Archive for January, 2015

Fractal Audio EV-1 Expression Pedals

January 26, 2015 by John 1 Comment »

dimensions-smallToday I received two Fractal Audio EV-1 Expression Pedals. They will be added to my pedalboard, and will replace my current controller pedals. These expression pedals are beautifully built, and have a special planetary gear system. Like all Fractal Audio products, the EV-1 is engineered as a work of art, and the care that was taken in packing / shipping them should give you some idea of how thoroughly they design their equipment.
From the Fractal Audio web site :

The EV-1 is an all new EXPRESSION PEDAL, perfect for use with all Fractal Audio Systems products (and many 3rd party devices). Unlike most expression pedals it has a true linear response with planetary gearing and a long, smooth pedal throw. The EV-1 doubles as an analog volume pedal, with separate IN and OUT jacks connected to an audio-taper pot. It features a sturdy cast metal housing, comfortable non-slip rubber tread, and is available in either Silver or Black.

Naturally, I bought two black ones 🙂 I really can’t wait to mount them on my pedalboard.

IMG_1286 IMG_1287 IMG_1288 IMG_1289 IMG_1290 IMG_1291 IMG_1292 IMG_1293

 

Rehearsing for 1/24 and 1/31 BowieVision Shows

January 23, 2015 by John No Comments »

IMG_0494Over the past few weeks we’ve been putting in some dedicated rehearsals for our upcoming BowieVision shows. This comes with the usual fun of loading up my car with a few hundred pounds of gear, loading up my cart, and pulling it into the rehearsal room. Fortunately, we typically rehearse at a facility where there is a fairly convenient ramp into the building, so generally there aren’t any stairs involved.

We’re adding “Beauty and the Beast” for this show, which is really exciting. It’s one of my favorite Bowie songs, and I enjoy playing Adrian Belew’s fantastic guitar parts. We are double-billing for the next two shows,with a band called “This is not my beautiful band”; they’re a Talking Heads tribute from Portland, and reputed to be quite good. I’m looking forward to hitting the stage tomorrow night for our show. Feels like our rehearsals are going well, and the material in our extended set is sounding really good. If you’re out and about in Seattle (1/24) or Portland (1/31), I’d recommend checking out the show!

 

MFC-101 Expansion Module

January 14, 2015 by John No Comments »

MFC101 LabelsA few months ago I added an expansion module to my MFC-101 controller. It sits on the left side of the pedal, and adds four switches and has allowed me to include scene up / down commands in a hand placement. I’m hoping Fractal Audio will eventually update the MFC-101 software to provide scene display in the readout so I know which setting I’m currently using. But for the moment, this is a big step in making my stage setup more flexible.