Doing the Texas ‘three-step’ at Arlington Guitar Show

Having already exhibited at the Dallas International Guitar Show back in April and, again, at Summer NAMM in Austin in July, we found that twice was just not enough Texas for us for one year!

That’s right; we’re going back for a third time, deep in the heart of Texas – to the Arlington Guitar Show, to be exact -- October 20-21 -- at the Arlington Convention Center. (See www.texasguitarshows.com)

Stop by Booth #925 to visit and talk with Steve Mikesell and R.G. Keen about all of our wonderful new pedals, the V2 Series, as well as the Workhorse amps.

Given the enthusiasm expressed by all those who stopped by in Dallas and in Austin, we are looking forward to seeing all y’all in Arlington, as well!

Keep coming back to visualsound.net for more information on the release of the new pedals and details on upcoming shows we’ll be at (such as the 2008 NAMM Show, January 17-20, 2008 in Anaheim, CA)…we hope to see you there!

Visual Sound Staff Grows

Zac Childs – Visual Sound is pleased to announce the addition of Zac Childs to our staff here in Spring Hill, TN. Zac has been working for us part time for quite a while now, doing tech work and repair on our Workhorse amps. Now coming aboard fulltime, Zac will be responsible for all our International Dealers, among other things. Zac is an accomplished guitarist himself – playing with the likes of Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Brad Paisley and Buck Owens, amongst others. After graduating from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, he studied for a year at the Sorbonne in Paris. In addition, Zac was the long-time guitar tech for Brad Paisley, as well as Terry Clark and, most recently, American Idol winner Carrie Underwood’s band. Along with his tech work, Zac is been a contributing columnist for Vintage Guitar magazine. Owner Bob Weil, along with the rest of our staff, is excited to welcome Zac Childs to Visual Sound.

Visual Sound at Premier Guitar Festival in Boston

Ah, New England in September…the early signs of fall, lobsters, clam chowder and…guitars?!? You bet! The Premier Guitar Show will be rockin’ Boston on September 15-16 at the Bayside Expo Center Show and Visual Sound will be there!

Come visit Bob Weil and Steve Mikesell at Booth #914 and check out the brand-new, soon-to-be released V-2 series of pedals (they’re truly awesome!) as well as the Workhorse Amps.

In addition, to our great new gear, the show will also feature workshops and performances from some terrific guitarists, including Johnny A., Trey Alexander, Robben Ford, Peter Stroud and many, many more.

Keep coming back to visualsound.net for more information on the release of the new pedals and details on other upcoming shows and news…we hope to see you there!

One year on Myspace!

In an article written earlier this year about becoming a millionaire, the writer from Forbes Magazine said of the top ten things someone should do, number one was to create a Myspace! But long before that article – and convinced there is a great big world of people we could never reach out to otherwise -- Visual Sound launched its OFFICIAL Myspace page (www.myspace.com/visualsoundusa), one year ago on August 24th, 2006.

The response has been more than overwhelming.

Over 9,200 profile views, over 8,600 plays of our demos, over 150,000 picture views and over 1,100 “friends” have made Visual Sound’s Myspace site an incredible success, even in its infancy. The interest from Artists around the globe has caused a sensation that is making us expand our reach into Europe, Asia, and Central and South America as never before. Myspace is helping Visual Sound to become a household name amongst some of the greatest talent on the face of this planet.

As Visual Sound opens the pages of a new chapter in its history with the new V2 Series of pedals, we are dedicated to creating products that are not only innovative and state-of-the-art, but are designed to help everyone, from the beginner to the most renowned concert and recording acts, helping to increase their creativity and inspire them to their greatest potential.

If you haven’t been to our Myspace page – please check it out. Tell all your friends as well!

All of us at Visual Sound are committed to serving you, both now, and the future.

Visual Sound to heat up Summer NAMM 2007

Austin, Texas – “the live music capital of the world” – will once again be the host to the 2007 NAMM Summer Session (July 27-29), and Visual Sound will be at there, as well!

Come by and visit Steve Mikesell and R.G. Keen at Booth #1338 at the Austin Convention Center and see, first-hand, the line of Workhorse amps and the 10th Anniversary edition of the Visual Volume pedal – both still selling well (and to critical acclaim) after coming out over a year ago!

The piece de resistance, however, is the brand-new line of V-2 pedals, which will be making their debut later this summer. This exciting new line includes all-new and improved versions of the Jekyll & Hyde Ultimate Overdrive, Route 66 American Overdrive and H2O Liquid Chorus & Echo. In addition, we will be coming out with a new dual-effect pedal – the Double Trouble (guaranteed to bring a “Texas flood” to your tone!).

