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And the winner is…VISUAL SOUND AT THE 2010 GRAMMY AWARDS!!!
And heeeeeeeeeeere’s Johnny… I mean Conan Oooooo’Brien !
“Oh, Canada…”: Visual Sound at MIAC, August 23-24
The 1 SPOT powers the world’s largest pedalboard
And the winner is…VISUAL SOUND AT THE 2010 GRAMMY AWARDS!!!
Visual Sound is honored to be a part of this year's 52nd GRAMMY AWARDS ceremony. But this year was something different for Visual Sound, as it wasn't just our pedals and power supplies being used by some of the acts... Visual Sound is excited and proud to be a part of the inspiration and careers of 15 of this year's list of Winners and Nominees. We continue to strive to create, as do all of our artists, products that will inspire, as well as cut through the pack as we all reach for the top.
Not only are we excited about the list below, we have great expectations for the upcoming release of our brand new line of pedals... GARAGETONE! The excitement that these pedals generated at the 2010 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim was even more than we had anticipated. With an eye towards the future, Visual Sound celebrates and congratulates, along with the world of music, our list, as well as all of the 2010 GRAMMY AWARDS Winners and Nominees!!!
The Kings of Leon winners of 3 GRAMMY Awards - Record of the Year, Best Rock Song of the Year, Best Rock Performance, and nomination for Song of the Year!
Keith Urban was the winner of Best Male Country Vocal Performance, and nominated for Best Country Album.
Paramore was nominated for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture.
The Fray was nominated for both Best Pop Performance and Best Pop Vocal.
Jars of Clay was nominated for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.
Third Day were winners of the Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album and nominated for Best Gospel Song and Best Gospel Performance.
Clint Lagerberg's song, "Here Comes Goodbye", which was a #1 song for Rascal Flatts, was nominated under the Best Performance for a Country Song. (Clint is the amazing guitarist for all of Visual Sound's sound samples)
Cary Barlowe of Luna Halo was nominated for the song he co-wrote for Toby Mac in the Best Gospel Song category.
Visual Sound At NAMM 2010
The crew at Visual Sound are making their annual trek to Anaheim for Winter NAMM 2010, January 14th-17th. All the usual suspects will be there; Bob, Steve Mikesell, Steve Bliss, R.G., and Zac. Come by and see us at Booth # 5820. Those at the show will get a sneak peek at Visual Sound's new GarageTone line of pedals. For your sneak peek, click below. See you at the show!
And heeeeeeeeeeere’s Johnny… I mean Conan Oooooo’Brien !
Growing up in a show business family, an NBC television family to be exact, it has always been exciting for me to be able to connect with what I have known my entire life... the behind the scenes production of television. As a kid, I grew up with all the great shows of the 50's and 60's as we lived our lives around the then very young medium of TV. In my house it was the Show of Shows, Soupy Sales, Dick Van Dyke, the I love Lucy Show and every western there was from Have Gun Will Travel to Rawhide and Gunsmoke... you name it, we watched it. But one show was almost a religion at our house... The Tonight Show. I can remember all the way back to the beginning with Steve Allen and then it was Jack Parr, and finally the man who would make late night television legendary forever, Johnny Carson. We missed very few shows when I was growing up. So for me, to be able to be involved with the Tonight Show in some way all these years later was not only a thrill, but also a reconnection with my childhood.
Four years ago I became friends with Late Night w/Conan O'Brien band member Jimmy Vivino. Jimmy became a lover of our pedals and began using them almost exclusively with the Max Weinberg 7, as well as his other band, The Fab Faux. Little did anyone know then that Conan would become the heir to the Tonight Show, and that the entire Max Weinberg 7 would go with him to Los Angeles and become The Tonight Show Band. Now, the face of late night television once again is taking on a whole new look as Conan and the band transform the show by reviving some of the old with his own brand of new.
Recently I was in LA and got to spend the day with Jimmy and the band. I was able to watch the entire process of editing out jokes to rehearsing it all for continuity, to finally seeing the taping of the show go down from the infamous Green Room... that is really GREEN. I was a kid all over again.
