1983 /h ERN VOL. 9 NO. 5 Co f2DII1G Err Rom . ,, . ..:.::: - THE FEATURES '`"`.4 ' M THE STAPLES 1` 4:(61644N.; ;; " ¡ii s .4.41¡ ti t i Ñiar RECORDING TECHNIQUES - 4114. Ì LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 2 PART XII By Bruce Bartlett 10 TALKBACK The rewards of a monitor you can trust! Experts' answers to your questions 6 Continuing the discussion on monitor- ing systems, Mr. Bartlett elaborates on THE PRODUCT SCENE 14 their use with emphasis on the importance The notable and the new, with items from of speaker placement, power requirements, Biamp, Fostex, Ibanez, and others. room equalization and the proper use of the monitor. He also discusses the pros and cons MUSICAL NEWSICALS of headphones, and the cue system. By Fred Ridder 19 New products for the musician. VOLUNTEER JAM IX By Erin Morris 22 NOTES No chance for change -what you hear, is what By Rick Chinn 38 you get. The inside info on broadcasting and "The Great Matching Myth." Mr. Chinn explores taping this live spectacular of the music world. and explains the subject of impedance match- ing (or mismatching ?). PROFILE: LUTHER VANDROSS By Jeff Tamarkin 28 AMBIENT SOUND Luther Vandross, no fly -by- night, R & B star, By Len Feldman 48 talks about his singing, producing -and not This issue deals with the subjects of CDs, "Re- being afraid to be sensitive and honest about thinking Recording Techniques in the Digital emotions. No phoney "macho" for him! Age." CD stands for compact disc or compact digital -take your pick. MAKING A PLATE REVERB UNIT By Robert Buontempo 43 LAB REPORT If you don't want your reverb system to 'twang" By Len Feldman 50 and ' boing," build this one with a plate instead Sony's PCM -F1 Digital Audio Processor of springs. For the do- it- yourselfer, this article Aphex's Type B Aural Exciter gives directions, diagrams -and even offers a kit providing a preconstructed frame and other GROOVE VIEWS 56 necessary accessories -if you want it! Reviews of albums by The Roches, Jesse Colin Young, Count Basie, Zoot Sims, and others. ADVERTISER'S INDEX 66 Modern Recording & Music Cover Photo: Courtesy of Network INK. Inc. Color Photos of Ray Sawyer with Dr. Hook. James Brown with Charlie Daniels, Box Car Willie. Daniels. Roy Acuff. Courtesy of Sound Seventy Other Charlie Daniels Photo: Courtesy of Network INK. Inc. Luther Vandross Photo: Courtesy of Epic Records MAY 1983 1 www.americanradiohistory.com RA,ODCRftJ ACCORDING s figUSIIC JOHN WORAM Editor RICKI ZIDE Managing Editor Compressor Producers MARK WALDSTEIN Associate Editor After reading Bruce Bartlett's very interesting and informa- LEONARD FELDMAN tive article on compression, I would like very like to know more BRIAN ROTH about which companies produce compressors -and also where Technical Editors they can be bought. I presently own a Tascam 144 portastudio CRAIG ANDERTON and I feel that using a compressor would be a great improve- ROBERT ANGUS ment on my work. I realize that you may not be in a position to RICK CHINN recommend a particular brand, but any general information VICKI GREENLEAF would be helpful. NAT HENTOFF -M. A. O'Connor STAN HYMAN FRED RIDDER Victoria, B.C. JAMES RUPERT Contributing Editors We received the following response front Bruce Bartlett: I would your comments. The following is a PARTIAL ELLEN ZOE GOLDEN appreciate ROBERT HENSCHEN list of companies that make compressors suitable for home JOE KLEE studios. Ask them for product literature and for the addresses ALLAN KOZINN of local dealers. Be sure to note whether the product requires a STEVE ROW separate power supply or is self- contained. Also find out if the JEFF TAMARKIN connectors will mate with your cables. Music Reviewers KAREN COHN Advertising /Production KATHI LIPPE Layout and Design dbx, Inc., 71 Chapel St., Newton, MA 02195. (617) 964 -3210. United Recording Electronics Industries, 8460 San Fernando JOYCE SORICILLO Rd., Sun Valley, CA 91352. (213) 767 -1000. Copy Editor LT Sound, P.O. Box 1061, Decatur, GA 30031. (404) 284 -5155. SPARTAN PHOTOTYPE CO. Typographers Orban Associates, Inc., 645 Bryant St., San Francisco, CA 94107. (415) 957 -1067. BERNADETTE WEBER Ashley Audio, 100 Fernwood Ave., Rochester, N.Y. 14621. (716) Circulation 544 -5191. ELAINE ZIDE Spectra Sonics, 3750 Airport Rd., Ogden, UT 84403. (801) 392- Associate Publisher 7531. LARRY ZIDE Furman Sound, Inc., 616 Canal St., Suite 29, San Rafael, CA Publisher 94901. (415) 456 -6766. MXR Innovations, 740 Driving Park Ave., Rochester, N.Y. Editorial and Executive Offices MR &M Publishing Corp. 14613. (716) 254-2910. 