Finally, the new V-2 series will include 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 will also be a whole-new, original, single effect pedal – the Angry Fuzz, which will totally blow away any other fuzz pedal you’ve ever tried!

Think Texas in July is hot already? Think again…and “chill’ with us at Booth #1338!

GMA Week April 2007

Amongst a flurry of Christian Rock, R&B and NEW BREED Worship bands that filled the stages of 12th & Porter in downtown Nashville for 2 days straight, Bob Weil and Steven Bliss ran from place to place showing off the wares of Visual Sound to what seemed like the entire Christian Music world. The response… FANTASTIC! We made many new friends and true “believers” in all the new things about to emerge from the VS laboratory. From the new line of pedals to the muscular Workhorse™ Amps, Visual Sound was a hit among incredible talents of the Christian Music Scene. From veterans like Phil Keaggy and Tom Hemby, to stone-cold rockers like Noah Henson of Pillar, the word is out: Visual Sound is no longer a small company that makes a pedal called the Jekyll & Hyde. From the existing pedals whose qualities set them apart from all the competition -- including the much-lauded Visual Volume Pedal -- to the new line of amps that will soon be a household name in all genres of music, as well as the new line of pedals about to be released, the excitement was non-stop and this years GMA’s.

Workhorse™ amps at the Dallas Guitar Show

The world-renown Dallas International Guitar Show recently held its 30th anniversary celebration (April 20-22) – and Visual Sound was there for the first time.

As “newbies” to the show, we were hardly invisible. Players from all over the “Lone Star State” (and all over the country) came by to try out – and be blown away by – the new Workhorse™ Amps. Steve Mikesell, Visual Sound’s Dealer Relations Manager, and R.G. Keen (who, along with Bob Weil, designed the amps as well as all of our super-hot effects pedals), reported that the VS booth was being visited, non-stop. “The reaction to the amps from everyone who came by to test them out was incredible, far-better than I could have hoped for”, said Steve as he returned to our Spring Hill, TN, and immediately began processing orders!

The enthusiasm wasn’t restricted to just the amps, but was also there for all of our super-hot effects pedals – the Jekyll & Hyde, Route 66 and H2O – as well as all of our new, V-2 series of pedals, due to hit the marketplace later this summer.

For those that missed out, not to worry. Visual Sound will be back in Texas at the Summer NAMM Show (July 27-29; Austin) and again at the Arlington Guitar Show(October 20-21).

Keep coming back to visualsound.net for more information on the release of the new pedals and details on the upcoming shows…we hope to see you there!

Visual Sound ROCKS the GRAMMYS!

Not only did OK Go and Jonny Lang win GRAMMYS in their respective categories, but Paul Jackson, Jr. was in the house band using his Visual Sound pedals for some of the evening’s hottest numbers.

OK Go won GRAMMY for “Best Short Form Music Video” for their treadmill video of “Here It Goes Again”, and Jonny Lang won the GRAMMY for “Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album” for his amazing album “Turn Around”.

“I cannot be more excited for Damien, Tim, Andy and Dan of OK Go and Jonny Lang. Not only are they great people to work with, but they, along with Paul, inspire us to make music more exciting and creative for others”, said Bob Weil, President of Visual Sound.

As Visual Sound rocks the GRAMMYS, so it continues to cut through into the mainstream of today’s music, carving out new sounds along the way.

Visual Sound Loud and Clear at Winter NAMM Show 2007

Wow! What an amazing show we had. It was more than exciting to meet all of those who came by and tested out the new gear. Our thanks go out to Pat Bergeson who jammed non-stop for us.

We also want to thank Guthrie Trapp; Johnny Hiland; Rafael Moreira of Rockstar: Supernova; Paul Jackson Jr.; Damian, Tim, and Andy of OK Go; Greg "G-Moe" Moore of EWF; bass player extraordinaire Michael Rhodes, David Pack and the many others who came and gave their time and talent to making this NAMM Show the best ever for Visual Sound.

Thanks as well goes out to all our Dealers, both old and new, who continue to broaden the scope of our ability to make Visual Sound a household name in music, sound, and creativity worldwide.

For those planning on attending the Musikmesse in Frankfurt, Germany (March 28-31) and/or the Summer NAMM in Austin, Texas (July 27 - 29), we look forward to seeing y'all again there!

OK Go visits Visual Sound at NAMM (l. to r.): Andy Ross,
Damian Kulash, Steven Bliss and Bob Weil of Visual Sound, Tim Norwind

2006-2007: Where we’ve been, where we’re going

As we turn the page on 2006 and hit the ground running on the new year that is 2007, we are more excited – and appreciative – than we’ve ever been.

