joe gore

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In this edition of Recording Dojo, our columnist sheds light on the differences between decibel measurements, and offers a breakdown of real-life equivalents of basic sound level values.

Starting this month, I’d like to bring some clarity to some widely misused audio terms that engineers struggle with, especially when it comes to mixing and mastering. Do you know what a dB is and/or how it got its name, or understand the difference between dB, dBu, dBA, dBSPL, and dBFS and how they inherently apply to your recordings? Tighten up your belts, the Dojo is now open.

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Ted’s current pedalboard … always subject to revision, messy but functional, and in need of a dimensional revamp.

One player’s lifelong obsession with the ability to have worlds of sound beneath our feet. And, by the way, it’s our annual pedal issue.

I’m a pedal freak. I have been since I bought my first one: a used MXR Distortion + for about $20. At the time, I was hunting for the sounds of my classic-rock guitar heroes—especially Hendrix’s Strat tones and the raw, grinding fuzz on Big Brother and the Holding Company’s Cheap Thrills. (I realize the latter isn’t popular with a lot of players, but for me, the voice of James Gurley’s guitar is still sonic nirvana!) I don’t know that I’ve ever really achieved those sounds, but the purchase of a Big Knob Tone Blender in 2020 did finally get me very near Gurley’s grizzly-bear-on-acid bawl.

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PG's Joe Gore is giving you the chance to WIN his "Filth" pedal in today's Stompboxtober giveaway! Enter below!

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Joystick control and three reverb algorithms unlock seemingly infinite combinations of reverb and distortion.

Articulate distortion with killer fuzzy edges. Deep, inspiring reverb algorithms. Relatively free of digital artifacts and cheesy overtones.

No presets. Joystick is way too easy to knock out of place in performance. Hard to get back to precise settings.

$299

Walrus Melee
walrusaudio.com

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Artists have used guitar effects for instruments other than guitar for a long time. And with a joystick taking center stage on the enclosure, Walrus’ Melee, which combines three reverb algorithms and a distortion circuit, looks like it was designed in explicit acknowledgement of that fact. You see, it’s not easy to control a joystick precisely with your foot. So, the presence of the joystick—which blends distortion and reverb in seemingly infinite combinations—makes the pedal seem intended as much for use by synth, laptop, and keyboard artists as guitar players.

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