Have you ever wanted the chance to tell software companies how you feel about copy protection, limited installs and iLoks? This is your opportunity to have a perfectly good rant and you have a chance to win some fantastic prizes in the bargain. How cool is that?

If you complete IMSTA’s survey and opt to reveal your identity, you are entered into a contest with 18 fantastic software prizes. The prizes include some of the Big Dogs of software; Komplete 6 from NI, Reason or Record from Propellerheads, Sonar from Cakewalk, and AmpliTube Fender from IK are just a few of the great prizes. Not only are the prizes of the highest level, but the chances of you actually winning something in this contest are about the best you could ever hope for.

Here is the link to “Let’s Talk Piracy” Survey:  http://imsta.org/imsta_survey.html

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Introduced in the Spring of 2009 in Namba Gear’s  recognizable Mayan Brown exterior with blue interior, the Lil Namba Remix Backpack is now available in Namba Gear’s Olive Green and Charcoal Grey colors. Both bags follow Namba Gear’s bright interior color scheme with a bronze interior for the Olive Green bag and red interior for the Charcoal Grey bag, so that a musician or Dj can easily find their gear even in a dimly lit backstage area.

The Lil Namba Remix Backpack was created by our design crew to provide the best carrying solution for a computer Dj using Rane/Serat0 or Vestax VCI300. The Remix Backpack functions equally well  for transport of a laptop mobile studio using a smaller footprint keyboard controller such as the M-Audio Oxygen 8, and using up to a 15″ laptop computer, including the larger screened 15.4″ MacBook Pro.

The Lil Namba Remix Backpack is another in our line of high performance bags. We gave them the high performance designation because of the attention to construction detail and the extreme high grade weather-resistant 1680D poly nylon materials used.

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We came across this book entitled The Amazing Adventures of a Marginally Succesful Musician  which describes  the 4200 gigs, 250 Film and TV song placements and 30 years in music of author/musician Bill Cinque.

For your enjoyment, here’s a snippet from a chapter entitled The Music World’s Most Over Used Phrases:

I will interpret some of the most common language you will hear directly after you walk off the bandstand after a show. As with all matters in my book, I will do my level best to handle this with the delicacy it deserves:

“Sounded great out front” = you sucked.

“The bass player was solid” = he sucked.

“The material is really commercial” = it sucks.

“Great stage presence” = don’t sing.

“The chick singer is awesome” = I want to have sex with the chick singer.

Be realistic. All your friends are trying to be supportive. They know how excited you are about your new band. They are truly happy for you. They drove 20 miles in the rain and paid $14 for cheese fries and a glass of something brown just to give you an audience. You come running out of the foot lights and say, “So, what did you think? Did you like that last tune? Don’t you love the new drummer? You know you can tell me what you really think.” Right about now is the moment of truth. Your college room mate, Uncle Tad and J.J. from shipping and receiving all look you right in the eye and start using words like “amazing” and “awesome.” Then, as if scripted, comes a stream of the above mentioned phrases.Hey, you had it coming. Asking these people how they liked your show is similar to your girlfriend asking you if she looks fat in that skirt. The truth? You want the truth? Every Jack Nicholson fan knows the next line. No one wants to crush you. No one has the heart. Except me.

BOTTOM LINE: Bad shows are going to happen. There will be any number of reasons for a bad show. Sometimes it’s the soundman. Sometimes it’s technical problems. Every once in awhile, you have to face the fact that the band just wasn’t up to the task.In reality, the good shows will far outnumber the bad. You have to learn from the mistakes. You have to trust your ears and instincts. Be analytical. Take the time to record or video several of your shows. Dissect the set. Be prepared to take some criticism. Choose your words carefully when critiquing your bandmates. Be open to making the appropriate changes. Be willing to rehearse these changes. You can’t always rely on your close circle of friends to tell you how well you’re doing.

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George Whittam (voice-over studio & services)

CITY: Los Angeles, CA

WEBSITE: www.vostudiotech.com

FAVORITE MUSIC SOFTWARE: Twisted Wave

NAMBA GEAR: Shaka Laptop Messenger

George M. Whittam is owner and founder of ElDorado Recording Services. George is a 1997 graduate of Virginia Tech with a Bachelor’s degree in Music and Audio Technology with a Minor in Communications. George went on to acquire considerable expertise in music recording by working with various musicians and artists in the Philadelphia area. He also gained broadcast engineering experience working at a radio station in Philadelphia as the remote engineer for the NFL Eagles Radio Network.

George was introduced to the world of voice-overs through a producer at the station, Howard Parker, who asked the station’s engineer to help him build a home studio in New York City. George came along to assist. George later followed Parker to Los Angeles and furthered his already diverse experience by working on over 15 film projects in 3 years as a sound mixer and boom operator.

From a handful of satisfied clients, George has now built a business that works solely with voice-over studios and clients. His extensive knowledge of computers, software, equipment, and troubleshooting abilities makes him a sought after expert and indispensable on-call technician. He is globally considered a top authority in voice-over recording technology. He has invested thousands of hours researching studio design, recording equipment, and creating training materials for voice actors. In so doing, he has also become an industry innovator by developing specialized services that cater exclusively to voice-over professionals.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR LATEST PROJECT.

At ERS we use the NAMBA bags to create custom portable recording packages called VO2GO for the traveling voice-over artist. VO2Go’s are portable recording kits built to order for the traveling voice-over actor, using exactly what the individual needs. A typical VO2Go kit includes a Dell Mini 10 or Macbook, Rode NTG1 or NTG3 mic, CEntrance MicPort Pro USB preamp, Source Connect Standard, recording software of choice, Sennheiser PX100 headphones, Stage Ninja Scorpion mic arm, and Namba Gear Shaka or Lil Namba Remix bag.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT YOUR NAMBA GEAR BAG?

I first saw Namba Gear at the NAMM show in Jan. 2009 and was immediately impressed with the bags. The color, design, features, sizes, and coincidentally very close proximity to my office, has made a very welcome, convenient, and cost effective addition to my modest but focused portfolio.

Personally, I use a the Shaka Laptop Messenger bag and I put a lot of stuff in there. Typically it’s just my Macbook Pro 15″, a small toolkit, a MicPort Pro (just in case), power supply, and various small cables. Today I had my Powerbook 12″ in there along with the Macbook Pro. The Shaka bag holds everything securely and safely, looks attractive, is comfortable to carry, and the price is right!

TELL US ABOUT YOUR VOICE-OVER CLIENTS AND THEIR NEEDS.

My clients take their mic, mic mount, audio interface, laptop, printer, and other items when they travel the world, so the Shaka Bag is a nature fit. They can never be completely unavailable to record a spot for a national TV campaign.

Sometimes a client may prefer the extra space to carry additional mic accessories, a compact printer, or even a change of clothes for an overnight. In these circumstances we recommend the Lil Namba Remix Backpack. It creates a nice step up in protection for your gear, and a lot more compartments to fit it all neatly.

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We came across the following blog by CBE Music on The New York Songwriters Circle describing one artists frustrations at playing for only 2-15 people per night; who then came up with the idea of sending out a video-invite to help pack the house. We have included their video below. To read the entire story, go here.

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