Maurice Gainen here. My studio, Maurice Gainen Productions (what else?) was profiled by Matt Gallagher in the Mix July ‘07 edition. NAMM is awesome….I’ve been here almost every year for about 20 years. I recommend coming on Thursday first thing as it is empty and you can get maximum face time with all the reps, tech people and any of the many stars haniging out that you may run into. Highlight for me was running into Stevie Wonder and getting a picture. Other cool things: Mix publication Electronic Musician has been re-designed and looks great. Cool gear and software: Waves, Fishman “Aura” acoustic guitar shound shaping boxes, Guitar Rig 3, ProTools 7.4 “Elastic time”, Melodyne and Serrato Pitch ‘n Time. Nice live performances all over the floor. Free champagne and DJ jam 5:00 everyday at Propellerhead (Reason). Saturday is cool for networking and seeing old friends………it’s packed and loud, a real party. Final word: The gear is GREAT!! It’s up to us to make great music. Therein lies the challenge…have a good one! www.mauricegainen.com

The folks at iZotope announced that their RX audio restoration software will be released soon as a group of five plug-ins. Each plug-in will handle the duties of one of RX’s five modules. The modules include Spectral Repair, which lets you zero in on a specific part of the audio using a spectral display, and then attenuate and otherwise process it. The Declipper takes audio that is clipped and restores it. The other modules are the Hum Remover, Declicker, and Denoiser. Overall, it’s an excellent Audio Restoration package, and with the plug-ins will now be even more flexible.

The plugs will be included with the standalone version of RX, which lists for $349 (standard version) and $1199 (Advanced version with additional tweaking options).

METAlliance today announced a Pro Partner program, inviting professional audio manufacturers to join the founding Board of Directors in recognizing quality and high-resolution in the recording arts. The first group of manufacturers, Audio-Technica, Cakewalk, GML, JBL Pro, Lexicon, Manley Labs, Millennia Media, Royer Labs, Sanken and Universal Audio, have joined METAlliance founding members Ed Cherney, Frank Filipetti, George Massenburg, Phil Ramone, Elliot Scheiner and Al Schmitt to recognize the call for quality in the recording arts. “We’re living in an era where formats are reduced in resolution,”Frank Filipetti said. “There are high-res formats in video and film, but we’re going backwards in audio.”

Under this new alliance, METAlliance member manufacturers will have their products evaluated by the panel. Gear is put through exhaustive testing procedures, and for a product to be certified, it must be approved unanimously by the entire “Gang of Seven.”

“Some may argue that there is no need for higher quality because the average consumer doesn’t care,” said Jim Pace, METAlliance director of business affairs. “It’s not a question of bandwidth or delivery anymore. So who is the METAlliance speaking to? One group would be the people who buy these products here at NAMM-people who try to create and craft their art in any way they can. Because they work to get it right, these are the ‘consumers’ that realize it’s worth it to get the full sonic experience at home or wherever they play music. It doesn’t have to be ‘almost good enough,’ it can be a truly fulfilling experience.”

The latest mode of NAMM transportation, caught by our roving cellphone reporter…

At NAMM today the most exciting thing I saw and heard was a synthesizer called the Solaris. It’s a work-in-progress by veteran synth and sound designer John Bowen. What began as a soft-synth project outgrew the confines of John’s computer, so he brought it to life as a living, breathing (okay, not really) keyboard instrument with lots of knobs and big, bright displays. It uses a variety of synthesis algorithms, from sample playback to FM to wavetable and more, and it gives you eight envelopes, five LFOs, and more types of filters than you ever imagined you might need. And the sound! It’s a beautiful thing, and it will be April (or so) when John hopes to begin shipping the Solaris. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait! But don’t take my word for it; head on over to http://www.johnbowen.com/solaris.html and hear what I mean.

Saxophonist Danny Lerman from the Great Midwest just dropped by and handed off his new album, Meowbaby, being distributed on EMI. He’s going to be headlining at the Hilton tonight at 6:10, so NAMMers, stop by. He’ll be with Tal Bergman on drums (formerly with Billy Idol), Fred Kron on keys, Ron DeJesus on the geetar, and Les King on bass. But first, let’s ask him what makes his sax wail different…Danny?