There I was where every night The Tonight Show is brought to life for millions upon millions of homes to view. I was able to see all the hard work that goes into making it come off without a hitch. I was able to hang out with and meet some of the interesting and unique people behind the scenes that make this whole machine work. Thanks to Barry Duryea (who is the tech for Jimmy as well as the band), I was able to go on stage, take pictures, as well as watch the actual afternoon rehearsal where planning makes for great spontaneity. It was a gas, gas, gas!
Visual Sound is proud to be not only the pedals of choice for Jimmy Vivino and the rest of the Tonight Show Band, but our 1SPOT powers almost all of what is on the music set every single night.
The thrill of being a small part of an American legend such as The Tonight Show is one of the greatest privileges I have had... especially coming from a past like mine!
Oh the thrill of being a kid all over again...
Steven Bliss - Visual Sound Artist Relations
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“Oh, Canada…”: Visual Sound at MIAC, August 23-24
Visual Sound will be bringing a touch of Music City to Toronto, Canada this coming week, as we will be exhibiting our ever-growing line of V2 Series effects pedals at the Music Industries Association of Canada (MIAC) 2009 Trade Show.
Being held at the International Centre in Toronto, stop by and check out all of the Visual Sound pedals, including the new Open Road and Truetone pedals as well as the new, limited-editon Van's Warped Distortion pedal -- which recently joined the V2 Series' Jekyll & Hyde, Route 66, H2O, Double Trouble, Son of Hyde, Comp 66, Liquid Chorus, Route 808, Angry Fuzz and Visual Volume pedals.
Bob Weil, Steve Mikesell and Dana Weaver will be at Booth #228, ready, willing and able to answer any and all questions you may have about all things Visual Sound!
The 1 SPOT powers the world’s largest pedalboard
How do you power 75 pedals with just one power supply...and, quietly, too?
Simple! Just use a 1 SPOT adapter!
That's exactly what happened in Nashville, TN on July 16, 2009 at the second annual "World's Largest Pedalboard" event, which coincided with Summer NAMM 2009.
Last year's initial "largest pedalboard" included a whopping total of 142 different stompboxes. And, despite challenging economic times, this year's pedalboard was even larger, with 147 pedals being provided!
Included in that number was the entire line of the Visual Sound V2 Pedals: Jekyll & Hyde, Route 66, H2O, Double Trouble, Son of Hyde, Comp 66, Liquid Chorus, Route 808, Angry Fuzz, Open Road, Truetone, the brand-new limited edition Van's Warped Distortion, as well as the Visual Volume.
As it did last year, this year's event also featured a silent auction to raise money and awareness for the National Kidney Foundation. The hosts and organizers of the event were friends of Visual Sound, Jaux King, and Aljon Go and his wife, Kristen.
Visual Sound founder and president, Bob Weil, was credited with being a major part of "wiring things up to the last minute and [making] it all work", according to Go, "Mission accomplished!"
Will there be another, even bigger "world's largest pedalboard" next year? Time will tell. But, if there is, rest assured Visual Sound will be a part of it - with its awesome pedals and incredible 1 SPOT powering it.
Visual Sound + Nashville = Summer NAMM 2009
The theme for the Summer NAMM 2009 in Nashville (July 17-19) is "Opportunity Rocks", and Visual Sound is taking the opportunity to rock "Music City" to its very core!
Come by and visit Bob Weil and the entire gang of Visual Sound at Booth #911, Hall B at the Nashville Convention Center and check out the entire line of V2 Series pedals, including the two newest -- the Open Road and Truetone. In addition, there's the newest of the new: the limited edition Vans Warped Distortion pedal.
Following a slow, but steady roll-out, the entire line of V2 Series has been out and wowing the music world for two years now. This exciting new line includes all-new and improved versions of the Jekyll & Hyde, Route 66 and H2O pedals, as well as a new dual-effect pedal - the Double Trouble.
The new V2 series also has a whole new line of single effect pedals!