Excited, because as we enter 2007 we can look back with amazement and a healthy level of pride on what we accomplished in 2006: the introduction of the first of two new amps, the 30-watt 112 Workhorse Pony and the triumphant return of our flagship pedal, the 10th anniversary edition of the Visual Volume. Both products have been received with open arms and rave reviews, as they have taken their place alongside our existing fine line of effects pedals and power supplies.

Our excitement is even more stoked by what we see coming down the road in the weeks and months ahead – yes, believe it or not, the 60-watt 212 Workhorse Stallion is now available! In addition, Visual Sound will be introducing a new line of single and dual-effects pedals later this year – get a first look at them at this year’s Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim (Jan. 18-21).

We are also most appreciative to all our loyal customers for your continued business, friendship and patience as we look to bring you the best amplifiers, effects pedals and power supplies available – “boutique quality at mass-market prices”. As a result, our sales last year grew by steadily over the previous year – and we look forward to even more growth this year.

We continue to be flooded with fan e-mail from all over the world (see the Fan Mail page), as musicians from all genres contacted us to let us know how much Visual Sound means to them, in everything from our products to our terrific customer service. To that, we say “thank you” to each and every one. We could not do it with you.

On top of that, our impressive list of musicians endorsing Visual Sound (see the Artists page) grew in quantity, quality and variety.

Our interaction in cyber-space took another big step forward this past fall with the launch of our MySpace site. The site is dynamic and it gives Visual Sound founder and president, Bob Weil, an opportunity to Blog.

We will also be doing a series of interactive Blogs, so that anyone and everyone can jump right in and hear back from Bob about all that he’s cooking up, as well as what is happening right now at Visual Sound. If you haven’t checked out Bob’s Blogs, then come on over and get up close and personal with the mastermind himself – we look forward to hearing from you in 2007!

Keep checking in at www.visualsound.net and www.MySpace.com/visualsoundusa to see what we’re up to!

Johnny Hiland: First-Rate at 3rd & Lindsley

A long-time friend of Visual Sound, Johnny Hiland (see Artists and mp3 pages) and his band, graced the stage at Nashville's 3rd & Lindsley recently and amazed the standing-room-only crowd with a blistering set featuring many numbers off his critically-acclaimed debut CD, Johnny Hiland.

Truly a guitar hero's guitar hero, Johnny took the audience -- a mix of fellow players, business professionals and friends -- to places even they couldn't imagine. "I've seen him play dozens of times," exclaimed one amazed patron after the show was over, "He always seems to keep pulling rabbits out of his hat!" Interspersing melodic, impossibly-fast finger-picking solos with contagious riffs and hooks -- and backed by his trusty rhythm section of Michael Hill on bass and Greg Strizek on drums) -- Johnny played, to use his own words, "loud and proud".

Two fans of Johnny's, who sat right in front of the stage, flew in from out-of-town just to see his performance, which blended blues, country, rock and, yes, even funk. The myriad of styles had one thing in common: un-common tone -- played through Visual Sound's Jekyll & Hyde, Route 66 and H20 pedals. Shouted one of the two, above the roaring applause at the end of the set, "Can you believe that tone he gets?!?"

Actually, yes we can.

Bob with Johnny Hiland

Johnny Hiland's Pedal Set Up

Hard on the heels of their series of sold-out shows in the U.K. and Ireland in support of their critically-acclaimed new release, "First Impressions of Earth", The Strokes played to another packed house at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium on March 6th -- and Visual Sound was there!

Not only were they part of the enthusiastic, S.R.O. audience, but Visual Sound was on stage in a very big way, as Strokes' dual guitar wizards Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr. were plugged-in to the Jekyll & Hyde Ultimate Overdrive pedals -- as they have been since hitting the music scene in 2001 with "Is This It" and continuing with "Room On Fire" two years later. In fact, Albert now plays with two Jekylls as part of his tonal arsenal, both on tour and in the studio! In addition, the band uses the 1SPOT adapter extensively and several were spotted in their on-stage rigging.

In meeting-up with Nick and Albert after the concert, both of them were raving to Bob how much they love the pedal and were blown away when they saw that the final plans are coming together for the release of the Workhorse amps later this Spring. "I can't wait to try that out!," exclaimed Nick. Said Albert to Bob of the Jekyll & Hyde, "It's given us our sound."

The Strokes onstage at The Ryman

Albert Hammond Jr. with Bob