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Bruce Cockburn’s Acoustic Matrix pick ups

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This is my second installment of what components Bruce Cockburn uses on his acoustic guitars. Today we’ll tackle his pick ups and basically how they work.

Bruce uses 2 types in this main guitars. One is called a Acoustic Matrix (video takes a while to load sometimes and don’t forget to go through all video’s, it’s worth it!) and the other is a modified Audio-Technica internal mic.

The Acoustic Matrix pickup (p/u) is the driving force behind the Fishman system. For this p/u, Bruce runs this signal through his guitar effects. The effects that he uses are numerous and will be part of another post that describes them in greater detail. Now the signal will travel directly into his sound board to be manipulated and then it is forwarded to the speakers. This particular kind of acoustic of pick up is essentially like a Piezoelectric p/u in nature.

This p/u technology produces a voltage signal when pressure is subjected to it (the sound vibrations of the strings against the front section of the guitar). This signal then converts these vibrations into an electrical signal. The material used here is called vibration sensing co-polymer film. It seizes the signal/sound and sends it off to the amplifier or P.A. system. This product is specifically designed for acoustic guitars and it’s an ideal application to be use for saddle-mounted pick ups!

Considering the length of the connection from the p/u to the preamp inside the guitar itself, around 4 inches in length, it will help to eliminate signal loss. More wire means more resistance and a drop in quality of the signal. This is very important in retaining that true guitar sound that you are looking for.

I’m not sure which of these he uses, so here’s a little bit of both, the Natural I and the Natural II system.

Acoustic Matrix Natural I is an active p/u meaning it is very sensitive to the vibrations that the strings produce at the saddle. The saddle is on the actual body of the guitar, to the right of your sound hole, if your a left handed player that is;). The lighter you attack your strings, the less of a signal is sent and vice versa. This would be perfect for smaller sized guitars. It is ideal for solo performers who play at a low volume level. If your guitar is very prone to feedback, then the Natural II is the one for you.

The Acoustic Matrix Natural II will compliment guitars that are larger like the big scallop-braced dreadnought with tons of big bottom end that is very characteristic of this type of guitar construction. The Natural II is for playing in larger venues or bands for that matter, when you need to be able to stand out in the crowd.

This delivery system tends to give you that warm, natural acoustic voicing that your guitar has. The bottom bass sound is picked up real nicely. Considering Mr. Cockburn’s love for the bottom end and the fact that his guitar are of the dreadnought construction, you can see why he might use this type of system in his guitars.

The Acoustic Matrix Natural II is basically the same as The Natural I but it empathizes the higher end sounds of the guitar. This is great for those BIG guitars that has that real natural bass resonance to it.

Now we will look at the other hidden p/u system in his arsenal that helps him obtain his distinctive sound.

Now we come to the Audio-Technica internal mic. As for this one, it is a modified Audio-Technica internal mic. I’ve never heard of it before so naturally I’m very interested in it.

Bruce must of stumbled upon it somewhere and just picked up the ball, or should I say mic, and ran with it! It’s basically a miniature condenser mic. This type of mic can be placed anywhere inside the guitar body to capture a much different tonal sound then traditional mics do. Bruce runs this p/u directly through to the board to get that natural, unadulterated sound. If anyone out there has this type of delivery system PLEASE COMMENT on this post! I am more then a little interested in this technology.

So there you have it. I’ve deliberately tried not to go too much technical details with this post. My goal was to expose you, musicians and non-musicians alike, to something a little different in how acoustic guitar pick ups are made and what they sound like. If you find something very interesting while on your journey to p/u enlightenment, please come back and tell us! The worst thing we can do is learn something from each other, right?!

Keep on Jammin’

Here are some other acoustic guitar pick ups that I like.





Which Digital Keyboard Is Right For Me?

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Before you go out and buy your keyboard, there are a few tips that you need to consider. There are a huge choice of keyboards and digital pianos available today -and quite often that choice can seem really overwhelming. Even a quick online search will give you more options than it is possible to get through in a week -so which one is right for you? Which one will best suit your needs?

1) Affordability. Make sure that you can afford it! Even the most conservative budget should not have too many problems finding a good keyboard that will suit your needs. Once you have set yourself a top level of what you want to spend, make sure you do not go over that.

