Now is the right time to become an American Federation of Musicians member. From ragtime to rap, from the early phonograph to today's digital recordings, the AFM has been there for its members. And now there are more benefits available to AFM members than ever before, including a multi-million dollar pension fund, excellent contract protection, instrument and travelers insurance, work referral programs and access to licensed booking agents to keep you working.
As an AFM member, you are part of a membership of more than 80,000 musicians. Experience has proven that collective activity on behalf of individuals with similar interests is the most effective way to achieve a goal. The AFM can negotiate agreements and administer contracts, procure valuable benefits and achieve legislative goals. A single musician has no such power.
The AFM has a proud history of managing change rather than being victimized by it. We find strength in adversity, and when the going gets tough, we get creative - all on your behalf.
Like the industry, the AFM is also changing and evolving, and its policies and programs will move in new directions dictated by its members. As a member, you will determine these directions through your interest and involvement. Your membership card will be your key to participation in governing your union, keeping it responsive to your needs and enabling it to serve you better. To become a member now, visit www.afm.org/join.
This innovative stainless steel Ned Steinberger Cradle Capo from D’Addario allows quick and easy positioning. Its self-centering design automatically centers behind the neck of the instrument, assuring even horizontal string pull for perfect tuning and intonation. An adjustable micrometer lets you dial in the perfect amount of pressure. It allows quick transitions and conveniently stores behind the nut when not in use.
D&A’s Valencia performance leather straps were designed with professional guitarists and bassists in mind. Hand-cut from quality leather selected at one of the finest leather factories in Spain, the straps are available in seven colors. The 2.75-inch wide strap, coated with a thin layer of microfiber, resists moisture and provides comfortable support. An innovative system allows players to adjust size via a one-time screw catch. Valencia quilted straps feature brass hardware and an elegantly concealed strap tail. Pick holders on the front and back of the strap end, as well as die-cut pick slits on the tail, allow players to easily pull picks during a performance.
The Gretsch G6228 Players Edition Jet BT with V Stoptail displays the same strong, punchy response that made Jet famous. It has a 1.85-inch chambered mahogany body with maple top, full-access rolled cutaway mahogany neck, 12-inch radius rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets, and aged perloid Big Block inlays. It features anchored Adjusto-Matic bridge, Gretsch “V” stoptail tailpiece, and Gotoh locking tuning keys. Broad’Tron BT 65 pickups meticulously capture the guitar’s sonic palette to reproduce powerful mids, extended lows, and smooth high end. No-load master tone pot with Squeezebox paper-in-oil capacitor and master volume with treble bleed circuit provide tonal control and flexibility. G6228 is available in black, Cadillac green, and dark cherry metallic. A left-handed version comes in Cadillac green.
The Roberto Quintero signature congas from Gon Bops are made from premium fiberglass shells, California Series Contour Hardware, and custom REMO Skyndeep heads. The drums create a perfectly balanced sound—deep, resonant bass tones and loud, cutting highs. The congas come in conga, tumba, and super tumba sizes, plus paired 7-inch and 8.5-inch bangos. “Roberto Quintero is one of the world’s premiere congueros, and working with him to develop these outstanding drums was an honor,” says Gon Bops Brand Manager Luis Cardoso.
Glyph Technologies Atom SSD is built with artists in mind. The lightning-fast solid state drive is rugged and light-weight, allowing you to take your music, videos, and important documents everywhere you go. The pocket-sized Atom features speeds up to 480Mb/s and is equipped the latest USB-C (3.1, Gen 2) connection. Its available in three capacities: 275GB, 525GB, and 1TB, starting at $169.95 and is compatible with both Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.0.
D’Angelico Guitars has introduced a line of solid-body electrics. All three models—Bedford, Atlantic, and Ludlow—feature Seymour Duncan pickups. Bedford is a 1960s-look offset with stacked single-coil neck pickup and bridge humbucker for warmth. Its sound is full and bright. It comes in a black finish with maple neck and six-point tremolo bridge. Atlantic is a single-cutaway solid-body built for full, loud tones. A deep belly cut and thinner body keep it lightweight, and slim-C neck shape gives it playability. Ludlow (pictured) is a unique offset that provides effortless access to the highest frets with a slim c-shape neck. Its coil tapping push/pull tone knobs allow a range of sounds and remarkable sustain from the oversized body shape.
The Vexter series Fuzz Factory Vertical is a five-knob Zvex pedal that allows control of every aspect of your sound. “Gate” squelches noise after the end of sustain or can be used to tune in exact feedback pitch. Adjust “Comp” to add attack, get softer, or tune in fat feedback fuzz. “Drive” increases distortion and can also adjust feedback pitch and tonal thickness. “Stab” controls feedback pitch.
IK Multimedia’s T-RackS 5 versatile mixing and mastering system offers four all-new processors for a total of 38 high-quality modules, including a redesigned interface in a flexible 16-processor series/parallel chain. Among the improvements, the Master Match module plug-in automatically matches the sonic fingerprint of up to three reference tracks; Dyna-Mu vari-mu compressor/limiter can impart an audible magic to glue the mix together; and the Equal digital equalizer is a 10-band, ultra-clear, parametric equalizer with an extremely transparent sound. T-RackS 5’s new ONE mastering processor is designed for streamlined and straightforward audio finalization and includes an EQ, compressor, analog harmonic exciter, low-end enhancer, and limiter. It is available in three working environments and four different version price points, from a free Custom Shop version to a complete version for just under $500.
This method book was developed to allow clarinetists to master the powerful learning strategy known as “chunking.” Through technical studies, etudes, preludes, cadenzas, and orchestra excerpts, the student learns basic and advanced chunking techniques to facilitate reading and tone development. The spiral-bound book presents a daily warm-up and 48 lessons in major and minor keys, plus 19 orchestral excerpts with practice suggestions for chunking exploration.
Advanced Clarinet Studies: The Art of Chunking, Clarinet Edition
by Rob Patterson, Theodore Presser Company, www. presser.com.
During the 1970s, rock bands were making expansive concept records with sweeping themes and their albums promised “theater of the mind” promoted by elaborate stage shows. This book celebrates more than 30 of these performances that used lights, projections, backdrops, props, and costumes to bring the albums to life in arenas packed with fans. Among the rock shows included are key tours by Led Zeppelin, Queen, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, Heart, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, The Who, and Yes. Their stories are told through memories, reviews, and hand-picked images, some of them never before seen.
Rockin’ the City of Angels: Celebrating the Great Rock Shows of the 1970s, in Concert, on Record, and on Film, by Douglas Harr, Diego Spade Production, Inc., diegospadeproductions.com.
