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April 16, 2022 • 4 mins read
While vintage gear is cool and can help you create a vibe, don’t forget to incorporate new tech items that can benefit musicians in a number of ways. These tools can offer you new sounds and help make your process easier and smoother. You would be hard pressed to find the famous LA2A compressor from 1962 brand new at your local music store, but with new music technology in 2022 you might not have to! There are plug-ins and VSTs that can replicate some of the best sound technologies and guitar pedals out there without breaking the bank! We will outline how to make music on your own using the latest music technology.
Boss’s Pocket GT guitar processor? Zoom’s G6 touchscreen guitar pedal? Gibson’s augmented reality app? What new music tech tools are you using in your music practice? Embracing new tools can give you access to new sounds, and can improve your process for making music. Read on to learn about the latest gadgets that can help you create and explore new musical sounds and can boost your skills.
Boss’s Pocket GT guitar processor tool brings the power and sound of their massive amps to a small device that makes it easy to record YouTube videos. Instead of needing a massive amp, The Pocket GT communicates with Boss’s Tone Studio and Tone Central mobile/desktop apps. The app offers a range of amps and effects and you can save your performance settings. The device connects to Bluetooth audio or directly into your computer over USB.
Zoom’s calls its G6 device “the future of guitar pedals” a name it has earned being the first guitar pedal with a color touchscreen. Guitar players can color-code stomp effects and use the colors on the screen to quickly switch between settings. The tool includes 135 effects and 68 rhythm patterns that can be programmed into infinite loops. The device honors classic sounds of some of the best known amps in rock n’ roll with new takes on how to distort to an amplifier’s sound.
Gibson App’s smartphone app makes life easier for guitarists from beginners to experts. The app includes tools for learning how to play the guitar, as well as a tuner and play-along tabs. Players can learn through an augmented reality feature that adapts to the player’s level and provides lessons accordingly. The learning becomes interactive by feeding players challenges based on their level, providing real-time feedback and adjusting as they master different techniques. Whether you are a rookie or seasoned guitar player, you can use the app to improve your technique and make your band sound better. You simply need your guitar, the app and a pair of headphones.
The app also offers a virtual tuning tool and even free one-on-one consultation with a Gibson pro guitar tech to make sure you are taking the best possible care of your gear.
Soundbrenner’s Pulse smartwatch was created just for musicians to help improve their performance. The Soundbrenner Core includes a built-in metronome that players can use to ensure they are keeping in time with the music. A great device for touring musicians that might end up in a room with sound challenges and an inability to headband members. The watch comes with straps for players to attach the metronome to their arm or leg, a small magnetic tuner disc that can attach to an instrument, as well as a pair of headphones so that the player can tune in.
The tiny Snark Super Tight Tuner mounts on to the tip of your guitar and uses it to tune your instrument. The device has a 360 degree rotation, so once you mount it, you can turn it towards you. The digital screen lets you set the key to E or D and quickly tune up your band. The tool also lets you adjust your pitch calibration and even includes a transpose feature so that when you use a capo, you can adjust the flat tuning to a standard E. The Snark Super Tight tuner also includes a Tap Tempo metronome, so you can always keep yourself in time.
Roland’s Micro Cube Practice amp makes practicing easy no matter where you are. Driving in a tour bus or hanging out at the beach, you can easily carry this battery-powered device along and kick up the jams. The ultra-compact portable DSP guitar 5-inch speaker runs on 20 hours of battery power and includes a handful of DSP effects including chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo and Delay/Reverb. No excuses to get your practice on. No need for a wall of Marshall stacks.
Korg has updated its classic DW-800 Synth with a modern touch. The Modwave lets players modulate 200 different wavetables, each made out of up to 64 waveforms. Keyboard players can change the character of these waveforms with modifiers and morph types. This gives you vintage synth sounds with endless modern possibilities.
No matter what instrument you play or what genre of music you are playing, these small new-school tech devices can help you improve your game and have some fun. Embracing new tools can also boost creativity as you look for new ways to manipulate and evolve your sound and get it out into the world. What’s your favorite New music technology in 2022?
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