2)   Weighted action versus synth action. Synth action simply means that the keys are a little lighter, weighted action simply means that the keys are heavier and therefore behave more like an acoustic piano. The weight of the keys transmits to the style of play that you are buying the keyboard for: weighted action is great for the trained pianist or someone who is looking to develop their piano skills; synth action is more suited to those who play a more synthy or techno style, as the keys can be played a lot faster. Just a couple of the more technical terms you may come into contact with when buying your keyboard.

3) The number of keys. It can certainly seem that the choices you have when it comes to the number of keys can be almost as far-ranging as the choice of keyboards in the first place! The range goes from as little as 20 right up to 88. The choice is yours: if you are looking to use your keyboard for things like samples, then only a small range is needed and you only need a few keys. For the more experimental, for instance if you are looking to play around with sound development, then you want as many keys as possible.

4) Is an onboard sequencer worth it? This comes down to a very simple factor: if you’re working without a computer, then yes. If you’re working with a computer, then it probably won’t be necessary.

5) Do I need a workstation? The workstation on your keyboard will perform a myriad of functions, from sequencing to effects. If you are already using a computer which handles all of that, paying extra for a workstation may not be the most economical vantage point. This should be weighed against the fact that the workstation is, however, an incredible tool to use.

6) Velocity and aftertouch features. The velocity feature relates to how the sound is produced relative to the amount of pressure given to the keys, for example how quickly they are pressed. The aftertouch feature deals more with the sound that is produced after the keys have been pressed, like when they are resting on the keybed. Whatever use you have in mind for your keyboard, then velocity and aftertouch is something you should definitely be looking for.

7) Can I take this to a gig? You might want to think about a hard case to protect it, and obviously maneuverability is going to be a factor. It may seem obvious to say, but do you really want to be lugging some huge keyboard around from one gig to another? If one of the reasons you are buying the keyboard is to take it to gigs, then this should definitely be considered.

When you take the time to find the best keyboard, one that will suit your needs and your goals, then you are much more likely to develop the long-term relationship with your instrument. Think about what is available online -this is often the best way to buy a new keyboard -with the added advantage that they will deliver straight to your door!

Backup singers for those who have none

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The DigiTech company has created this tool that can help you with your singing. No, it cannot improve the timber of your voice, it can help you construct a nice layer to it though with their Vocalist Live 4 foot pedal.

In my early days of playing guitar, we didn’t have all the racks of electronics that they have for today’s guitar player. There was a couple of staple pedals out there with limited capacities. KISS (keep it simple stupid) was the rule of the day. In today’s musical environment, it’s a whole new ball game.

I tend to do mostly solo playing when I perform live, due to the fact that I’m the only one on stage at the time. My voice is not the greatest but, it works for the most part. When playing most songs, I attempt to produce that full sound that I hold so dearly to my heart. During some songs that require chording in certain parts, I let them come out in my mind … unfortunately this doesn’t come out over the PA.

In one of my many monthly music magazines I subscribe to, I came across this device from DigiTech that helps you form harmonies on either you home computer or live. This product is called Vocalist Live 4.

Basically the foot pedal works on what your instrument is playing. It follows the chords you are playing and it then formulates that appropriate harmonies that you can use. You can tailor fit it to your own parameters, for you to ultimately control.

You can either create the pre-set patterns on your computer with a Midi sequencer (I would highly recommend this one) or you could do it through faceplate in real time (I’m not that coordinated, how about you?).

Of coarse there are the endless add on’s to any modern day devices that can drive you out of your mind! If you are a simple performer like myself but, your not into all the technical rings that you have to jump through while playing live, it’s still nice to know that their if you need them.

Here is an example of how it works and it seems really neat and helpful for this guy on stage. It seems simple enough and I can’t hear the traditional hissing sound that is normally associated with products like this.

Has anyone out there used this product OR something similar to it now or in the past? I’d love to find out more about this and other devices like it. To everyone else reading this post, if you know someone who is a musician that might find this item useful and your looking for a gift for them then, do your homework and see if it’s in your price range. It would be a GREAT donation to a musical friend that will have a big effect on their performances today and in the future for sure!

FYI: if you have more dollars then sense/cents, then I’m looking for a really good friend too!

Keep on Jammin’

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