1120 Old Country Road 109 Plainview, NY 11803 Symetrix, Inc., Bell St., Seattle, WA 98121. (206) 624 -5012. 516 433 -6530 Audio Arts, Inc., 5617 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA 90038. Editorial contributions should be addressed to The (213) 461 -3507. Editor, Modern Recording & Music, 1120 Old Country Road, Plainview, N.Y. 11803. Unsolic!ted manuscripts Also check out the Pro Audio Yearbook, Sagamore Publish- will be treated with care and must be accompanied by return postage. ing Company, 1120 Old Country Road, Plainview, NY 11803; and the Modern Recording & Music Buyer's Guide, published annually. -Bruce Bartlett Contributing Editor MR &M 2 MODERN RECORDING & MUSIC www.americanradiohistory.com "Thank you for your interest in Albatross Records. Unfortunately..." Few things in this world are as irritating as a polite and again, without any build -up of tape hiss. Each rejection letter. generation sounds just as clean as the first. And you'll But maybe one of these days someone will like end up with a final mix that sounds better than you've your demo tape. And instead of a form letter, you'll get a ever sounded on tape before. phone call. Now of course, we can't guarantee that this will At dbx, we know it's the quality of your music make you a hit. that will make you successful. But we can't help thinking But it will) sure make you sound like one. that the quality of your tape recording will play a part, too. Visit your authorized dbx professional dealer After all, how will they know how good you sound if the for a look at our full line of equipment. Or call or tape doesn't really capture your sound? write dbx, Incorporated, Professional Products So we have a suggestion: dbx tape noise reduction. Division, 71 Chapel For a modest investment, you can add a dbx Street, Box 100C, professional component to your tape system and start Newton, MA 02 ' 95 sending in demos that sound like the real thing. U.S.A. XProfessional Because dbx doesn't just reduce noise. We Tel. (617) 964 -3210. Signal eliminate it. You can record, mix -down and overdub, again Telex: 92 -2522. Processing www.americanradiohistory.com Three Out of Four Ain't Bad! I am an electronics technician and sound engineer. On many occasions, your answers to questions in "Talk - back" have been helpful, but now I have a few questions of my own: 1. Where can I get Carling switches? SIX -PACK OF POWER MXR uses them in effects boxes, I have been unable to locate an SIX SEPARATE CHANNELS 100N E110H/3[1- 15 *W EACH /4L1 but 300 W/80 EACH AUTO-BRIDGE-3 PAIR BUILT-IM LIMITERS GIVE outlet for them. HEADROOM FAN COXED ALL S EEL CHASSIS 15dB EXTFA of Ampeg? 5 1/4" HKH 43 LBS. IDEAL IOMT)R AMP, STEREO BI -AMP. 2. What is the address TRI-AMP SUGGESTED LIST PRCE: $1199. 3. Who makes high -quality volume control pots? 4. What is the address of Cambridge Audio, formerly of Cambridge, MA? Incidentally, I have built both your Dual Limiter and Hot Springs , iilllllllllllllllllllllllllllll reverb. Both work perfectly, and I use them constantly in my live sound and recording work. Thank you for useful and cost -effective projects. -M. Compton Tele -Tech Communications Yelm, WA We researched your questions and carne up with the following answers: 1. Carling switches can be found at your local sales office in Seattle: (.2O6) Circle 12 on Reader Service Card Electronic Component Sales, N8.3 -6690. Their main office: Car - lingswitch, Inc., 505 New Park Ave., W. Hartford, CT 06110, (203) 2:33-.5551. Ampeg address: Arnpeg, 10.5 Fifth HOLDS UP Ave., Garden City Park, NY 11040, (516) 747 -7890. 3. There are many manufacturers out ON THE ROAD there. We'd suggest contacting one of ryonr nearby clistribntors to see what's acailuble locally. J.A. Tudor & Assoc. may he able to help. Their Seattle phone number is (206) 682-7444. 4. We don't knoa' what happened to Cambridge Audio. (Oh well, three out of four a in't bad!) TYPE 85 FET DIRECT BOX ` "` NOTE! NOTE! JBL & Shure Bros., Inc. are pleased to be able to offer prizes for Jim Rupert's design contest (April, 1983). More info next month.