Hi, my name’s Ben Parker and I’m here today looking at the wonderful Orange Acoustic Pre Twin Channel.
So, first of all what I was really impressed with is the overall sound – there’s definitely a higher fidelity thing going on when the sound comes through from both the DI and the mic feeds. In dialling up the heat knob on the DI there’s definitely a kind of nice vintage vive to how the DI sounds.
I think when I’m looking for an acoustic signal (I’m looking for) something that’s definitely very pure and the pick ups I use are really true to the woody nature of the sound of the acoustic and what the Acoustic Pre has done is just maximise that sound. It’s not drawn it further into the electronic, it’s just warmed it up, made it sound more natural and enhanced the sound that’s already there. I think because it’s got that warmth to it, I guess because of the tube in it, it really lends itself. I like acoustics that sound like they’ve come from old records and that’s what the tube element does to the sound.
Initially, I didn’t think it was the sort of thing I would use in the studio but actually, with us playing with it today and the way we’ve set it up with the DI straight in and the mic straight in but then both into the computer and the interface. It’s funny how the manipulation of the DI separate from the mic and being able to flick between the two – it’s almost like whenever I record an acoustic guitar I would use this to have a great DI signal – which I always want anyway – because you might want to distort that or treat it slightly differently. Then you can blend in the real mic and decide what you want to do with the two signals. On the road, another set up I have in one of my other acoustics is a split system that takes a mic output and a piezo pickup output from the pickup of the acoustic guitar. So this is great because I can plug the mic into the mic input, the piezo into the DI and then send front of house my particular choice blend of those two sounds with the ability to EQ both channels separately and add reverb if necessary.
The reverb is really nice. Again, I felt it was quite vintage like a lot of the old stuff Jimmy Page used to use on his acoustic picking stuff on those early Led Zep records. It had that flavour to it rather than being a synthetic digital sounding reverb, it felt like it was responding more to what it was being given, like those old fashioned reverbs.
I do a lot of writing with people but I also do a lot of basic tracking here and I work a lot on my own stuff. I compose for film and TV, so it’s interesting, the acoustic guitar sound is always very important in a lot of the things I do, so I’m always interested in seeing different ways of capturing that rather than it being in that environment of mouse click sliders. It’s great to go to the real knobs and turn them and hear the difference. Always. I love that, so it’s nice to have this unit there to manipulate the signal in that way.
Hi. I’m here at NAMM and we’re launching the Orange Valve Preamp. Very, very excited about this, I’ve been involved in this preamp for a number of years when I first met Dennis Marshall, who was doing some pioneering work really, on preamps (that is) valve preamps for acoustic guitars. We got together, and he showed me one of his preamps and I started to road test it. Every time I came back I’d say, “Yeah. This is fantastic.” Everywhere I went, sound engineers whether I was doing live concerts or in the studio would say, “Wow. What is that? Just sounds absolutely great.”
I then suggested a couple of things to Dennis about having a dual preamp so that we could have a valve and solid state channels. The valve to plug the guitar into and solid state for the microphone as well. That then moved onto the involvement with Orange and then it just went into another – it was already fantastic – it just went into another level again.
I started then road testing the Orange pre amp. I’ve been all over the world, touring in America, Far East, Europe the UK. It’s great, it means that wherever I go I’ve got this sound that’s been in my head for so many years. So it doesn’t matter where I am or what I’m plugging into, I’ve got this sound. The sound of my dreams really. It’s absolutely fantastic.
I’ve been playing the guitar since 1960/1961, I’ve toured all over the world. For 11 years I worked with Stephane Grappelli, the legendary jazz violinist, who along with Django Reinhardt formed The Hot Club of France, so for 11 years I sat in Django’s chair and working with Stephane. Then I started to pursue a solo career, I’ve got a Grammy nomination, I’ve got many music industry awards, guitar awards. I’ve been given two honorary doctorates and I was made an MBE by The Queen in 2002 for services to music. These were all nice little bonuses that have come along the way. All I’ve ever wanted to do is just play the guitar, but it means I have some things I can put on the shelf in my studio which is really, really nice too.
I cannot begin to tell you just how excited I am about this preamp, it’s a dream come true. I’m so pleased for Dennis Marshall who’s really the man who had this brainchild of doing this and we’ve managed to work with the best people in the business here at Orange.
https://orangeamps.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Martin-Taylor.jpg16672500Neil Mitchellhttps://orangeamps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Orange-Pics-logo-307px-279x103.pngNeil Mitchell2019-05-15 09:00:542019-07-01 15:03:06Martin Taylor & The Acoustic Pre
Session guitarists are the uber-talented pros who get booked to make the albums of the best musicians in the world sound even better. And though they’re a dime a dozen in Nashville, Buddy Woodward stills stands out among his peers.
