The following information can be used as a guide to assist you in selecting the most appropriate computer audio interface for your particular recording needs.

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With such a wide range of Fender guitar models available,  it can often be very confusing for the average buyer when deciding on which model will be best suited for their particular needs. Below is a quick summary of the various features for both Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster models which may assist you in your purchase decision.

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Hearing Protection

With the advent of Apple’s iPod and the hugely popular iPhone, there is no doubt that we are living in a new and exciting generation of technology. I must confess that I am a child of the “Walkman” era which consisted of cassette tape players and Dolby noise reduction…so high tech! To transport my entire cassette tape collection I would have needed a fairly large sized crate. Just imagine how much fun that would’ve been to drag onto a bus! Thanks to Apple we can now take our entire CD collection with us wherever we go, in a device so small that it can easily slip into your shirt pocket. As of April 2008 there have been over 150,000,000 iPods sold around the world, factor in the iPhone sales and you will begin to understand just how successful this market is!
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ART MP Project Series USB

The output voltage on most microphones is typically very low, this is where a microphone preamp can help boost the output signal to a sufficient level. It doesn’t matter if it is a “live” or “studio” situation, mic pre’s are an absolute necessity! The circuitry inside of a mic pre effects the over-all tone of the microphone, so a low quality circuit will yield poor audio results. This is why it is recommended you buy the best mic pre’s that you can afford.
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Microphones

Choosing the right microphone for your needs has become increasingly difficult with the splurge of options available today. You must first consider the main purpose you’ll be using the microphone for eg. live performance and/or studio recording.

The two most common types of microphones are:
Dynamic Mics:

• Cheapest option.
• Don’t require a power source.
• Will produce better results in a noisy recording space because they aren’t as sensitive as the condensor type.
• Work well on louder signals such as drum kits, guitar speaker cabinets & vocals (especially for live vocals). The Shure SM57 and SM58 are two very popular options and there are many generic versions of these microphones available on the market today.

Condensor Mics:

• They require power from either an onboard battery or phantom power from your soundcard or mixer
• They record from greater distances
• Capture higher frequencies
• Work well on stringed instruments, vocals, acoustic guitars & drum overheads

If you are planning to use the microphone for live performances only, then you should seriously consider the dynamic type. Condensor microphones are best suited for studio recording but they also require a very quiet recording space as they are extremely sensitive.

Condensor microphone polar patterns:

• Cardioid
• Figure-8
• Omni-directional

Condensor microphones come in a variety of polar patterns. The most common pattern is the cardioid type which captures sound mostly from the front of the microphone. The “figure-8″ pattern captures sound from the front and back and is useful for certain types of recording situations. Omni-directional microphones pick up sound from all directions and are ideal for capturing the full room sound. Some microphones have one fixed polar pattern while more expensive microphones have the ability to switch to two or more different polar patterns.

Check out our range of microphones for both studio and live purposes

Fender Standard Telecaster

Choosing the perfect electric guitar has become increasingly difficult these days, more often due to the vast amount of guitar options that are available to us in the retail stores. There are many important factors to consider, the style of music you intend on playing is the most crucial aspect of all. The reason for this is very simple, if your intention is to play hard rock or heavy metal you will most certainly want to choose a guitar with humbucker pickups. If you are a blues guitarist or use predominantly clean tones you will want to select a pickup configuration that includes single-coil pickups. Once you know the type of pickups you require it will become a lot easier for you to narrow down your guitar options.
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Yamaha Classical Guitar

Nylon or steel strings?
There are two main types of acoustic guitars to consider, the nylon string (classical guitar) and the steel string varieties. Nylon strings typically have a very soft mellow tone which is suitable for classical or Spanish style music. They are also be softer on the finger tips and they tend to have a lot less tension which makes them ideal for the younger beginner.
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