Long requested by musicians, these pedals bring your favorite Visual Sound effects into single effect pedals: Son of Hyde (distortion channel from Jekyll & Hyde), Comp 66 (compressor from Route 66), Liquid Chorus (chorus from H2O) and the Route 808 (one channel of Double Trouble in a single pedal...our interpretation of the TS-808 but with a bass boost and lots more volume). As if that weren't enough, there is also a new, original, single effect pedal - the Angry Fuzz, which will totally blow away any other fuzz pedal you've ever tried!
We hope to see you again this year, at Summer NAMM in Music City.
Vans Warped Tour Partners with Visual Sound
Visual Sound has partnered with the Warped Tour to create a limited edition guitar effect pedal, the Vans Warped Distortion.
With appropriately named knobs like Grind, Edge, and Loud (translation: Drive, Tone, Volume…), the Vans Warped Distortion is totally geared towards Warped Tour inspired guitarists. With grinding low-end distortion, it will make you just want to turn all the knobs to “10” and let it rip. Visual Sound has put all the road-tested features of their renowned V2 Series pedals into the Warped Distortion, so you won’t ever have to worry about it dying on you in the middle of a gig.
The staffs of Vans and the Warped Tour were stoked when Visual Sound brought this pedal to them. So many bands on the Warped Tour use Visual Sound products, so it was a natural fit. The pedal looks and sounds amazing too!
FREE TICKETS AND PEDAL!
As part of this partnership, Visual Sound is giving away 4 FREE tickets to the Warped Tour, along with a FREE Vans Warped Distortion pedal. One lucky winner gets all of it! All entries must be in by June 17, 2009. The drawing was held on June 18, 2009, and the winner was Cody Blankenship. Thank you to everyone who entered the contest!
For complete information about the Vans Warped Tour, go to www.warpedtour.com
Two, new, EXCITING pedals from Visual Sound
Visual Sound is excited and happy to announce that we have just come out with two new pedals to join the already critically-acclaimed V2 Series: the Open Road Overdrive and the Truetone Clean Boost pedals! Designed by Bob Weil and R.G. Keen, these pedals have already “wowed” a great number of players, artists and dealers when previewed earlier this year at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim…and soon you, too, will be psyched to add these pedals to your “ax arsenal”!
The All-New Open Road from Visual Sound
You like the great sound of the Route 808, but you want a more open sounding, amp-like overdrive with less dominant mid-range? Open Road is the overdrive you've been searching for. Clear low end, sparkling highs, and none of the mid-range hump found in most other dirt boxes. Play a six string chord and all the notes ring through. Play a single note line and it sizzles, punch a power chord and it grinds. Open Road features a very interactive tone circuit, effecting not only high-end roll-off, but gain structure as well. At any setting, at any volume, Open Road produces organic amp-like tones that might cause you to leave it on all the time.
The All-New Truetone from Visual Sound:
Truetone Clean Boost is the perfect way to push the front end of your tube amp. Then again, it's also a great way to push a good overdrive pedal a bit harder. If you like the tone you already have from another pedal, just put Truetone after that pedal for a volume boost. Great for a solo boost or to make a certain part stand out. Punch in and punch out without affecting your tone. It's your guitar, only more of it.
2008: A Year to Remember
While the world was going through more upheaval and turmoil than anyone in recent history can remember, it was a year of wonderful opportunities for Visual Sound.
From the long-awaited launch of our V2 Series pedals at the Winter NAMM last January, in Anaheim, CA... to the opportunity of work with of some of the world's best and brightest talent as a part of our roster, Visual Sound broke ground in every single area of our world.
And, because of the ever expanding creative minds of Bob Weil and R.G. Keen, Visual Sound is about to break new ground with some of its most innovative pedals yet, to be revealed at Winter NAMM 2009!
Our new V2 Series pedals were not only getting incredible reviews, our sales continued to increase and our global impact expanded in ways unimaginable. And, in 2008 Visual Sound's V2 Series and 1SPOT's went around the world with some of the most important acts music has to offer.
Whether it was pounding the stages of Europe and America with Swedish Superstars the Hives, or banging the Warped Tour with bands like The Academy Is..., Cobra Starship, Gym Class Heroes, We the Kings, and so many more...!