“South Bend soul. And longing to see my girlfriend in Israel next week…”

Tell me how the record came together…

“We recorded at No Favors Studio in Studio City, Tal Bergman’s place. Tal also produced it. We used a U47 on alto and for soprano we used a U47 and a KM…the old tube one. I put an AKG 414 on the bell for the soprano, with a C12VR up above. Vandoren reeds and Selmer saxophones. For soprano, I go for a pretty, but larger than life sound with some bite. That’s why we mixed the presence of the bell with the fullness of the stack. On alto, I like a big fat listen-to-me kind of sound. So I temper that with a tube mic to get that “aaaaaaaah.”

And where can we find the record?

It’s going to be released February 26 at your favorite music retailer! Stop by www.dannylerman.com to preview it

Hot news! There’s an all-new Gibson Guitar Corp. following today’s announcement of a merger with TC Group out of Denmark. Lots of details yet to be worked out, but right now we know that Anders Fauerskov of TC will be the COO and Henry Juszkiewicz remains CEO. The deal is expected to be finalized by the end of February.

Greg, you’re off the Electric Gnat Ranch acreage in Illinois and running around Anaheim…What have you seen, what do you know?

Conflicted news runs rampant in the aisles–is attendance really down, are we feeling the impact of the credit crunch? My response: Aisles are reasonably jammed today (Saturday 1-18), with people who count. My own casual, non-scientific research (based upon listening to the wisdom uttered by 27 years worth of contacts in this business while doing PR, and the insight of this, my 25th NAMM Show) shows things may not be growing as much as we’d like, but it’s not getting worse. Sail on, everything has its correction. Next year will post the numbers everyone is looking for now.

Look around in the pro audio ghetto (Hall A) and despite any misgivings about the health of the economy, you’ll find your fair share of new product intros and lively booth activity. On a closing note, happy anniversary wishes need to go out to QSC for surviving and thriving over the course of 40 years in this business, and special thanks to Shure Inc. for lending the legislative, moral, and technical support needed to guide us all through the current “White Spaces” maze in D.C.

So long for now–gd

Carmen stepped away and we’re here with producer/composer/musician Michael Boddicker, who tells us he’s about to break ground on a new studio (hooray for studios!) in Encino. Michael, what type of space are you building?

We’re building a mix theater, with an SSL AWS 900 and the Euphonix MC5 controller. I work in Pro Tools and I use Logic and Final Cut Pro too. I’m also putting in a Pro Tools edit bay, a composition room and a great espresso machine. Carl Yanchar did the acoustics. Jaime Pavez is the architect. Of course we’re just starting the build, but we have hopes to do good-sized film projects.

So what brings you here wtih the Intel folks?

Awesome processing, incredible stability, more power than I can grow out of in a decade, available to me now. Plus, they’re really nice people.

Thank you, Michael!

Okay, last night we had a smokin’ hot party at the House of Blues to relaunch the new EM, and the grooves all night, the pulse behind the rockin’ party, was Carmen Rizzo. And he’s here with us now…

Carmen, what are you working on these days?

I just finished up a track with k.d. lang. i added aome of my sound, some strings, and we had a good time. Ijust finished an HBO show, called The Song Story, a documentary-style show with a record producer, me, finding three young people through You Tube and MySpace, and I produced the tracks. They’re looking to franchise it.

What have you seen at the show?

I was really impressed with the Gator cases. I have a luggage fetish and nobody pays attention to bags. M Audio (I’m on the cover of their new catalog) have some cool new products out.

You’re standing here with Intel. Last year on the producer’s panel, you said the most important piece of gear in your studio was your Intel Mac?

Now that I’ve been on my Intel Mac for a year, I can’t imagine working without it. I’m spoiled by the speed. I work both sides of the fence, and it’s pulled my studio together.

Anything else?

My new solo album is about to come out. Two other projects, Niyaz and Lal Meri, both on Six Degrees Records. Check ‘em out.