We caught up with Buddy so he could check out the Orange Acoustic Pre, the world’s first stereo valve acoustic pre amp/active DI. Watch as Buddy demos the Pre using both a guitar and banjo.
https://orangeamps.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Buddy-Woodward-Acoustic-Pre.jpg1080600Neil Mitchellhttps://orangeamps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Orange-Pics-logo-307px-279x103.pngNeil Mitchell2019-05-15 09:00:342019-07-01 15:07:42Session Guitarist Buddy Woodward and the Orange Acoustic Pre
*This interview was conducted by Danny Gomez from Orange Amps. A spanish translation is available at the end of this post.
What’s your story? How do you get where you are today? I was born in a small town in Extremadura (Plasencia) and I grew up in the next town (Malpartida de Plasencia). Since I was very young I felt always very attracted to music and painting and as I was growing up I was more inclined towards the first. But growing up in the eighties in a village did not help me much … I did not have the same things available to me if I had grown up in Madrid, for example. So when I finished high school I started working to save some money and go to Madrid to learn music.
In my town I already played in a self-taught way but I wanted to understand music in a more intellectual or mathematical way (I was convinced that it could not be an inspiration only). And before we did not have the luck to have all kinds of information within reach of a click sitting in your room. So, I came to Madrid and my teacher (Pedro Noda) taught me theory and composition and I worked on the guitar on my own, listening to everything I liked and analyzing scores (things that I will always do). Over time you will meet people who give you an opportunity to play in a group, band, artist and do it with respect and love for the music you have to play (whatever it is, everything is learned). And in that I am, in continuing studying and learning to play as the music deserves.
References and influences. What can we find in your music? Each age or age has some influences, there are always. When I was a teenager it was heavy metal and over time my taste has softened (although if I listen to my bands or guitarists back then I remember it with love, I do not deny it at all). Discovering jazz was magnificent and what most identifies my way of playing (I think) is usually what I play. My biggest influence for a long time was the pianist, Keith Jarrett. But what my heart marries is classical music. There is nothing that I like more and my compositions are much more classic than anything else.
Mythical great, those instruments, samplers, amplifiers, mythical effects. Although I have old guitars and old amps, I’m not thinking that everything that happened was better. The new thing is great too, although an 82 Taurus pedal would not be bad to have.
New versus Second hand. It is clear that the new has its advantages and as I said before the new cool, but it is true that in the world of music, the vast majority take good care of your equipment and find cool second-hand things in very good condition.
New technologies, what is the best thing you’ve tried lately? The OMEC Teleport.It is amazing what you can do with that little bit and a computer (or tablet or smartphone).
Equipment to take you on a trip or to work on the road? The OMEC Teleport.
What do you use Backup in case everything fails? For now nothing … cross fingers … hehehe
The studio is burning down … instrument / equipment that you would save? My PRS Hollowbody II. My favorite guitar by far. Along with the PRS DGT was love as soon as you put your hands on the fretboard, I couldn’t believe it.
What is your experience with Orange Amplifiers? I have tried the Acoustic PRE recently.
First impressions about the new Acoustic PRE Well it has been a pleasant surprise. I plugged the acoustic guitar and I was blown away. The two channels make the guitar have a different life. I loved the sound it brings and the possible combinations. A channel with a tube !! The best I’ve heard for acoustics. Let’s see if we can arrange to take it with me on tour this year.
What are your plans for the future? I’ve been playing with Melendi for many years and I start this year’s tour in May in America. Starting in June we will be touring Spain until the end of the year. In June I will record an album with the best singer in the world (for me), Verónica Ferreiro (https://youtu.be/YlEV-K3uAfs). We have a project both with original themes and we are looking forward to recording it and showing it to the world. We will also record another album this year with MENIL (https://youtu.be/uDHc2WYLO2U), a group of manouche (gypsy jazz) that I have with some good friends, and maybe some other surprises.
Tips for readers? Take advantage of time, love the music and your instrument. Thanks, Danny, for the interview and the readers for taking a moment to read it.
