One of the cool things about my job, is I get to try out a lot of gear. Sometimes it’s so I can use that information in books that I’m writing or editing. Other times, its so I can review it for a magazine. So here’s where I get to write the details and opinions that don’t make sense for the project, but might still be of interest.

I’ve been loaned the DigiTech GSP1101 for a book project I’m editing—the forthcoming addendum to Digital Guitar Power by Marc Schonbrun, which if you’re interested in the start of the art in guitar tech, I highly recommend.

I will also be reviewing this unit for a magazine review, so that’s where you’ll find my complete thoughts. I’ll let you know when that’s going to appear

The GSP1101 tries to shove a lot into a single rackspace box. Modeled amps, cabinets, and effects, lots of I/O options so you can use it direct into your computer, a PA system, in front of an amp, in the effects loop of an amp, or using the “Four Cable Method” in which you plug your guitar into the GSP1101, then the send from the loop of the GSP1101 into the front end of your amp, the send from your amp’s loop into the return of the GSP1101, and the output of the GSP1101 into the return of your amp’s loop.

It also comes with a software editor, so you can connect it to your machine via USB and do all your editing with a nice big computer (or laptop) monitor. I’m a big fan of computer editors, and this one was organized and worked very well.

I’ll have more to say in depth about my opinions in the full review, but for now, let me just say that if you’re interested in a hardware rackmount modeler, keep this one in mind!

In addition to Ember After, I write about pro audio equipment and music software for a number of pro audio magazines.  I also do technical writing for some music software and hardware companies.  So a lot of equipment comes through my little studio.  Some of it I’m paid to write about.  Some of it I check out on my own, and then use it in articles I write, incorporated into my Ember After arsenal, or both.

Since I know that there are a lot of musicians and hobbyists out there who love to talk about the tools of the trade, I thought that this would be a good place to share my thoughts about what equipment and software I use/review.  Hopefully, this blog will evolve into a useful resource for people looking into the tools, tricks, and tech of making music.

And don’t forget to check out the links  to various music software, hardware, and instrument companies at the right of this blog.  This is the stuff that I use all the time, love to pieces, and recommend very highly. Looking forward to seeing where this takes us—Orren