Sabian Artisan Cymbals Hats and Crash

These very special cymbals are handcrafted by Sabian’s master artisans from the Vault team and are only available in limited quantities. The marketing blurb tells me that this is a “collection” as opposed to a “series” with each cymbal having its own unique personality. This along with both our sample 14” hi-hats and 18” crash having their very own padded sleeve/case, gave me some idea of what I might expect and needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed. The hats have the most gorgeous pronounced and musical ‘click’ that I have ever encountered. The bottom cymbal is noticeably heavier and I loved the sensitivity of the top cymbal – and these hats spoke with total clarity when playing a swing rhythm with the hats half-closed. But perhaps their best attribute is that they are sensitive enough to respond at very low volumes, making them the ideal partner in any musical environment, be it big band, combo or concert orchestra. The crash was equally dynamic, responding superbly at medium to high volume levels, speaking quickly with shimmering dark, warm tones. This test left me feeling that I wish I owned a complete Artisan set-up. With limited numbers produced, you’ll need to get in early otherwise you might miss the boat. When these eventually come up for sale on the second hand market, you’ll need to re-mortgage your life to get hold of a set. For more go to www.westsidedistribution.com

Cannonball Raven Alto Sax

This handsome alto comes from Cannonball’s Big Bell Stone Series and the black lacquering really is the business. The Raven has a solid feel and is a well built saxophone with very ergonomic keywork – everything is pretty much where you’d want it. Uniquely it comes supplied with two crooks. One is a Fat Neck underslung very much in the Conn mould while the other is a more standard Selmerstyle affair. Our sample had a very positive and free key action – especially at the bottom end, with twin arms to the lower keys and standard leather pads. Sadly my big hands didn’t sit over the palm keys as I would have wanted, but the key positions would have undoubtedly been perfect for most people. Both the intonation and articulation were spot on. From the first note it was clear that the Raven is a saxophone that’s just asking to be played, it feels as though its Big Bell has been matched to a large bore. This instrument has a very centred and a very wide range of sounds. You can play softly and it will produce a smooth, sensual sound – or you can blow the house down and it will respond with volume, depth and a case full of character. I preferred the Fat Neck crook, as it seemed to give me an effortless top range. It also offered more power and less edge to the sound. Coming in the now standard plush-lined, preformed, zippered nylon denier case, the Raven gets my seal of approval and is without doubt the most satisfying and sublime saxophone that has passed through this office in a very long time. For more go to www.windcraft.co.uk

Dupont Bebop Guitar

The French Dupont brand has been building up something of a name for itself, with the likes of Eric Clapton and Steve Miller owning examples of their instruments. Jazzwise took a look at the Florentine cut, all maple laminate, 16-inch bodied Style Classique Bebop. With a 649mm scale length it has a shallow set mahogany one-piece neck and headstock which is fitted with individual Schaller machine heads. The Indian ebony fingerboard is headed by a 42mm nut and comes adorned with mother of pearl dot position markers and 22 jumbo frets. To the body is a solid tune-a-matic bridge on an ebony footing, which carries the strings down to a steel lyre tailpiece. The Style Classique is fitted with a Benedetti humbucking pick-up in the neck position that is controlled via two nylon composite “top hat” tone and volume knobs set into the lower rear bout of the instrument. Powered up, the Bebop displays an extraordinary tonal smoothness and evenness from the very top of the upper register right down to low E. Articulation is exceptional, as is separation – there is total clarity within a full chord. The Benedetti pick-up helps to produce a clean, bright sound, yet with a mellow, warm and rich bass. From head to heel, the Bebop is a beautifully balanced instrument with faultless finishing and tones to die for – a true jazzer. For more go to www.sandarac.co.uk

Sibelius 6 Software

Sibelius has always been a joy to use for scoring. There’s a wonderful logic to the system and it is hard to beat for features and musicality. The 6 has all the features of its predecessor, such as the pick-up bar option and keyboard shortcuts related to the numeric keyboard, which allows you to become fluent with the system very quickly. This latest version has made a considerable leap forward in a number of areas, not least of which is the improvement in instrument sampling – there is a discernible timbral change in horn crescendos. Automatic collision avoidance is now an integral part of the system, so there are no longer any overlaps and everything stacks up really nicely. We also found the “live” keyboard and fretboard useful (although various kinds of guitar fingerboard would seem unnecessary), as they read on to the score immediately and could be played back, edited and also made into a guitar tab. Being able to tap the tempo on to the keyboard having scored a piece of music and know that the machine will respond to live changes and embed them is also very useful. However, the most interesting advance in version 6 is the DAW compatibility through ReWire. You can now link and sync this Sibelius to ProTools, which expands the possibilities for the system well beyond what was previously available. For more go to www.avid.com/sibelius

Hercules DS533B Instrument Stand

These stands are aptly named, although they’re not at all heavy, awkward or cumbersome. Indeed, they’re simple, straightforward and remarkably sturdy. We took a look at the alto/tenor with soprano stand. The great thing about the Hercules product is its compact storage size and simple set-up. From its packeddown state (150mm x 330mm x 110mm) it opens up using sprung locking pins, which secure two legs and the support arm – the third leg amounting to a fixed unit. Each leg has tough rubberised feet with ribbed ends for grip. The support arm carries a substantial yoke, covered in SFF rubber to protect the instrument’s finish and is, like the legs, secured in position by a sprung locking pin. Lower down, the arm is a smaller SFF-covered support that can be height adjusted to suit the individual instrument. This particular stand comes with both legs drilled for individual instrument pegs – our particular sample having a peg for the soprano saxophone. The peg can be screwed into either leg, whichever is the most convenient and will hold the saxophone securely in place by means of a triple-fluted, velvetine covered adjustable support and a solid rubberised head. The unit packs down into a tough, nylon drawstrung bag that you can sling over your shoulder. For more go to www.herculesstands.com