Grammy nominated sound engineer Ben Findlay has worked alongside artists such as Sting, Lionel Richie, Paul McCartney and with Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studio. Ben is currently on tour with Robert Plant. He recently got a hold of the ADL 700–and here’s what he had to say about it.

• Learn more about the ADL 700
• Learn more about Ben Findlay

FOCUS… is a California-based record producer signed to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment who has produced tracks for Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Jadakiss, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé Knowles, 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, and more. He recently got a pair of Sceptres—and here’s what he has to say about them.

Follow FOCUS… on Twitter.

The PreSonus Accessories Store is now offering free shipping on orders over $49.95 USD. Note that “accessories” includes the AVB and Dante cards for the StudioLive line, as well as lower-tech items like iPad stands, dust covers, power supplies, and extra cables.

Click here to shop now.

Studio One 3 was developed in Hamburg by the PreSonus Software team, including Arnd Kaiser and Matthias Juwan. Here, they speak a bit about the Hamburg team and the history—and future—of Studio One.

Hamburg has a rich history of music software development, so we’re proud that Studio One calls Hamburg home.

Learn more about Studio One and try the demo here: http://studioone.presonus.com/

Here’s Ralf from KRASHKARMA showing us how he uses Automation tracks in Studio One to send MIDI Control Change messages to his Kemper Profiler amp. This allows him to automate his pedal changes, solo volume, and whammy/wah effects—all synchronized to the song since the band plays to a click track. Great stuff, thanks Ralf!

Vance Gilbert

While Boston’s Vance Gilbert is known largely to singer-songwriter circles, to say he draws strictly from the book of Guthrie would be something of a disservice. While his lengthy discography bears many acoustic affairs, there’s a lot of blues in here. Add the fact that Vance got his start as a jazz singer—you can REALLY hear it in his inimitable, vulnerable vocal tones—and you have a unique blend of influences that create something simultaneously familiar and new. While this would be enough for some artists to get by on,Vance also brings significant guitar and lyrical chops to the table. The Boston Globe puts it better than I could, however, when of 2000’s Somerville Live they espoused, “Young songwriters should study this disc the way law students cram for bar exams.”

Turned out that it wasn’t just young songwriters who took note—over the years, Arlo Guthrie and Anita Baker both chose Vance for their support slot on the road, and he spent a year and a half touring in support of the late George Carlin.

Vance’s Nimbit store is a credit to his prolific recording and release schedule—somehow on top of a busy touring schedule, the man has managed to release a dozen albums since kicking off his career as a humble open mic night regular. Well… as humble as one can be when blowing minds. Some are available as digital download, others as CDs, some as both. Noteworthy among them is Side of the Road, a collaboration with fellow Nimbit torchbearer and close friend Ellis Paul.

• Click here to visit The Vance Gilbert Nimbit store
• Interested in Nimbit? Sign up for free here

Billy Walton Band

There was a time when the Jersey Shore represented the best in American entertainment. Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, the Rat Pack, Dick Clark, Chubby Checker… they all made stops on the Jersey Shore. Tony Mart’s was the club Levon Helm was playing when Dylan called. Of course, we all know what happened in Asbury Park. The town, ravaged by riots in the late 60s, became a melting pot of musical experimentation. Late-night jams that ended when the sun came up were the norm. Bruce Springsteen and Southside Johnny were the two acts that made their way to an international stage from these humble beginnings.

For decades musicians have come and gone, always hoping to make a living and pursue a dream. Billy Walton is no different. Billy’s proving ground was Long Beach Island. Too young to drive around and enter the clubs on his own, Billy was chaperoned from gig to gig by his mom, always up for a jam and looking to learn some tricks. For years Billy spent his time sharpening his skills, developing his stage act until he decided to step up to center stage with the Billy Walton Band.

Billy’s talent was noticed by NJ legend Southside Johnny and was he invited to join the band. This is when Billy began formulating his version of the Jersey Shore sound. On his latest release, Wish For What You Want, Billy brought award-winning producer Tony Braunagel (Eric Burdon, Trampled Under Foot, Phantom Blues Band) into the mix to turn his musical vision into reality. The resulting sound is straight-up bluesy rock, no chaser,  that’s a perfect fit for a Saturday night or a long drive.

The Billy Walton Band’s Nimbit store offers four full-length albums and an EP, as well as a four-album combo pack for just $20.

Interested in Nimbit? Sign up for free here.

Our free StudioLive training series has been such a smash that it’s been extended due to popular demand—and this time around, we’re upping the stakes. One attendee at each of these training seminars will receive a free upgrade to Studio One Professional—and a single lucky winner who attends an SAE training in January, February or March of 2015 will be entered to win a StudioLive RM16AI digital mixer! You must be present to win.

SAE Institute branches in New York, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, Nashville, San Francisco, and Chicago have free classes coming up on the following dates:

• 02/14/15
• 03/14/15

Click here to visit presonus.com/SAE to register for this event and make all your friends jealous.

Looks like someone’s getting their Engineering Services access revoked.

Speculate: #PreSonusSecurityBreach

[This just in from Art Chaiyasothi, who has set up his new recording studio using PreSonus gear—and only PreSonus gear!]

You’ve proven your status as my target demographic by clicking the link that got you to this blog.

How did I know that? Well, you’re here, and that means you’re an online sort of musician. As such, I thought you’d like to know that Carl recently set up one heckuva handsome PreSonus-branded online storefront over on Amazon.com, where you can shop for all things PreSonus, and no things anybody else.

Click around. Read reviews. Get yourself some new Eris monitors—they, in particular, are killin‘ it over there, with a review score average of 5/5 from no less than 27 reviews.

Of course, if you’re of the old-skool mindset to hear/play with something before you buy it, you can always haul your true-analog butt to a local dealer that won’t deliver your new FireStudio Mobile via drone.

• Click here to find a dealer in the USA
• Click here to find a dealer outside the USA