Product Showcase — June 2022
LATIN PERCUSSION
Carlos Santana Signature Series Expanded
Latin Percussion (LP) has announced another collaboration with multi-Grammy Award winner and philanthropist Carlos Santana. The existing lineup of Santana branded drums and collectables now features Africa Speaks and Black Magic instruments to further complement the line.
The all-new Africa Speaks congas are constructed utilizing three-ply Siam Oak staves and are finished in a Yellow Stain Lacquer that is embellished with the “African Mask” graphic art from Santana’s 2019 release. Included in the collection are matching Bongos, Quinto, Conga, and Tumba. All are custom fitted with handpicked rawhide heads and chrome Comfort Curve II rims.
Also new to the LP Santana offering are a newly-designed set of 10- and 11-inch Aspire Black Magic congas. The drums come complete with a sturdy double conga stand, and a matching set of bongos is also available. The Siam Oak shells are finished in a Black Sparkle Lacquer with black powder-coated hardware and natural rawhide heads.
Two new Santana mini-tunable congas have also been added to the collection. The first design is an exact mini replica of the Africa Speaks pro conga. Others include an elegant Black Lacquer drum featuring the Santana Lion Art album artwork and a White Lacquer drum with the classic Abraxas artwork. The tunable and playable minis are 11 inches tall with 4 1/2-inch rawhide heads, a mini Comfort Curve rim and brushed nickel-plated hardware.
To find out more about the Africa Speaks, Black Magic, and mini-conga ranges, plus all the other Latin Percussion products, visit lpmusic.com.
Alex González Signature Cowbell
Latin Percussion (LP) has partnered with Maná drummer Alex González to introduce a new cowbell to its range of percussion instruments. Made in the USA, the Alex González Signature Cowbell is an 8-inch mountable cowbell with a rich cutting sound that is low pitched and moderately dry.
Alex and his band Maná created a revolution in music by becoming the most successful Latin-American band of all time, winning multiple Grammy, Latin Grammy, and Billboard Latin Music awards. The versatile drummer deftly manipulates the many stylistic changes in the band’s sound, elegantly switching between energetic reggae grooves and hard-hitting rock anthems.
The Alex González Signature Cowbell truly reflects his personal sound. The collaboration resulted in a distinctive cowbell that is embellished with a striking rose graphic synonymous with Maná and familiar to fans all over the world. The rose artwork is embedded into the metal using LP’s proprietary process to deliver long-lasting, great looks.
The bell is loud and rock ready. The high-impact ridge offers just the right overtones, making it perfect for both studio and stage. The patented Jenigor bar dampens sound and resists denting, giving the instrument a long playing life. The patented LP Vise-Clamp tightly grips 3/8- to 1/2-inch diameter arms, making it a go to bell for heavy hitters.
To find out more about the Alex González Signature Cowbell, plus all the other Latin Percussion products, visit lpmusic.com.
TRACKTION
New Kick Drum Plugin
Tracktion Corporation has released Chop Suey, the new kick drum plugin from Dawesome and the renowned techno producer Björn Torwellen.
Sinee and Dawesome is a collaboration between mathematician and AI veteran Peter V (Aka Dawesome) and German techno star Björn Torwellen. Peter V is the creator of the powerful sound engine Abyss, a synthesizer with a fresh and unique approach to music production. The multi-talented artist, DJ, and music producer Björn Torwellen said of Chop Suey, “This plugin is the result of what I’ve learned about kick drum design over 20 years.”
A kick drum is one of the most essential elements of beat-driven music, and getting it to work well with the bass is fundamental to a successful track. Musicians are always looking for the perfect kick, one that combines a nice transient with a cool punch and a boomy tail. Most applications layer sound. This rarely works for kicks, resulting in a weak, muddy mess. The versatile Chop Suey plugin allows users to sequence rather than layer elements, thus removing any phasing issues, leaving a kick sound that has a crisp transient, punchy body, and thundering end.
Chop Suey is a visual precision tool that allows users to finely edit each element of the sound, shaping individual parts without affecting or weakening the others. The plugin workflow has been designed to respond quickly to parameter variations, meaning it can react rapidly to changes in resonance consequently minimizing zipper noises or artefacts.
Made by music makers for music makers, Chop Suey is a sound design powerhouse that offers everything needed to build complex, hard-hitting bass drums for house, techno, hip hop, and all other styles of dance music.
To find out more, visit tracktion.com/products/chop-suey.