Cuál es tu historia? Cómo llegas hasta dónde estás hoy? Nací en una pequeña ciudad extremeña (Plasencia) y me crié en el pueblo de al lado (Malpartida de Plasencia). Desde pequeño siempre me atrajo mucho la música y la pintura y según fui creciendo me decantaba más por lo primero. Pero crecer en los ochenta en un pueblo no me ayudaba mucho… no tenía las mismas cosas al alcance que si hubiese crecido en Madrid, por ejemplo. Así que cuando terminé el bachillerato me puse a trabajar para ahorrar algo de dinero e irme a Madrid a aprender música. En mi pueblo ya tocaba de una forma autodidacta pero quería entender la música de una forma más intelectual o matemática (estaba convencido de que no podía ser inspiración solamente). Y antes no teníamos la suerte de tener todo tipo de información al alcance de un click sentado en tu habitación. Total, me vine a Madrid y mi profesor (Pedro Noda) me enseñó teoría y composición y yo trabaje en la guitarra por mi cuenta, sacando de oído todo lo que me gustaba y analizando partituras (cosas que seguiré haciendo siempre). Con el tiempo vas conociendo gente que te da una oportunidad para tocar en un grupo, orquesta, artista y lo haces con respeto y cariño por la música que tienes que tocar (la que sea, de todo se aprende). Y en eso estoy, en seguir estudiando y aprendiendo a tocar como se merece la música. Referencias e influencias. Qué podemos encontrar en tu música? Cada época o edad tiene unas influencias, siempre las hay. Cuando era adolescente era el heavy metal y con el tiempo se me ha ido suavizando el gusto (aunque si vuelvo a escuchar a mis grupos o guitarristas de entonces lo recuerdo con cariño, no reniego en absoluto de ello). Descubrir el jazz fue magnífico y con lo que más se identifica mi forma de tocar (creo), habitualmente es lo que toco. Mi mayor influencia durante mucho tiempo fue el pianista, Keith Jarrett. Pero con lo que casa mi corazón es con la música clásica. No hay nada que más me guste y mis composiciones tienen mucho más de clásico que de otra cosa. Equipo mítico. Esos instrumentos, samplers, amplificadores, efectos míticos. Aunque tengo guitarras antiguas y amplis antiguos no soy de pensar que todo lo pasado fue mejor. Lo nuevo está genial también, aunque un Taurus pedal del 82 no estaría mal tener. Nuevo versus Segunda mano. Está claro que lo nuevo tiene sus ventajas y como he dicho antes lo nuevo mola, pero bien es cierto que en el mundo de la música, la inmensa mayoría cuida bien su equipo y encuentras cosas geniales de segunda mano en muy buen estado. Las nuevas tecnologías, qué es lo mejor que has probado últimamente. El OMEC Teleport.Es alucinante lo que puedes hacer con ese pedalito y un ordenador (o tablet o smartphone). Equipo para llevarte de viaje o para trabajar en la carretera? El OMEC Teleport. Que usas de Backup por si todo falla? Por ahora nada… crucemos los dedos… jejejeArde el estudio… instrumento/equipo que salvarías? Mi PRS Hollowbody II. Mi guitarra preferida con diferencia. Junto con la PRS DGT fue amor nada más poner las manos en el diapasón, no lo podía creer. Cuál es tu experiencia con Orange Amplifiers? Haber probado el Acoustic PRE hace poco. Primeras impresiones acerca del nuevo Acoustic PRE Pues ha sido toda una grata sorpresa. Enchufé la guitarra acústica y flipé en colores. Los dos canales que tiene hace que la guitarra tenga una vida diferente. Me encantó el sonido que aporta y las combinaciones posibles. Un canal con una válvula! Lo mejor que he escuchado para acústicas. A ver si se viene conmigo de gira este año. Cuales son tus planes de futuro? Llevo tocando muchos años con Melendi y empiezo la gira de este año el próximo mes de mayo en América. A partir de junio estaremos recorriendo España hasta final de año. En junio grabaré un disco con la mejor cantante del mundo (para mí), Verónica Ferreiro (https://youtu.be/YlEV-K3uAfs). Tenemos un proyecto los dos con temas originales y estamos deseando grabarlo y enseñarlo al mundo. También grabaremos este año otro disco con MENIL (https://youtu.be/uDHc2WYLO2U), un grupo de manouche (gypsy jazz) que tengo con unos buenos amigos, y puede que alguna otra sorpresa más. Consejos para los lectores Aprovechad el tiempo, amad la música y vuestro instrumento.Gracias, Danny, por la entrevista y a los lectores por dedicar un ratito a leerla.
https://orangeamps.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Yo-foto.jpg853853Charliehttps://orangeamps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Orange-Pics-logo-307px-279x103.pngCharlie2019-05-08 10:49:502019-05-08 18:18:52Our interview with Javier Sánchez