We rocked the South with Bo Bice and Molly Hatchet. We screamed Heavy Metal and Rock with Avenged Sevenfold and Mark Slaughter, Dave Shankle and Vinnie Moore, and many, many more.
We played Country with Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Brent Mason and Johnny Hiland. We worshipped God with Christian groups like Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, Pillar, December Radio, Third Day, Relient K and Switchfoot!
We broke ground with new bands like Luna Halo, Margot & the Nuclear So and So's, Sean McConnell and November. We went to the GRAMMY'S with OKGo, Plain White T's and Jonny Lang. And we had the privilege to have some of the heroes of popular music rock out with Visual Sound... Earl Slick, Earth, Wind & Fire, Neil Geraldo & Pat Benatar, Kenny Loggins, Junior Marvin and the Wailers, Parliament Funkadelic and Elliot Easton of the Cars!
We thundered under the mighty basses of Victor Wooton, Tal Wilkenfeld, Producer Butch Walker and Michael Rhodes.
We were on too many records to even mention! We were heard on every Major Television show from Mornings to Late Night and in many Major Motions Pictures as well. We were in the bands of American Idol and Nashville Star, the GRAMMY's, CMA's, GMA's, AMA's and on and on! From Backstreet Boys to the Blues, Screamo to Latino, Jazz to R&B... Visual Sound made its mark in 2008.
So where do we go from here? God only knows, but we are grateful for all the people we have had the chance to meet along the way this past year. For the lives that have impacted ours, and the ones we have been blessed to help inspire on their journeys.
From all of us at Visual Sound - Bob Weil, R.G. Keen, Steve Mikesell, Zac Childs, Dana Weaver, Michael Weil, Phyllis Weil and Steven Bliss... thank you for letting us into your lives.
Happy New Year from Visual Sound!
Have Gun, Will Shoot… Visual Sound’s PEDAL SHOOTOUT
Whether it's Wyatt Earp or the Duke, Paladin or Dirty Harry; gunslingers and shootouts have been a part of the ever changing landscape of American culture. In the Old West it was one way of establishing who's in charge. Well, Visual Sound recently took that step down onto the Main Street of Pedal Town to take aim at establishing itself as one of the fastest guns around.
In the Big Boy Room of the infamous Sound Kitchen Studios in Franklin, Tennessee, Bob Weil and Chief Engineer R.G. Keen took on the ominous task of putting Visual Sound's line of pedals up against some of the most famous effects pedals in history. With an audience of professional guitar players and Artists, as well as guitar techs, music store owners and distributors doing the voting with their ears and not their eyes, Visual Sound almost unanimously shot down its most worthy opponents to the surprise of many.
Along with the blind test, Bob also sent to their graves the myths of "true bypass" and the over-rated and ever-hyped myth of "op amps". As a matter of fact, we knew that these tests would so astonish the crowd of professionals gathered there, that we decided to video tape the entire event so that all those who were not there and are interested can experience the moment just as we did.
So look for excerpts to be posted both on the Visual Sound website, as well as our Myspace and YouTube sites as soon as the DVD is edited. In the meantime, enjoy some of the photos from the event. Also, check out the all-new Sound Samples on our website and Myspace!
Visual Sound Hits WARPED Speed!
The summer of 2008 will be known for a lot of things… Presidential campaigns, the Olympics, earthquakes, hurricanes, shake-ups and shakedowns… but for Visual Sound, we got “WARPED”!
Of 145 bands that endured the elements to Rock America from June through August on the traveling Woodstock called Van’s WARPED TOUR, over 25 headliners were serious Visual Sound freaks. Visual Sound went out and experienced the phenomenon “up close and personal”!
“We can’t be more excited to be a part of this incredible travel music circus”, says Steven Bliss head of Artist Relations for Visual Sound. “I am blown away that for 45 days in a row they pull off 6 stages featuring 60 bands a day… and it all comes off almost flawlessly! It’s quite a site to see!”
Check out just some of the pictures from the WARPED Tour. If you didn’t get WARPED this summer… just wait 10 months for it to start all over again…
Party on, Dudes…!
CLICK HERE FOR THE EVENT PHOTOS
